Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar opened up urban audiences to layered stories and relationships!
Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was a cinematic blend of a road trip, romcom, family dynamics and bromance that won hearts and acclaim. The feel-good film directed by Zoya Akhtar and penned by Zoya and Reema Kagti completes 11 years since release and is as relatable today as it was back in 2011. While on the surface, it was about three friends taking a road trip, the entertainer was much more, as it shed light on modern-day relationships, both romantic and familial and had huge appeal with urban audiences, who related to the characters and plots.
First the equation between Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin, a hasty engagement that quickly led to reservations, then the conflict between Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar’s characters owing to a past relationship, the beautiful relationship that unfolds with Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan’s characters a perfect yin-yang, the resentment and hostility between Farhan and veteran Naseeruddin Shah’s characters with a sense of abandonment, and even that of Hrithik’s toxic relationship with his work, one that consumed him more than other aspects of his life.
While Bollywood has always preferred the tried and tested romantic stories or the stereotypical one’s on friendship, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara broke new ground with everything it had to offer audiences!
The movie had everything going for it – from a great versatile star-cast, picturesque locations, popular music, strong storytelling. stellar performances and above all a narrative that resonated with young India.
Directed by celebrated director, Zoya Akhtar, produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar of Excel Entertainment, the film was also one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2011 in India and internationally; and was declared a blockbuster in India and in overseas territories.