Article Updated 28 May, 2004 09:51:32 PM IST   'Hum Tum' - 'Bland!' By Prema K. ©2004 Bollyvista.com   'Hum Tum' is new age cinema yet steeped in traditions. However the attempt to make it a new age film has resulted in giving the film a very subtle treatment and feel which may be its undoing. The tongue-in-cheek humour will surely not go with the audiences in the smaller towns and cities. So this is a metro film but again here it will not be a huge success. At the most it might do average business here. Reason? Hypocritical as it may sound, the film lacks drama that one is so used to witnessing in a Bollywood film. A Hindi film seems so incomplete otherwise. Although the film has a lot of light moments they aren't really great and memorable. In short this romantic comedy is bland and you will go home with no memories. Karan Kapoor (Saif Ali Khan) works with one of India's leading newspapers as a cartoonist. He has cute cartoon characters, 'Hum' and 'Tum'. Karan meets Rhea (Rani Mukherjee) in an aircraft on his way to the U.S. They are complete opposites and are always at loggerheads with each other. Karan kisses her innocently after one of their arguments. Disaster strikes. End of a sweet budding friendship. Rhea and Karan continue to bump into each other at various phases of life and gradually become friends until they fall in love. Rhea goes through a personal tragedy and Karan stands by her to offer her support. Karan even tries setting her up with his close friend, Mihir (Jimmy Shergil in a brief role), but nothing comes of this. Instead, Mihir gets engaged to Karan's friend Diana [Isha Koppikar]. However, destiny has other plans for Karan and Rhea. This is what sets the film apart from the rest. Unlike in other films where the hero is frantically chasing the heroine or vice versa, here destiny is playing its games. Every time Rhea and Karan part ways you wonder if they will ever meet again. And they wouldn't, had it not been for destiny! Another point in favour of the film is the cast. Everybody seems apt for their roles. The songs are great and go with the story. Saif manages to make Karan hateful and lovable at the same time. His natural flair for comedy is showcased yet once again. Rani ages gracefully in the film. Rishi Kapoor is lovable. Kiron Kher is superb. Rati is adequate and looks convincing as a young mother. Abhishek Bachchan is a surprise. Jimmy Shergil is surely gaining ground with every film even if it is a cameo role. Isha Koppikar is her vivacious self. The film is a visual treat but at times one wished that it moved faster, especially the last 20 minutes. It has been stretched beyond imagination. The film is too sweet to be true. **1/2 (TWO AND HALF STARS) *poor; **average; ***good; ****very good; *****excellent   close   Print this Article http://www.bollyvista.com   http://www.bollyvista.com/article/a/29/2679