How much you enjoy ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ depends entirely on how much you’ve missed the typical Karan Johar formula. ‘Wake Up Sid’ director Ayan Mukerji takes us on a familiar journey through holiday romances, family conundrums, and big fat Indian weddings.

It’s been a few minutes since I stepped out of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and I’m finding it hard to remember what I’ve just seen. It is a been-here, seen-this, much-too-long glossy creature, and not much else.

When the songs aren’t playing, this is a daftly childish film, one where most actors act half their age and the narrative stumbles forward inanely and gracelessly.

The heroine of Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, is in fact, two movies for the price of one. And just in case that isn’t sufficient, Ms Madhuri Dixit shows up to perform an item number

Neither the romance nor the drama that the film seeks to whip up can salvage it from being just another harmless romp aimed at an undemanding audience that is comfortable with swimming at the shallow end of life.

Youth is a many splendoured thing. An alive, fresh vibe dominates Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani invigorating you through it’s entire run.

Despite the terrific ensemble, the film belongs to Deepika Padukone. She has arrived, and that isn’t a dig or a snide remark, but a validation of her evolution from being just another stunning face to someone who can keep you engaged even in the weak moments.

This narrative — which zigzags through a landscape of clichés, powered only by cuteness and populated by only nice people — is Bollywood’s new coming of aged formula.

Ranbir Kapoor delivers an outstanding performance. He will indeed make you believe that he is Bunny! Effortlessly slipping into the skin of the character, the film belongs to him!

A slightly more mature Ayan as storyteller, and technically his craft is a few notches higher too. Yet just like Bunny, Ayan’s cinematic idiom still seems trapped in a happy-go-lucky teenage universe.

Expect no unwanted melodrama, no unwelcome characters, no earsplitting background music. The best thing about YJHD is that it’s refreshingly unique within the conventional Hindi film format.

YJHD is a well-packaged ‘okay’ film and it becomes a ‘good’ film thanks to the acting efforts of Kalki Koechlin, Aditya Roy Kapur, Deepika and of course, Ranbir.

This film does not have the chutzpah of a ROCKSTAR; neither does it have the simplicity of ROCKET SINGH: SALESMAN OF THE YEAR or WAKE UP SID. In short, Ranbir fans will be disappointed.

The characters are no novelty, they have been seen umpteen times earlier. But it is the treatment that makes it ‘alag’ and the credit must go to the director with a mature, sorted head on his young shoulders. Watch this at least once.

‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ is no heavy or preachy business. It is meant to be enjoyed and it does its job well.