Saif Ali Khan's production debut begins with Love Aaj Kal - a movie by Imtiaz Ali - The same guy who directed the sloppy "Jab We met". Jab We Met was a hit - for reasons beyond my understanding. For all I knew, it was a DDLJ rehash with a poor man's Sharukh who was incapable of any menacing expressions whatsoever (Okay, I have heard about Kaminey, but I guess its something we ought to wait and see - not hype up. Even good directors make bad movies, as Ram Gopal Varma could tell you).

Now why Jab We met was a hit? I must probably give credit to all the punjabi women who went gaga about it. That, and the fact that we had a recently broken up Bebo and Shahid who created enough publicity with the last movie they would do together, and the few kisses they shared on and off screen that somebody has been kind enough to upload to youtube.

Enough said about that. Jab We Met was a mediocre movie.

Love Aaj Kal, on the other hand, is good. Now, it isn't excellent. It isn't without its little failings, its badly placed songs, occassional spurts of unemotive acting by a model turned actress with a behind to kill for, and a star actor with the worst dancing skills since Sunny Deol. Don't believe me? Just watch him prance around for Twist, looking goofily straight at the camera and trying too hard not to mess it up.

But what makes Love Aaj Kal work for me, is its plausible storyline -about love in today's world and the practicality of letting someone go - even if you feel somewhere deep inside that this might be the right one. There is an ounce of truth in what happens in the movie - and it is bitter. Yet, we are shown the sweetness that once existed - in the story of yesterday, which unfortunately, plays like a romantic comedy track. This story is told through Rishi Kapoor's narrative although in a flight of cinematic license unknown previously to Bollywood, the character is played yet again by Saif.

And thus we see two stories unfold as we witness a Saif of the older days ( who is actually Rishi Kapoor when he grows old)- spotting a turban and beard and making declarations of love as he follows his loved one miles and miles just to see her. And on the other side, there is the Urban Saif - the talking, blundering and philandering Saif, who lets love take a backseat and immerses instead into work and playstations and growth, only to find himself terribly lonely, when all is lost.

Love Aaj Kal works because its script does not travel the familiar path. It moves into unchartered territory and talks about relationships and confusion. It addresses the fear of commitment all men feel and what Indian movies conveniently ignore. Happily ever after is tougher than ever today, and this is what Love Aaj Kal portrays.

Having said that the acting is not too great, there are times - when the acting does deliver - the sorrow that runs deep behind Deepika's eyes, or the drunkenness with which the pair stumble into an apartment complex and Saif mumbles a hello. Deepika, who got away playing a prop in Om Shanti Om, gets ample space to act in Love Aaj Kal - Sometimes, she does deliver, showing that she cannot be written off immediately. At other times, it is clear that she is still raw. There is much to be learned.

The movie therefore, rests mostly on Saif's broad shoulders - and he pulls through, despite his rather large nose and balding forehead. The forehead is conveniently covered in the Sardar's avatar - but the broad shoulders gell well into the Sardar's shirt - although they make the new generation Saif look pudgy and fat. I personally liked his look as the older Saif better. Being an actor of caliber, he manages to bring out the unchecked agression and insecurity of a Punjabi munda.

Lastly, a word on Harleen Kaur - that beautiful beautiful Italian lady they have cast as Saif's love interest. She fits into the role of a beautiful Punjabi maiden perfectly and is tailor made gorgeous.

For me, a good movie is something with a script that doesn't bore, dialogues that I find easy to comprehend and a story that keeps my attention till the end. Love Aaj Kal managed to do all three of these - and it is therefore a movie that is not your average Bollywood movie - despite being packed and disguised that way.

And thus it becomes the sort of movie you must see. If you were ever in love. Or in a relationship. Or confused.

Yesterday. Or today.

Four Stars on Five.