Ekk Deewana Tha

A torturous journey in love

Hindi (U/A)Cast: Prateik Babbar,Amy Jackson, Director: Gautham Menon

At some point during Ekk Deewana Tha, the boy declares to the girl that there is amazing chemistry between them. Eureka! You wake up with a pipette and burette, overjoyed at the proposal of a discovery. 

Only to realise that Prateik Babbar is still trying to “arrive” and Amy Jackson is still going to office in sarees she can’t pull off. You go back to your slumber, pleading chemistry to make a debut before the movie ends. 

Ms Jackson, a former Miss Liverpool, doesn’t even remotely resemble the Malayali Christian she plays. It would have made sense if one of her parents was from across the seas. But Amy’s folks are from Alleppey, talking in their tongue most of the time. 

Gautham Menon scored a hit with his Tamil original Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa. The Hindi version misses everything a love story should have: Actors who can at least make themselves appear passionate, good music (sorry Rahman, we aren’t impressed this time) and some decent lines. 

It’s love at first “gate” for Prateik — he sees Amy at her apartment entrance — and has his eyes out of sockets ever since. What a sin — he is a Hindu and a year younger to her! Amy’s family is scandalised. 

But Prateik is smitten enough to follow her to the backwaters of Kerala (houseboat tourism, anyone?) and attend her wedding, well almost. 

By the time Amy decides between her “deewana” and parents, the viewer has had his share of torture.