'Always Kabhi Kabhi' (Hindi) Director: Roshan Abbas Cast: Ali Fazal, Giselli Monteiro, Satish Shah, Lilette Dubey, Vijay Raaz, Mukesh Tiwari, Manoj Joshi Nandini Oberoi, popularly known as Nandy Bull, is the resident tomboy of St Mark's High school where 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' plays out. She is constantly at loggerheads with her oldest friend and token nerd of the school Tariq "Einstein" Naqvi. It is obvious for anyone who has seen a teen romance or three that these two will find their way into each other's arms. This is, after all, a simple extrapolation of the pigtail pulling we see on school playgrounds- fighting is just a circuitous way of expressing affection. But the film still manages to pull off a reworking of this trope in a fashion rarely seen in these parts. In true teen-romance style it is Nandini's personal crisis, an unexpected pregnancy scare in this case, that brings these two oddly nicknamed kids together. However it does not happen with Einstein confronting Nandini's philandering boyfriend or challenging him toa duel at dawn for her honor. What he does instead, is face up to the awkward task of buying a few pregnancy tests from a disapproving, yet surprisingly well-intentioned, pharmacist. This, curiously enough, is sufficient for Einstein to work his way into Nandini's heart. It takes a true romantic to conceive and pull off a "he is so cute he brought me pregnancy tests" meet-cute. Sadly this spark of novelty is one of the very few things right with 'Always Kabhi Kabhi'. Set in a campus that resembles a Haveli at times and Hogwarts at others, 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' attempts to relocate the high school musical to Delhi. Sadly the film makes quite a mish-mash mess of the move. A serious contest of Shakespeare plays is established as the backdrop for the film. Yet we rarely see any effort requisite of a student production. The new student Aishwarya, played by the wispily attractive Giselli Monteiro, is just handed the part Juliet on her first day of school. The emphasis placed on looks and a Bollywood bloodline reiterates the superficial reality that the film inhabits. We settle in to the film, content in the assumption that a powder puff romantic drama is set to unfold. But it quickly abandons the play to probe drugs, corrupt cops and indifferent parents. This inconsistency soon envelops the narrative and performances as well. Ali Fazal as Sam and Satyajeet Dubey as Einstein seem lost in wide-eyed cluelessness for the most part and Zoa Morani as Nandini has little to do but look spunky or cute as necessary. If the film had stuck to a tone it may have, at the very least, been acceptable as a genre exercise. As it stands, 'Always Kabhi Kabhi' exhibits an emptiness of character that makes it an extremely tiresome watch.
