U Me Aur Hum is the story of psychiatrist Ajay (Ajay Devgan) and waitress Pia (Kajol) who meet and fall in love on a cruise.

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kajol, Divya Dutta, Isha Sharvani, Karan Khanna, Sumeet Raghavan

Director: Ajay Devgan

Although initially Ajay finds it difficult to convince the girl whom he has just met that they are meant for each other, he gains access to her room on the ship and finds out all of her likes and dislikes. And just as Pia is about to give her nod, Ajay comes clean about his sneaky behaviour which upsets Pia and she decides to end things. However, six months later she finds her way back to Ajay and the two get married.


One day while returning from work Ajay finds Pia standing in the middle of the street completely hysterical as she is unable to find her home or remember his mobile number. Ajay who is a psychiatrist himself understand the symptoms and takes her to see his senior who determines that Pia is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. And just as he is telling Ajay about the precautions and lack of treatment for Pia’s condition, they also discover that she is pregnant – another factor that will worsen her condition.


How they have kids, go through the trials in their marriage and come out stronger is what the rest of the film is all about.
In terms of acting Kajol has done a brilliant job bother as a young waitress and as a patient. Her ex-pressions and acting is top notch. Ajay Devgan on the other hand is a tad disappointing. His acting isn’t as consistent as you would expect from someone of his calibre. Divya Dutta, Isha Shravani, mmm, nnnn do a good job in their own roles.


As far as Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut is concerned, Ajay has come out on top. He has got the locations, shots and editing to the T. From costumes to dialogue delivery everything is in just the right proportion and conveys the message without sounding like a sermon.


Over all it’s a good attempt by Ajay Devgan – both the actor and the director!

She can be indifferent and she can be warm. But at this, very moment, she's far from being mercurial. It's probably her 101st interview in the course of a week.. but like her personality, she's frank and fast-paced. After a break of nearly two years, she's back in a movie which marks the debut of Ajay Devgan as a director. So, here's a q and me-u-and-Hum with Kajol by Hiren Kotwani

If you were interviewing Kajol, what question would you begin with? I would have done my research. Hopefully, I'd ask some different questions.. which she hasn't answered before. Let me try a touchy one.

What about the buzz which still persists that U Me aur Hum is inspired by Hollywood's The Notebook?
Look, we have said it is not The Notebook so many times that I'm tired of reiterating it.

Did you have any differences of opinion with Ajay Devgan during the shoot?
No. We went with a bound script. Being an open person, Ajay's theory is, "If I can't convince you, then you convince me."

Since you're so selective, what excites you to do a film?
Mostly, it's the script. I'm an avid reader, films are essentially about screenplays.. and dialogue. The lines you say and the manner in which you say them matter. It's not like in books, where you have three paragraphs explaining what prompted a character to say a certain line.

What prompted you to sign up for Toonpur ka Super Hero.. you went on board long after Ajay Devgan did?
The film was made with him in mind. Kumarji (Mangat) told me it's primarily about cartoon characters, and not Ajay and me. But I was like, let me hear the script, if it's worth my time and patience, I'll do it.

It's still not clear whether you will be in Karan Johar's Khan?
Karan has approached me for his next film. He's talked to me about it, but we haven't finalised anything yet.

Is it difficult saying no to a friend, especially since he often writes scripts with you in mind?
It's always difficult saying no because the person comes to you with lots of hope and expectations. But at the end of the day, if I do a film out of friendship and not because I believe in it, I wouldn't be able to do a good job.

The moment one lays hands on the music album of U Me Aur Hum, one tends to exclaim 'Thank God'. And this happens even before one is through listening to the entire soundtrack. Reason? There is literally a draught of new music arriving in the market with the last notable arrivals being, Jodhaa Akbar and Race that came in January. With future not looking too exciting either in terms of any major albums hitting the stands, all eyes are set on U Me Aur Hum, which is expected to make some music. Pun intended!


There are reasons associated with the project in itself too which make U Me Aur Hum interesting. Vishal Bhardwaj is known for his quality score that always has a touch of classic elements, whether Indian or Western. This time around, instead of Gulzar who is a regular with Bhardwaj, relative newcomer Munna Dhiman has been roped in as a lyricist.

Also, this is the first romantic film for Ajay Devgan and Kajol after Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha which had boasted of some memorable tracks. And if the promotion of the film is any indication, audience is bound to expect a quality outing, both from the film and music perspective. Well, the expectations are much more than meant as U Me Aur Hum turns out to be a perfect Valentines outing.

Addictive. This is how one can describe the opening number of 'Sunday' - 'Jee Le' - in one word! Apart from the fact that Munna Dhiman doesn't let one miss the poetry of Gulzar saab with his real-to-life lyrics, music of Vishal Bhardwaj too takes the kind of twists and turns which are associated with the style that he has been known for ever since he first made a splash with Maachis. Though the promos so far have given an indication that 'Jee Le' is purely an Adnan Sami number, it actually is a duet with Shreya Ghoshal giving him just the perfect company.

'Jee Le' is a love ballad which takes on a carnival touch at places though refraining from going overboard. With a Spanish flavor associated with it, 'Jee Le' is a number that catches on you within a couple of hearings and stays on to make for a melodious piece of music, which works on every listening. And thankfully, there is no remix version which could have potentially diluted the impact.

Trademark Vishal Bhardwaj sense of music is quite apparent with the way Shreya Ghoshal goes about singing the title song U Me Aur Hum. And no, though the song's title gives an impression of an out and out English outing on it's way, that's not the case. Shreya Ghoshal compliments Vishal's serene musical sense coupled with Munna Dhiman's simple lyrics quite well. She sings U Me Aur Hum in a way, which could draw parallels with Asha Bhonsle's 'Katra Katra' [Ijazat].

There is an inherent class in the proceedings of U Me Aur Hum, which makes one internalize the song and feel good about it being played around it. Arrangements for the song create a calm feel, which by itself gets a romantic mood on. It's a beautiful track that is as melodious as it gets and flows in a direction, which is opposite to the 'high-on-beats' tracks that are otherwise the order of the day. Surprisingly though, there is a male voice heard singing a couple of lines in English at the beginning and end but is not credited.

Later towards the end of the album, Vishal Bhardwaj himself decides to come behind the mike and come up with his own rendition of U Me Aur Hum. It makes for an even better experience since a) one gets to hear a fresh voice hitherto unheard and b) there is just a guitar in the background, which makes one concentrate entirely on the melody, flow, and feel of the song. Superb!

Sunidhi Chauhan makes her debut in U Me Aur Hum with ‘Saiyaan’, which makes a shift from the overtly mushy-n-romantic mood of the album and takes the listener to a world of pep and fun. Now this is a kind of song, which should be coming next in the film's promotional campaign since it marks a deviation from what one has heard and seen of the film so far. Also, the track promises a fun outing as it showcases Kajol jest fully teasing her husband about the kind of 'Saiyaan' he has turned out to be after marriage.

Again, just in true tradition of Vishal Bhardwaj's style of composing songs, the track moves in a serpentine fashion while consciously moving away from anything pedestrian or basic. Also, credit to Munna Dhiman for writing something as witty as ‘Saiyaan’, which is bound to make the number fun to watch on the fun screen.

The sound of guitar heard in the first 10 seconds of 'Phatte' is the same as one heard in Pritam's 'Halka Halka' [Chocolate]. However, this is the only duration where there is any similarity between the two songs and soon after the song turns out to be a husband-wife fun dual as Adnan Sami and Sunidhi Chauhan get into a Punjabi-Hindi rendition.

Though the number is based on Punjabi folk with 'bhangra' beats intact, 'Phatte' still manages to stay away from the stereotype courtesy a different mood and setting. It would be fun to watch how Kajol carries herself in the song as one would look expect her real life chemistry with hubby Ajay to be exposed in entirety here.

After the opening number 'Jee Le', Adnan Sami and Shreya Ghoshal return with 'Dil Dhakda Hai'. Yes, this turns out to be their second straight hit in the album as the song brings in a different flavor with it and turns out to be a guaranteed popular number in the making. The song gets the right rhythm in place while not letting go of an intrinsic melodic mood of the album. A number about a couple realizing their love for each other though refraining from getting overtly mushy about the state of affairs and taking it rather lightly, 'Dil Dhakda Hai' is yet another engaging number which is bound to not just sound but even look good.

U Me Aur Hum is as much as Vishal Bhardwaj’s album as Munna Dhiman's. The lyricist had big boots to fill while coming in place of Gulzar Saab but he doesn't disappoint even one bit. On the other hand, singers like Adnan Sami, Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan deliver their best to come out of their comfort zone and do something different for a soundtrack which breaks away from the stereotype and brings in a fresh sound.

Go for U Me Aur Hum - this one is going to be played on for many months to come!

****

He sat casually on the off-white couch. It went well with his white shirt. Stylish dark glasses hid his intense eyes, and the picture of him with his daughter in the background bared his parental instincts. A green plant added to the décor, as did the feel good posters of U, Me Aur Hum . But something was missing. His wife! And just as I realized, she walked in. Dressed in grey pants and a smart woolen top, she looked graceful, her brown eyes covered by dark glasses just like hubby dearest'. She sat herself down next to him. Now, it was all picture perfect.

It was in the year 1999, on the 24th day of February that actors Ajay Devgan and Kajol decided to go the whole nine yards. And today celebrate nine years of their togetherness. How and when did they realise that they were meant for each other? "When you like a person, you initially don't tend to bank on the relationship entirely, because it could be just attraction," says Ajay, "But when you hold up for a long time, and you realise that this is the person you miss, and that this is the person who makes your day complete, you know it's love. When you don't question too much, become more accepting, get habituated to her, it's reason enough for you to want to go on and make her yours for life."

But most men do experience commitment phobia. Did Ajay go through it as well? "Never!" he states confidently. "It was but natural and gradual for us. Also, when you're about to take the 'big step', you need to get out of yourself, keep the love aside and think of it all practically. You ask yourself 'Am I getting carried away?', 'Is this what I really want?'... and when the answer is yes, you simply go ahead and most often, it'll work for life."

Kajol has a different story to tell. "Before I met 'Jay' (referring to Ajay obviously!), I was convinced that my parents would've to hold a gun to my head and take me to the altar. I never thought I'd have the guts to adjust into another home, lose my independence and identity, change my surname... But everything happened so fast. In October '98 we decided we'll get married, and on February 24 the next year we were husband and wife. It all happened so fast; and today all those things of changing your surname and losing your independence look like such little issues..."

Nine years is a long time. While idealists say they love their better halves more with each passing day, realists believe that marriage can sometimes be just a 'pact' and years later you've got to learn to 'bear' the other person. "That's silly," says Kajol, frowning a little. "When you make someone a part of your life, you do it out of choice. Just like you have your parents, or your sister, you now have a husband. We never get bored of our parents! And there is no 'other person' in a relationship. It's us. There's no you or me either. It's just a plain Hum. Your spouse becomes so much a part of your life that you grow together. You learn to give each other space and evolve in your own right as well. Marriage is no 'pact'. Yes, it's lovely that I am legally married. But a legal stamp on a relationship doesn't make a relationship. What makes a relationship is the two people involved in it."

And what happens when both people vowed in matrimony have bad tempers, just like Ajay and Kajol? Does it make things worse? "On the contrary, it makes things easier," avers Ajay, "You see, we fear each other's tempers, and prefer not to do something that may upset the other person. Honestly, Kajol and I rarely fight, and though we have a temper, we don't have egos. Whoever is in the wrong will come and apologise after a few minutes, or an hour, or even a day."
And what happens when a baby is born? "All hell breaks lose," says Kajol instantly. "It's an Oh-my-Gawd situation. It's sleep deprivation time; hormones are all over the place; the whole house is upside down; it's one huge circus. But the world changes for the better," she adds almost making up. "A baby changes everything," intrudes Ajay, "You suddenly find a new dimension. You now have two people to love - your wife and your child's mother. It's exciting. I'm very attached to Nysa. And I love watching Kajol take care of her. It makes for a very pretty picture."

"You know just like Ajay was born to act and direct, I was born to be a mother," informs Kajol. "I wanted to adopt a child since I was twelve years old. I used to tell dad, you have two daughters, why don't you adopt a son and I'll take care of him. My dad was happy with the idea, but mom wasn't. So, I thought when I'm 18 years old and legally entitled to adopt a baby, I would. But then it never happened. I got busy with films. For me, I knew my baby would be my world. There's no one else who can bring up a child better than me, that's my belief. I was adamant that I'd bring my baby up the way I want to, and no one else would have a say in it. I love being a mom. It's my identity!"

Does the 'star status' upset the normal upbringing of their daughter Nysa? "We are normal parents," says Kajol. "I try hard that the celeb status doesn't affect her. We set the boundaries." Ajay on the other hand is an overtly conscious dad. "Nysa today knows who I am and she is aware of who Kajol is. We try to keep her away from a lot of things, especially the film industry, but there's a limit to the things we can keep her away from," explains Ajay. "Also, Kajol and I aren't very social. But I don't want Nysa to be like me in that regard, I'd like it if she goes out, plays and makes friends." Any of their movies that Nysa has been an audience to? "We've tried to show her Pyar Toh Hona Hi Tha . But it's pretty useless," says Kajol laughing, "I frown on screen and she begins to bawl. She can't ever see her mom cry. So I haven't dared to show her anything else," shares Kajol.

Nine years of marriage...how would the Devgans describe their journey? While Ajay says it has made him 'content', Kajol insists 'This is as good as it gets!" Aur picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!

Love is blind, but not when it comes to business. One would think that if Kajol is proposed a Karan Johar project also starring Shah Rukh Khan, she would simply jump at the offer. And news has it that she's done just that. However, Kads shocks us with, "I haven't even read the script! Once I read it, I'll decide!"

So, this talented actress doesn't turn a blind eye where work is concerned. One the contrary, it's the eyes-wide-open phenomenon that takes over when it comes to scripts. And if she doesn't like it she'll simply say no! But let's hope she manages to say kuch kuch hota hai while reading this one. We're sure KJo is hoping!

They were first seen in Ishq and then in the super hit Fanaa . Now the team of Aamir Khan and Kajol just might come back once again in Rajkumar Hirani’s next film called Idiot.

If sources are to be believed, Kajol has agreed in principle to do the film though nothing has been signed on the dotted line. Aamir has apparently already signed the film. The film will most likely go on floors in July.

Kajol hasn’t signed any film at the moment and Aamir will be free after finishing his Ghajini remake schedule.

There was a time during the making of Ishq when the duo were not even on talking terms but soon sorted out their differences when they began shooting for Fanaa .

Saif Ali Khan and John Abraham have also been approached for other pivotal roles for Idiot.