The essence of David Dhawan films, however, continued to remain the same: Entertainment, minus double-entendres.
Riding high on the success of MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI, DD now attempts yet another light entertainer that is targeted at the common man, with tremendous appeal not just for the youth but also for the family audiences. Like all DD films, MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA throws logic to the winds. So, when you saunter into a movieplex screening MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA, make sure you leave your thinking caps back at home.
Love triangles have always fascinated DD and MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA is no exception. This one also revolves around two women falling in love with one man, but it borrows heavily from a hit Broadway play, which director Gene Saks adapted brilliantly on the big screen and called it CACTUS FLOWER [1969; starring Walter Matthau, Goldie Hawn, Ingrid Bergman].
MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA is high on substance and more importantly, very high on entertainment. You expect to watch a breezy entertainer in those 2.15 hours, a film that doesn't test your intelligence and sure, the film lives up to the expectations.
Comedy is serious business. The moviegoer has to laugh at the right places and situations and DD has mastered the art over and over again. In a nutshell, MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA is a chill pill, a film that puts a smile on your face and yes, paisa vasool entertainment at its best!
There's no doctor like Samir [Salman Khan]. He mends broken bones, but there's no remedy for the hearts he breaks. That's because this orthopaedic surgeon just can't resist women. Neither can women stay away from this charming casanova.
But there's one exception: His work-obsessed, dutiful nurse Naina [Sushmita Sen].
She has no life except the doctor's clinic and she's always busy making sure that the doctor keeps his appointments with his many patients and his as many girlfriends.
To make sure none of his affairs become serious, Dr. Samir has one instant cure. He tells all his besotted girlfriends that he is already married. Most of them swallow this bitter dose and leave him alone.
But there's one exception: His latest love Sonia [Katrina Kaif]. She is beautiful, bright and sensitive. Samir is finally in love and tells her he wants to marry her. But she has one condition: She will marry him only after she has met his wife!
Now Samir is stuck. Because he has no wife!
To make his lie true, Samir has to tell one more lie. Then another. And yet another… Helping Samir cover the truth with his lies is the reluctant but loyal Naina. Helping Sonia discover the truth behind the lies is her besotted neighbor Pyaare [Sohail Khan].
Into this jamboree drops Samir's mom [Bina Kak], who slaps before speaking and Samir's best friend Vicky [Arshad Warsi] and his fake patient Thapa [Rajpal Yadav], who have their own lies to protect.
DD has always chosen actors who've a flair for comedy, their timing is bang-on and MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA gets it right in that department. The Salman-DD magic, starting with JUDWAA, right till MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI, is on display in MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA as well. Sushmita, Sohail, Katrina, Arshad, Bina Kak… everyone lets their hair down and combine their energies for this joyride.
A love triangle is a much-used-and-abused genre in Bollywood, but DD and screenplay writer Rumi Jafry rise to the occasion to assure you laughter unlimited. A few sequences involving Salman, Katrina and Sohail as well as those involving Salman, Sush and Arshad are truly hilarious.
But that doesn't mean that the film is devoid of loose ends. The post-interval portions are very lengthy and the promise evident in the first half gets diluted in the next one hour. Also, the pace slackens in the post-interval portions. The editor could've used the scissors far more judiciously and trimming the film would've only helped. Even the writing in the second half could've been better!
David Dhawan keeps the interests of the masses in mind and that's pretty evident this time as well. For any light entertainer to strike a chord, it ought to be laced with gags and punches and most importantly, actors who can carry off the characters with élan. MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA has enough rib-tickling moments that can really drive you nuts and the pacing is so fast generally, it doesn't leave room for the moviegoer to blink an eyelid.
Himesh Reshammiya's music is in keeping with the mood of the film. 'Just Chill', 'Laga Prem Rog' and 'Dil Di Nazar' are peppy numbers that have been promoted extensively and also look good on screen. The choreography of 'Just Chill' and 'Laga Prem Rog' in particular is very energetic. The film bears a striking look throughout, courtesy Vikas Shivraman's cinematography. A film of this genre relies heavily on wit and humor and the repartees/witty retorts [dialogues: Sanjay Chhel] are superb.
MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA is a Salman Khan film all the way. The good looking actor has specialized at aimed-at-gallery roles and his performance plus charisma is what makes the goings-on so pleasurable. Besides, the terrific rapport that DD and Salman share translates beautifully on the big screen.
Sohail Khan is back and how! MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA showcases the youngest Khan's talent to the optimum and as the nosey Pyaare, he is truly pyaara. He tends to go over the top at places, but that's what the film demands! Sushmita Sen is so perfect, so natural and yes, eye-candy for those looking for the glamour quotient. Katrina Kaif is a complete revelation. The pretty lass, who showed improvement in SARKAR two weeks ago, finally gets the right role to showcase her talent.
Arshad Warsi is a major force to reckon with when it comes to comic roles and under DD's direction, the actor explodes big time. He is simply superb! Isha Koppikar gets no scope. Rajpal Yadav isn't in form this time. Bina Kak, as Salman's brash mother, is another actor to watch. She excels! Arbaaz Khan is there for just one scene in the penultimate reel.
On the whole, MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA is a breezy entertainer that will keep the viewers smiling, which in turn will make its distributors laugh all the way to the bank!