AJAB PREM...- ANDAZ APNA APNA or Santoshi fusion?

Right till the release of AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, there have been speculations galore that whether the film would manage to recreate the magic of Rajkumar Santoshi's last comic outing ANDAZ APNA APNA. Well, with the film out in theaters and audience reactions coming in, it is obvious that Santoshi touch is definitely there in this romantic comedy that makes you remember his cinema of yore.
However, a word of caution here. This happens only during the comic sequences, not otherwise. To the credit of the makers though, they had never claimed the film to be a laugh riot to begin with and hence the trouble lies with huge expectations of the audiences.
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So what is it that really keeps the film going? A fusion approach by director Rajkumar Santoshi who mixes the story telling style of the 60s with the current times. At places, the film does remind of the kinds that Shammi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor used to star in. The film has a Ranbir Kapoor, who is more of a commoner, surrounded by a bunch of no-gooders who happily consider him to be their leader - the kind of stuff that earlier films were made of. Even Katrina Kaif's plain Jane look and body language makes one revisit the old times.
However, it's the way Santoshi treats the film without making it a spoof that makes AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI an entertaining affair. The film does have its share of low points. For example the first 10-15 minutes are a complete drag and you actually start wondering if there was anything comic about the scenes that went by. Moreover, the film tends to have a good dose of emotional encounters which results in comedy taking a backseat. This is why how one wishes if the entire film could have been an out and out laugh fest!