Happy Ending - Saif Ali Khan, Ileana, Kalki Koechlin, Govinda

HAPPY ENDING SONG LYRICS : 

Haseena Tu Kameena Mein 
Khamma Ghani 
Mileya Mileya 
Jaise Mera Tu 
G Phaad Ke 
Paaji Tussi Such a Pussycat 

Directors: Krishna D.K., Raj Nidimoru
Producer: Saif Ali Khan, Dinesh Vijan, Sunil A Lulla
Star Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Ileana, Kalki Koechlin, Govinda
Release Date: 21 November 2014 (India)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Writers: Raj Nidimoru, Krishna D.K.
Rating : 3/5

HAPPY ENDING MOVIE REVIEW & DESCRIPTION

 Happy Ending stylishly remixes Saif Ali Khan's trademark avatar as a brat who won't grow up. Saif plays Yudi, author in LA, high on sex and success. Yudi avoids new work and commitment - which his ex (Preity Zinta in cameo, channeling the pair's Salaam Namaste chemistry) underlines. His married buddy Montu (Ranvir Shorey) is Yudi's party partner while his inner voice is a chubby Yogi (Saif) warning him not to ring his 'axe'. Suddenly, Yudi's money runs out. His publishers switch to hot-shot novelist Aanchal (Ileana) who brushes off Yudi's charms. Pushy Bollywood superstar Armaan (Govinda) demands Yudi write a DVD-inspired rom-com while dentist Vishakha (Kalki) pursues him obsessively. How does Yudi complete this tale?

Happy Ending has happy ingredients like sparkling dialogues, certain lines - "Tumhari reading pe kuch log so gaye - kuch mar bhi gaye the" - laugh-out-loud hilarious. Key performances stand out. Saif stylishly pulls off his charmer plus bummer inner voice, fat, hairy, spouting philosophy. Laughing at himself, Saif's terrific when he mumbles at Aanchal, "Mageoudwivme?"

The other scene-stealer is Govinda as Armaan-ji, a sharply written character, seeking tailor-made abs plus a story with "comedy, chumma-chaati and kick-aas". Ranvir Shorey displays deadpan ease while Kalki's uninhibited as sweetly suffocating Vishakha. Ileana's breezy as Aanchal who isn't seeking love - but loves the occasional romp.

However, the film is about 30 minutes too long. A rom-com should stay feather-light but multiple cars and stars stretch this one. The editing sometimes flags, making the plot feel like a string of sit-com situations, while the lead pair's chemistry eventually wanes, the ending a tad tame.

Writer Yudi (Saif Ali Khan) wrote a hit book five and a half years ago but he's still living life king-size in LA, enjoying fame and affairs, avoiding commitment, doing no work, partying with his miserably married friend Montu (Ranvir Shorey) or having conversations with his fat, bearded inner voice Yogi (also Saif). Suddenly, Yudi's money runs out and his publishers dump him for hit romance novelist Aanchal (Ileana D'Cruz), visiting from Mumbai.

The only work Yudi now gets is from Bollywood single-screen superstar Armaan (Govinda) who insists he copies Hollywood movies and writes a multiplex-style rom-com. Meanwhile, Yudi's dentist and once-girlfriend Vishakha (Kalki) is pursuing him obsessively, even loading videos of him singing in the shower on her laptop, forcing Yudi and Montu to break into her home when she's away. On top of this, Yudi's got severe Writer's Block, stopping him from finishing any work.

Running away from it all, Yudi tries to charm Aanchal but she's commitment-averse too. However, she gradually warms upto him, escorting him to Armaan's party, trying to help Yudi write, even agreeing to take a road trip with him to her book reading in San Francisco. The duo has fun singing classic Bollywood numbers on the way until doziness overtakes them and their car skids. While they wait for the repair van, Yudi and Aanchal have a ball posing sexily on the highway in search of lifts.

Eventually reaching San Francisco, the couple's forced to share a hotel room - and agreeing to keep it simple and commitment-free, they end up making love. Their relationship grows funnier - on Aanchal's last night in LA, they argue over dinner, Yudi throws her phone into a vase while she douses him with water - but neither expresses anything more than a sense of light fun. It's only when Yudi's ex Divya (Priety Zinta in a cameo), having argued with her husband and visiting Yudi with her kids, tells him he loves Aanchal that he admits it to himself.

Yudi then races Aanchal's taxi to the airport in a hilarious scene and tells her his feelings - but she says, thanks, let's just be friends. As she leaves, Yudi's sunk in depression - and then starts to write. Along the way, Vishakha gets engaged to a panic-struck Yudi by falsely claiming she's pregnant - but then breaks it up, saying she doesn't want him to marry her out of pity.

Armaan, who's meanwhile got himself cosmetic surgery and six-pack abs in LA, is impressed with the 'kick-ass' script Yudi presents him. However, for the script's ending, Yudi goes to Mumbai and sees Aanchal where he tells her they can take it one day at a time - and perhaps live their whole lives together like that. Aanchal smiles and the Happy Ending begins.

Posted from Times of India