Dear Zindagi movie review: Alia Bhatt is the HERO and Shah Rukh Khan complements her beautifully!

Dear Zindagi movie review: Want to know if watching Shah Rukh Khan-Alia Bhatt's this film is worth your time and money? Then read our review!

Dear Zindagi, directed by Gauri Shinde, is a beautiful film. It is also a poetry in motion by someone who is hopelessly in love with camera and wants to capture entire life through these curious lenses. This is not your typical Bollywood film and therefore could be quickly categorised into a ‘multiplex’ movie largely centered around the urbane audience with their sensibilities. Yes, there is no masala and the story gives no space for any melodrama whatsoever. The protagonist of the movie, the wonderful Alia Bhatt, sometimes evokes something in you with just her eyes, her wandering gaze and her quivering lips. The film is written for her and belongs to her. There are no two ways about this fact. So, do you watch this movie or no? Read our full review here.

What’s it about:

The movie is about a 20 something Kaira who has a wandering, creative mind. She is emotional but does not want to get in touch with her true feelings. She loves her job and throws herself in it if she wants to escape from the grim realities of life. Basically, she is just one of us in the movie. While meandering through a string of failed relationships, she stumbles upon a mental health expert who later becomes her therapist and sunshine returns into her gloomy life. Shah Rukh Khan teaches her the real meaning of life. It is a story of this complicated yet beautiful journey. One may brand it as a coming-of-age-film, it is that but also so much more. ALSO READ: Dear Zindagi honest review: See what critics have said about Shah Rukh Khan & Alia Bhatt’s film

What’s hot;

Alia Bhatt. She is a like a gift which never stops giving. While it is debatable whether this is her career best performance till date (she was bloody damn good in Highway and Udta Punjab!) but it surely makes us see her in a totally different light, yet again. Yeah, and I genuinely agree with Shah Rukh Khan’s comment that she has become too good too soon. All at 23, Alia (who made her debut with a candy floss movie like Student Of the Year) evokes pathos, pain and joy in us with her portrayal of Kaira in Dear Zindagi. And she does not even need to mouth some big-ass monologues for that. Just a sight of she breaking down like a vulnerable child in front of us while bringing back a few bitter memories of her past would make you look at her in wonder and amazement! Wow! Not everyone at this age can ‘act’ without really acting.

Also, Shah Rukh Khan (wherever he goes or whatever he does) has a very strong screen presence which does not let you see anyone else in the frame. But with SRK, Alia does little more than just being noticed for she shines! Yeah, Alia and SRK are a winning team and there is something electric happening between them all the time. Something fluid, something intangible but so, so precious. At times Alia’s Kaira gives him ‘sugar-daddy’ vibes and he looks on, rather amused! Aaah, it’s really cute to watch them on screen. (ALSO READ: Dear Zindagi celeb review: Shah Rukh Khan-Alia Bhatt starrer is a HIT!)

Kunal Kapoor who plays one of Alia’s lovers looks HOT. HOT. HOT and you totally understand why she falls for him. Ali Zafar, Angad Bedi and later Kunal Kapoor have very less scope but do well with their parts. The music of the movie is good and fits in the genre. It is also amazing to see the camera make love to the scene, swoon-worthy beaches and winding roads of Goa!

What’s not:

The film drags on a bit after interval and Ali Zafar portion seems stretched. Crispier editing could have done wonders to the movie. Shah Rukh Khan’s sessions with Alia are good but at times are too preachy. But apart from these two flaws, there is nothing really bad or grossly wrong with the movie.

What to do:

By all means, please watch the film. If not for anything else then at least for the ‘samunder se kabbadi’ scene.