Budiey
Love Aaj Kal
Production Notes
Love Aaj
London, San Francisco, Delhi – 2009
Jai and Meera are a modern-day couple in London, They are very happy together but do not believe in tying each other down. So when life pulls them in different directions, they decided to go with the flow. ‘These heer-ranjha, Romeo-Juliet type janam janam ka saath type couples exist only in story books”, Jai says. In the real life, we have to be practical.
Love Kal
Delhi, Calcutta – 1965
Veer Singh is struck by the thundebolt when he sees Harleen for the first time. Soon after, he stands under a tree and swears that “is janam mein aur har janam mein… yehi meri votti banegi – Harleen Kaur.” He travels a thousand kilometers by train to stand under her balcony only to have a glimpse of her face. And yet not speak a word with her.
Love Aaj Kal
Veer does not understand how Jai can treat matters of the heart without passion, life a financial transaction. Jai does not understand how Veer Singh could have been so naïve and silly about Harleen in the days of his youth. But as both stories unfold, we realize that the process of relationship might be different eras, but the experience of being in love remains the same. So there is the frolic and despair of modern living. The liberation and confusion. And there is the past – the times of innocence and cmpulsion. And there is distance, and the fondness that increases with distance. Gaps widen between two people, but bridges keep growing too.
Producer’s Notes – Dinesh Vijan
If anyone asked me who learnt the most from Love Aaj Kal, I would have to say me. Love Aaj Kal marked the beginning of many things – first collaboration with Saif, birth of Illuminati Films, bulding he Illuminati team, shooting in international locations… So sharing my experiences could take longer than the flm. What really stays with me however was the way different people, different teams across three countries; UK, US and within India seamlessly aligned themselves over email, long distance calls and of course on the ground to make this film happen. I remember at one point schedules were being decided over conference calls with the Director in London, Crew in India and the production team in San Francisco. We had a great crew, a great team and shooting was a really memorable experience. Personally, I think Love Aaj Kal is one of the most relevant films to come out in a long time, it looks at relationships in a very new light and a very new language and I think that’s what’s special about the film. I think every person who watches the film will identify with the film, I know I do and I’m very proud to have made it. For me, Love Aaj kal is like a first child and will always be very close to my heart because I believe it’s started the journey of film making for Illuminati with great aplomb… and as they say well begun is half done.
Director’s Notes – Imtiaz Ali
There is no particular reason why a movie is made. I tink it’s just for fun – for the people who make it and hopefully also for the ones who see it.
This one began in the usual way – incidents that I had seen were working in my mind, becoming bigger and tipping over from real to imagination, then joining together to make a mass that was ready to be exorcised. Most of the writing happened on flights – between London, Delhi and San Francisco. Thank god for those long distances else the script would never be ready on time.
The movie had me meet a lot of people – of various nationalities, regions, thoughts and ways of working. Making the movie has felt like being in a movie caravan – a circus – that travels from place to place, opens it’s wares and performs the show, then folds up, waves goodbye as it moves to the next shore, the next group of prospective friends.
Now Love Aaj Kal has its form, its personality. And its destiny. And it will always be special to me because it’s the place where Jai and Meera live.
