I saw the movie y'day. Dint really want to, but was getting bored and the cable-walla put it on. Within 5 minutes I was hooked. I had missed out the Abhishek-Rani episode, but still this looked like the best Hindi movie I've seen this year. Extremely intelligent film-making, with the lens looking right thru the eyes of the targeted audience, which is young guys like me.
The reason why people like the reviewer on this site have called this movie a disspointment is they're hopelessly out of touch with what the youth in this country really want. I found the dialogue between Ajay-Esha and Vivek-Kareena extremely witty, very close to what I use with my girl-friend, or rather what everyone uses these days, everyone under 35 atleast (im 22).
Ajay managed to pull off the role, not his age. He's matured as an actor and seems to get better with every role he does. Abhishek's performance was dazzling. As was Esha's. Ok, I grant that the movie had loopholes, and didn't exactly tie it all together at the end. But it was a joy-ride all along. How can you even think of comparing such a movie with utter nonsense like Dhoom? (or is it "DOOM?", coz I only remember Tata Young from that one)
I have seen Ayutha Ezhuthu before, and saw Yuva just last week. Personally I feel that one of the reasons for Yuva's flop is the setting. Had the movie set in Bombay instead of Kolkata, it would have clicked more with Northern Indian audience - but, sigh, if it had been set in Bombay, it would be yet another run of the mill stuff. Moreover, the slickness of Mani Ratnam's dialogues were not transferred with its original effect in Yuva - but it's all part of the game. I have seen all Mani Ratnam films to date, and this has been the most disappointing, especially after a wonderful movie like 'Kannathil Mutthamittal'. Yuva/AE don't seem to be any different from those ubiquitous revolutionary movies that are so common in Tamil and Telugu. If the same movie, with its same technical superiority, came with a different director's name in the credits, it would have bombed within the first week. I like Mani Ratnam, but I won't glorify his slippages. Moreover, even in AE, Madhavan and his dialogues were too sophisticated for a political goonda.
YUVA stands out in this maze of feel good and almost predictable Karan Johar/ Shah Rukh brand of movies. It is strongly recommended for all connoisseurs of intelligent cinema. In this race for rampant consumerism, pursuit of money as the barometer of success and the apparent failure of the socialist system to bring economic success to the masses in India, YUVA's nationalistic message may sound very old fashioned to some. But the message ultimately is the strongest point of the film and is the one which stays with you long after one returns home. And that ultimately is Mani Ratnam's key achievement.
Movies like 'Yuva' and 'Dev' should be promoted for the non-indian viewres, should not highlight the negative points. Had I believe Rediff Reviews: I would have missed a good movie. My family all enjoyed the theme and the intensity of the movie. Padmanava
