People are voting emotionally.

A lot of fun.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Ranbir Kapoor in his debut leading man role as Ranbir in Saawariya, didn't have the luck to snag the lady of his dreams, maybe because he was kind of a cad too, where karma had a part to return and haunt him. In his second feature film here, his Raj Sharma is again a cad, and credits himself being a "lady killer", able to woo any woman when he turns on his charms. We journey with him as he learns the true meaning of romance and love, and the first half of the movie before the intermission, gives the audience three situations over the course of 11 years where he toys with the emotions of different girls, broadly the sweet, sexy and sassy type, until of course, Karma catches up with him again for that all important lesson.Girl 1: Sweet. 1996. Switzerland. In what would seem like a Before Sunrise storyline, Raj meets Mahi (Minissha Lamba) on board a Euro-train, and engineers his way to be able to spend time alone with his mark, on the pretext of sending her to Zurich to reunite with her family for their trip back to India. This episode sets the stage for Raj as the manipulative casanova, while Mahi is a very girly girl who harbours dreams of that perfect man, the perfect romantic encounter, and that perfect romance coming out just like her favourite movie. Only to discover that her puppy love, with sweet nothings and dedicated poems, resulted to naught when Raj's game is exposed. Broken Heart 1.Girl 2: Sexy. 2002. Mumbai. Raj seemed to have moved on to another target, though it may seem from the onset he's already been domesticated by Radhika (Bipasha Basu from Dhoom 2), a hot model and aspiring actress who's his neighbour and they're living in together. Raj would have thought that a woman like her, stereotyped of course, would be easy and loose, living the fast life, and wouldn't want to be tied down to marriage because it will hamper her career. So when an opportunity to work in Sydney comes knocking and presents itself as a perfect moment to ditch her, to his surprise Radhika contemplates marriage, which he tries wholeheartedly to avoid. She's willing to sacrifice her career for him, but suffers the unthinkable in being left at the altar. Broken Heart 2.Girl 3: Sassy. 2007. Sydney. It's actually quite a no-brainer to cast Deepika Padukone here given that she too, like Ranbir Kapoor, had 1 feature film under her belt, and are relatively successful newcomers to the industry (her first effort was in Om Shanti Om, and more recently, Chandni Chowk to China). And (ok Gossipy news ahead) this film actually was the catalyst for their much touted romance (and you can see the dynamics at work with some of the behind the scenes and interviews included in the 2nd disc). Anyway her role here as Gayatri, a business school student who works her way through school as a supermarket check out girl and a taxi driver, impresses Raj a lot, enough to romance her in Venice, and give up his gallivanting ways. Only of course for him to have met his match, and got spurned on his marriage proposal. She's a modern girl wanting to live life on her own terms, so being someone else's wife has never featured in her plans. What goes around finally comes around. Broken Heart 3. Raj's.While the first half of the movie before the intermission was pretty plain sailing romantic stuff, the second half proved to be more powerful, because the protagonist finally has his eyes opened by his new experience, and realized he's been quite a bastard. So off he goes to make amends with the girls whose hearts he had broken, and mind you, in both real and reel life, this is never easy. Especially when you have to go back and face the women who had one point in time truly love you, and your actions had single handedly destroyed their belief in romance, and change or scar them for life.We get a lot more jet-setting as well, all worked into the plot, such as the visits to Amritsar, Capri and Rome, as we follow Raj on his mission impossible to seek redemption and forgiveness from a housewife with a protective husband, and another who's now a renowned model with success to her head. I had enjoyed this section more because trying his best to be honest now, Raj has to strip his ego and really crack his head to device his forgiveness plan. Also, we get to see the different demeanours that both Bipasha Basu and Minissha Lamba had to tackle given their characters' failed romance with Raj, which had changed them either for the better, or worse.The songs here proved to be catchy and fitting to each of the sweet, sexy and sassy persona that the girls bring to the table, and the beautiful locales they were shot in again were draws. Other than the very first musical number Bachna Ae Haseeno which opens the film, you don't get to see everybody on the same scene together, as each storyline took place under mutually exclusive terms, in timeline as well as locations.If there's something to take away from the film, then it's the lesson that Raj learns, with the past being over and there's no longer control over it, but we can rectify things for the future if we take action in the present. Call me a sentimental fool, but somehow this works on me.

Yash Raj Productions has hardly done much good work in the last few years. Chak De India (which i didn't think was particularly brilliant, but we'll discuss that in its own review) was the only successful film from the so-called powerhouse production company. Personally, I rather enjoyed Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, but I can understand why it was hard to digest by most audiences.Whether it's the timing, the cast, the story, the screenplay, or even the music, Bachna Ae Haseeno scores in all.BAH is a romantic comedy about a regular guy who's been around with many women, finally falling in love, but getting rejected, and then going on a journey to redeem himself. Warm, funny at times and definitely interesting.With the exception of Deepika Padukone, who emerges as a rather wooden actor, the performances were all good. The winner here is definitely Ranbir Kapoor as Raj, who carries a charismatic glow with him in every frame that leaves you with not much else to look at. He's got a very likable quality about him and I can only see him flourish with his future ventures. Minisha does a good job as the Punjabi girl next door who wants to be a "Simran", and Bipasha's role has been written out rather meaty as well (excuse the pun).Fresh locations can be a bore if they are out of context, or can be forgotten if they are used as mere background, but BAH uses its locations to the fullest. Add to that some good music, where every song fits in, and you have a successful music album.I give this movie a much more than just "safe-to-watch" recommendation. Highly enjoyable. Great direction, good screenplay and high production values. Yash Raj has finally managed to crack out of the mold of mundane.

The word surprise has several meanings... may be this is one of them .I hate most films from the Yash Raj Genre for their cheesy sense of humor & tasteless acting & screenplay. But somehow went on to see this movie.Initially this was only as sick as any other boy-meet-girl movie but then somehow this movie gained some meaning. And even though you had to tolerate Ranbir Kapoor's Demented facial expressions, the movie wasn't that bad after all.It had some good acting by the damsels & the plot grew to become more mature & involving. Over all in the end, you'd feel satisfied by the entire turn of events My advice - survive the first half hour!!! Somehow..

Bachna Ae Haseeno is as endearing a movie can get! Its is a prime example of a movie which is wonderful, fun-filled, formulaic yet having a new age zing to it.Yes, it is a typical Yash Raj product soaked with fantasies, over the top antics, situations, plausibilities and a few contrived situations! Heck! Damn It! Who Cares? This is not meant to be a path breaking film and it never claims to be one! Hell it even unabashedly draws slight inspiration from the cult DDLJ, eventually spoofing and mocking it! That was that. Now its a new decade, a new attitude! And it reflects that.Director Siddharth Anand knows the pulse of the Modern New Age Indian Audience -- their psyche, their value systems and their attitudes. And it is reflected in' Bachna Ae Haseeno' in the way he executes an Aditya Chopra script with backup from A grade ingredients -- be it the cast and the production value.The casting is just perfect with neatly carved out roles for each and everybody. 'BAH' heralds the arrival of a new superstar, in fact a new 'Raj' - Ranbir Kapoor. It is a tailor made role for him to exhibit his unpolished prowess. And yes that glib charm damn well works! He weaves magic! Saawariya -- who? what? and where? Amongst the actresses it is Bipasha who with her oomph steals the show portraying a strong and well written character. The cute Minisha Lamba and the sweet Deepika Padukone are effective in their own right. Even the cameo with Kunal Kapoor is brilliantly pulled off!Bachna Ae Haseeno is one of the best visual spectacles you can see on Celluloid! Top notch Cinematography and photography. It captures the heart and soul of exquisite locations like Switzerland, Australia, Italy! As if they are an important character of this movie; leaving you spell bound! And wait we are not done yet! The duo of Vishal Shekhar hit gold with tracks like 'Khuda Jaane', 'Aahista Aahista' and the rehashed 'Bachna Ae Haseeno'; all of which being blended perfectly in the movie.It is a Starry, Visual & Musical Extravaganza. One of the very best of its kind!