London Dreams (Movie Review)

London Dreams Review

Here’s a movie that derives its basic plot from an American film (the Oscar winning Amadeus), which was based on the rivalry between an Italian (Salieri) and a German (Mozart) composer. Served with Indian sentiments, it’s named London Dreams. Nevertheless, this globalization of cinema clicks for its worldly charm.

Arjun (Ajay Devgn) and Manu (Salman Khan) are childhood friends from Punjab. Arjun is inclined towards music

, much against opposition from his family. Manu’s family wants him to learn music though he keeps running away from it.

Shifting to London, Arjun, as a child, runs away from his uncle (Om Puri) and you are supposed to believe he makes it on his own, all alone in an unfamiliar land. Until he resurfaces as an adult singing at the Trafalgar Square! An impromptu band is formed as much casually with two complete stranger musician brothers (Ranvijay, Aditya Roy Kapoor) joining him on stage. Priya (Asin) adds plain face value to the band as they win gaadi, kapda aur makaan through one transition song.
Further you are made to believe through the shallow and speedy script that after decades of separation, Manu is still Arjun’s best buddy who arrives at London airport in just his chaddi. Manu is added to the band and soon he starts overshadowing Arjun as the lead singer. Seeds of jealousy are sown in Arjun’s mind which takes the face of rivalry when Manu, a compulsive flirt, also wins Priya’s heart. Arjun starts scheming against Manu and maligning his image before the climax concert in Wembley Stadium.

London Dreams starts on a low note with an unconvincing buildup and one doesn’t mind the hurried pacing. Suresh Nair’s screenplay gains rhythm in the second half with the clash of the titans. The contrast in the characterizations of Arjun and Manu are well-defined with the former worshipping music while the latter being god-gifted. Arjun’s vulnerability to being envious of Manu’s rise is humanly portrayed giving him more of a sympathetic shade than negative. The jealousy pangs are emotionally evolved keeping away synthetic negative characters and God is attributed for blessing one with passion for music while other with talent.

Vipul Shah adds profound depth to the drama and the sensitivity in his direction makes you relate to the conflicts of both the characters convincingly. Thankfully the rivalry is more musically-driven over their contention for the same girl, thereby avoiding the tendency of the narrative to take shape of a conventional love triangle. But for a film which essentially works for the intensity of its drama, the end of London Dreams is too conveniently designed.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s rocking tunes adds immense life to London Dreams and one doesn’t mind a little overdose of songs. Notice the musical expertise extending to the screenplay in the sequence when Salman sings the same stanza in three different musical versions in Bollywood, ghazal and hip-hop style. Salim-Sulaiman’s background score is equally peppy. Sejal Shah’s cinematography is eye-pleasing and the production design is of high standards.

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