The 'After Hrs' review: ' Teri Meri Kahaani'

Film: Teri Meri Kahaani
Director: Kunal Kohli
Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Prachi Desai, Vrajesh Hirjee
Rating: **

A filmmaker makes a film to tell a story on the big canvas. Well, here director Kunal Kohli goes on to tell three of them. So, there are three love stories set in three different eras that see Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra meet under different circumstances with the same outcome. Love happens and so do all the side-effects and dramabaazi that come as a part and parcel of falling in love. Thankfully, however, Kunal completely refrains from taking the tried and tested route of depicting the film as a tale of reincarnation, though the soul-mate connection is hard to miss!
So, the first love story is set in the Bombay of 1960 with Ruksar (Priyanka), a heroine meeting Govind (Shahid) an aspiring musician on a train. A song and dance later, kuch kuch hota hai! Yes, but also to Maahi (Prachi Desai) who also falls in love with Govind.

The second story is a flash forward in the present where Krish (Shahid) after being dumped by his girlfriend Meera, meets Radha (Priyanka). Again a song and dance and kuch kuch hota hai!
The third is set in Sargoda, Lahore of 1910. An incorrigible flirt Javed (Shahid) falls in love with Aradhana (Priyanka). By now you are just waiting for them to break into a song and dance again and well, the wait is not long at all.

So, in short, the hero-heroine meet, fall in love, sing and dance, and after their love story hitting a minor speed breaker, everything’s back on track soon enough. All of this multiplied by three! The lead pair may have found their answers, but by the end of the three mini-films all that you are actually left with are three questions…

What was all that about?
What’s the connection between the three really?
What made us buy the tickets in the first place?
Well there’s no doubt that Kunal captures the essence of each era complete with the emotional subtleties and nuances, not to forget the brilliant sets and effects and you actually quite enjoy the cinematic treat of the 1960 period. But there are parts in the rest of the film that also have a school-play like feel to them. The biggest drawback however is that the stories are way too simple to evoke much interest and even simpler is the climax that gives a feeling that the director was trying to play it too safe this time around, as he sticks to the tried and tested. Also the director is heavily dependent on props and the focus seems to be more on them than the stories themselves. The slow pace in many parts makes the film seem lengthier than it actually is.

But if there’s one reason why you may not completely mind having spent the cash on the ticket after all is Shahid. Charming and versatile, he breathes life into each of his otherwise predictable characters. It’s certainly among one of his best films till date. In comparison Priyanka pales out, but does manage to keep up with the vibe of the movie, thanks to the props and costumes. The chemistry though is largely missing and is seen only in spurts. Prachi makes an impact, even in her small role. The film does have its moments for sure. Overall, it remains a sweet film — a light and frothy entertainer, but without much substance.