Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - 2011

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Introduction

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a Bollywood movie released in 2011. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, the movie features an ensemble cast including Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, and Kalki Koechlin.

The movie revolves around the story of three friends, Kabir (played by Abhay Deol), Imraan (played by Farhan Akhtar), and Arjun (played by Hrithik Roshan), who go on a bachelor trip to Spain. The trip is not just about having fun but also about facing their fears and discovering their true selves.

The movie is beautifully shot and captures the essence of Spain, its culture, and traditions. It also has a great soundtrack, which includes songs like Senorita and Ik Junoon, that have become popular with audiences. The performances by the cast are top-notch. Hrithik is exceptional in his role as a successful investment banker who is torn between his professional ambitions and personal life. Abhay Deol is convincing as the sensitive and introspective Kabir, while Farhan Akhtar brings a sense of humor and playfulness to the character of Imraan.

Katrina Kaif plays the role of Laila, a free-spirited diving instructor who becomes a love interest for Arjun. Kalki Koechlin plays the role of Natasha, Kabir's fiancee, who is a control freak and wants everything to be perfect. The movie is not just about friendship but also about self-discovery and living life to the fullest. It inspires audiences to step out of their comfort zones and take risks in order to pursue their dreams.

Table of Contents

• Details

• Plot

• Release

• Reviews

• Cast

• Crew

• Character Analysis

• Songs

• Behind the Scenes

• Controversy

• Box Office Collection

• Awards

• Interesting Facts

• Conclusion

Details

Plot

The movie revolves around three friends, Kabir, Arjun, and Imran, who reunite after many years to go on a bachelor road trip to Spain. The three friends decide to go on an adventure, where they plan to experience various activities that they have never done before.

Initially, Arjun, who is a workaholic, is hesitant to go on the trip but later agrees to join his friends. Imran, who is a writer, joins the trip to explore and document the experiences. As the trip progresses, the three friends discover various aspects of life which they had never experienced before. The trip becomes a journey of self-discovery, where each character faces their fears and insecurities.

During their trip, they meet Laila (Katrina Kaif), a free-spirited girl who becomes a catalyst in their journey. Laila, who is a diving instructor, teaches Arjun how to overcome his fear of drowning. However, their trip takes a turn when Kabir meets his fiancee, Natasha, who is also in Spain. Kabir realizes that he is confused about his upcoming marriage. He has a heart-to-heart conversation with his friends, and they advise him to follow his heart.

Imran, who had always been in search of his biological father, finally meets him and finds closure. In the end, the three friends return to India, transformed by their experiences. Kabir decides to call off his wedding. Arjun and Laila get married in the end.

Release

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara's debut was initially planned for May 27, 2011; however, it was delayed to June 24 and then July 15 of that year. One thousand eight hundred screens globally showed the film when it first came out. On July 16, Kaif's birthday, a special screening of the movie was conducted at Shah Rukh Khan's home. Several famous people, including the actors and crew of the movie, attended the occasion. Shiv Sena, a radical right-wing political organisation, criticised the event for taking place three days after the 2011 Mumbai bombings. As a gesture of kindness to the bombing victims, the movie's producers gave the Maharashtra government the proceeds from screenings in about 10 Mumbai theatres.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was shown on March 24, 2012, at Bucks New University in High Wycombe, UK.

The movie's DVD release date was August 30, 2011. Afterward, the movie became accessible through both Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.

Reviews

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a popular Bollywood movie directed by Zoya Akhtar and released in 2011. One of the most striking aspects of the film is its stunning visuals. The picturesque locations of Spain, including Barcelona, Pamplona, and Seville, are beautifully captured on camera. The cinematography by Carlos Catalan is impressive and provides a visual treat for the viewers. The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is another highlight of the film, with songs like Senorita and Ik Junoon becoming extremely popular among audiences.

The performances by the lead actors are also noteworthy. Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, and Abhay Deol share great chemistry on screen and bring their characters to life with their nuanced performances. Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin also deliver solid performances in their respective roles.

The film's storyline is not particularly original, as it deals with the familiar themes of self-discovery, friendship, and love. However, what sets it apart is the way it handles these themes. The film's writing is sharp and witty, and the dialogues are natural and realistic. The characters are well-defined and relatable, and their journeys are engaging and inspiring.

Critics gave the movie high marks for its directing, plot, script, soundtrack, humour, cinematography, and performances by the entire cast. 93% of the reviews from 14 critics on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes are favourable, with an average score of 7.9/10.

Cast

• Hrithik Roshan as Arjun Saluja

• Abhay Deol as Kabir Dewan

• Farhan Akhtar as Imran Qureshi

• Katrina Kaif as Laila

• Kalki Koechlin as Natasha Arora

• Ariadna Cabrol as Nuria

• Naseeruddin Shah as Salman Habib (Imran’s Biological Father)

• Deepti Naval as Rahila Qureshi

• Suhel Seth as Mr. Arora

Crew

• Director(s) - Zoya Akhtar

• Screenplay Writer(s) - Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

• Story Writer(s) - Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

• Dialogue Writer(s) - Farhan Akhtar

• Producer(s) - Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani

• Cinematographer(s) - Carlos Catalan

• Editor(s) - Anand Subaya

• Musician(s) - Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, and Loy Mendonsa.

Character Analysis

• Kabir Dewan- Kabir is a wealthy investment banker who is about to get married. He is the one who plans the road trip to Spain with his two best friends to celebrate his last few days of bachelorhood.

• Arjun Saluja- Arjun is a workaholic who is always busy with his job as a financial trader. He is forced to take a vacation and join his friends on the trip. He is reserved and hesitant at first but eventually opens up and learns to let go.

• Imraan Qureshi-Imraan is a poet and writer who is searching for his biological father. He is more carefree and adventurous compared to his friends and often tries to cheer them up when they're feeling down.

• Natasha Arora- Natasha is Kabir's fiancée, who is described as being practical and career-driven. She is initially skeptical of the trip and doesn't understand why Kabir wants to go but eventually realizes the importance of having fun and enjoying life.

• Laila- Laila is a free-spirited dive instructor who Arjun meets on the trip. She encourages him to confront his fears and take risks, and they eventually fall in love. She represents the idea of living life to the fullest and taking chances.

Songs

Behind the Scenes

Play

The United Kingdom, Egypt, Mumbai, and Spain's Barcelona, Pamplona, Buol, and Andalusia served as the locations for the film's film production, which started in June 2010. Carlos Catalan, who had previously collaborated with Zoya on Luck by Chance, insisted that all three of the key actors look tanned because he "didn't want everything glossed over" and wanted to make the movie as genuine as possible.

In order to avoid objections from the Central Board of Film Certification, the filmmakers requested vacationers to stay out of the shot when filming Kaif's introductory sequence on a nudist beach. For the song Ik Junoon, the La Tomatina festival of Buol was recreated; for the scene, about 16 tonnes of tomatoes worth ₹10 million (US$130,000) were imported from Portugal. Alájar, a city in the province of Huelva, was used as the location for the filming of the flamenco song Senorita. While the sequence was being filmed at night, the crew gave the neighborhood's residents a heads-up about the song's loudness. The mayor of Alájar joined the locals who had come dressed in costumes for the third day of filming. The movie's dramatic running of the bulls scene was filmed in Pamplona. In December 2010, the final schedules were in Vashi and Alibag in Mumbai.

Controversy

Despite receiving critical acclaim and commercial success, the movie was not without its share of controversies. Here are some of the controversies surrounding the film:

The depiction of Spanish culture: The movie was set and shot in Spain, and some Spanish critics and audiences took issue with how the country and its culture were portrayed. Some felt that the movie was overly simplistic and relied on cliches, while others argued that it was a respectful and accurate portrayal of Spanish life and culture.

The portrayal of women: Some critics felt that the female characters in the movie were not fully developed and existed primarily as love interests for the male characters. Others argued that the film was progressive in its depiction of female sexuality and agency, particularly in the character of Laila (played by Katrina Kaif).

Despite these controversies, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara remains a beloved and popular Bollywood movie. The film's themes of friendship, self-discovery, and seizing the day have resonated with audiences across the world, and it is often cited as one of the best examples of modern Indian cinema.

Box Office Collection

After the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in India came in second. Although achieving an average opening in single-screen theatres, with the exception of metro locations, it debuted well in multiplexes, with occupancy ranging from 70 to 100%. In its debut three-day weekend, the movie made ₹525 million (US$6.6 million), with ₹73.9 million (US$930,000) on Friday and a net total of ₹265 million (US$3.3 million) on Sunday. It made ₹1.08 billion (US$14 million) after ten days of international showings. It earned more than ₹700 million (US$8.8 million) in India in just 17 days. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara held second place at the box office for four weeks following its release.  It was recognized as a hit in India and other countries, and it was one of the highest-grossing Bollywood movies of 2011.

Awards

Interesting Facts

• The movie was inspired by director Zoya Akhtar's own experiences traveling with friends.

• The three main male leads, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, and Abhay Deol, trained for several months in various activities featured in the film, including scuba diving, skydiving, and bull running.

• The movie was primarily filmed on location in Spain, with the cast and crew spending several weeks there for filming.

• The famous La Tomatina festival scene was shot with approximately 16 tons of tomatoes over the course of several days.

Conclusion

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a feel-good movie that is sure to leave a lasting impression on its viewers. With its stunning visuals, great performances, and relatable storyline, the film is a must-watch for anyone who loves Bollywood movies.

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