Preface: I'll be honest with you. I enjoyed Jab We Met and appreciated it as a throwback to the simplicity of the 90s where boy meets girl, a love story gradually develops, and our beloved pair triumph a few minor obstacles just in time for the end credits. On that same token, I think it is a great disservice to director Imtiaz Ali for all those who view Love Aaj Kal to analyze it against the standards of JWM, as if the latter was Ali's own Mughal-e-Azam, and every film he makes from this point forward will pale in comparison. Rather, I am sure Ali himself would confirm that while he will always be proud of JWM, it does not quite rank in the 10 greatest films of all time that people should be so cynical upon walking in to see the director's latest offering. Hence I, for one, am a little turned off by headline after headline criticizing LAK for failing to be another JWM. Because, correct me if I am wrong, but when did Ali even state that he was making another JWM?

The Good: What we do get from Ali is a refreshing take on the complexities of modern-day romance juxtaposed with the minimalism of the love of yore. Although at first glance the colors, costumes and spunkiness of the film may indicate nothing more than fun and frivolity, it is no doubt a thinking man's film, laced with subtleties, life questions and a beautiful sequence of flashbacks shot primarily in sepia. The camerawork is rather breathtaking, for that matter, and that in itself is perhaps something only an elite few can appreciate.

There is no need to delve into the plot, as there is no shortage of synopses online, plus you really need to experience the film to see why it's more than just another romantic-comedy. What I will say is that the film is blessed to have some stellar performances, namely from leading man Saif Ali Khan. Yes, he is in somewhat of familiar territory as the rambling, borderline facetious lover - with some instant flashbacks to his Hum Tum personality - but never once does he seem repetitive. He also does a commendable job as the sardar, and it is a masterstroke on Ali's part from a storytelling perspective to have Khan essay both characters. It adds a continuity and empathy between the love aaj and the love kal that surely would not have been there had just any other actor enacted the flashback scenes.

Deepika Padukone is a vast improvement from her previous outings and, while there is still work to be done, let us not forget that the lady is all of 23 and now four films old. What she falters in is perhaps her dialogue delivery - at times it is so straightforward to the extent that it crosses into 'script reading' - but what the lady does have is an array of expressions that add nice but effective touches in the right places. Little elements like tearing up as she removes her makeup, the self-knowing absurdity of her breakdown to Rahul Khanna, her body language during Chor Bazaari and her inflections in the climax are signs that there is potential here and room to continuously grow. And, it must be said, the lady is so gorgeous that it is simply unfair.

Rishi Kapoor has fast turned into one of the greatest supporting actors in the industry today. It is a treat to see him and Khan carry on the camaraderie of Hum Tum and take it to a deeper level. Kapoor is wonderful, effortlessly breezing through one-liners that often leave the audience in splits.

The music is pleasant and perfectly spaced - in fact, they come at such vast intervals that you long for them if anything. Ajj Din Chadheya is a lyrical gem and certainly the pick of the lot, while Mohit Chauhan continues to grace us with his soothing vocals in Dooriyan. Chor Bazaari is downright fun, especially on screen.

The Bad: The film gets long. At two and a half hours, you do tend to get a little anxious in the last half hour especially. Although this is when most of the emotions come through, retrospectively you wonder what could have been trimmed such that the denouement come even 20 minutes sooner. And, while Khan and Padukone make a very visually sweet pair, somewhere there is some chemistry that is lacking. This has nothing to do with their individual performances so much as the fact that their courtship is shown through a montage at the film's start. As a result, while you do break a smile at their drunken excursions in Chor Bazaari, you often get a feeling that you are watching two great friends. Which they certainly are supposed to be in the film, but for a narrative that essentially revolves around the love brimming beneath the surface, the audience could do with some added heartfelt affection.

Verdict: Worth your ticket without a doubt, Love Aaj Kal - even with its flaws (what film is void of them, folks?) - is better than 99.98% of what has released in the year 2009. That .02% is where Luck By Chance and Firaaq lay, and LAK - aside from being a completely different type of cinema - more than fills the abyss of watchable and likeable films this year.

Sabrina Siddiqui is a Contributing Writer to DesiClub.com. You can access her newsfeed and updates at Twitter via @SabrinaSiddiqui.