Well, ADHM is an honest attempt by a filmmaker who is in his zone here. The movie is fun, moving but not entirely engaging and most importantly there's nothing new in it. Kjo through his movies talks sensibly about human relationships & their complexities. He's quite good at that. He did that marvelously in all his movies(especially in KANK and barring SOTY). Here he's in command too. But the screenplay offers hardly anything novel. Initial parts of the protagonists in this drama will remind you of 'KKHH' friendship between Rahul & Anjali, then post intermission, you will see 'KANK' like scenario and the plot ends with ingredients of 'KHNH' pathos. So it's a mix bag of Kjo's previous endeavours, however his presentation here is good & appreciable. I mean he very well knows how to use emotions where with heartfelt songs, meaningful dialogues and lovely performances. And there lies the strength of this film. Music is fabulous. The title track is a complete winner followed by Bulleya & Channa Mareya. Performances are so good too. Ranbir emotes with beauty. He's fantastic in all the melancholic bits. He makes you feel & root for him. No doubt he's an arresting talent. Anushka does her best here. I have never seen her this good before. She's the heart of the film and congrats to her for such a powerful act. Aish still looks amazingly beautiful. She delivers shayaris with panache but i found her role less effective. Fawad Khan has a sparkling screen presence. Wish he had a better part too(which I believe has been cropped up for the much talked about controversy). Nonetheless, he's a gem of an artist. And then there is SRK in one scene where he utters the film's most significant line which actually takes the film forward. What a charmer he's, that even in just a scene, he absolutely made his presence felt.
Thus, ADHM is a modern take on love, friendship and their dichotomy. An unrequited love story that's low on amusement yet is nicely made. Ultimately, it gives out the message which Kjo told us long back in his dream debut, 'KKHH', and that's 'Pyaar Dosti Hai'.
It's no 'KKHH' or 'KHNH', still it's a fair emotional cinematic experience. Neither great nor appalling. It's pretty much a soothing watchable experience. It won't be liked by masses though as it's not everyone's cup of tea.
My Rating - 3/5
Don't expect much and you won't complain. Watch it for its merits!
