Rules - pyar ka superhit formula

There is something inherently sweet about this movie: Rules - Pyar Ka Superhit Formula that whenever I watch it I can't help but smiling. It could be because I am, putting it mildly, an admirer of Aamir Khan and a succour for romantic comedies which are rare in Hindi filmdom.


The story is very simple.


Radha (Meera Vasudevan), an assistant photographer, is a huge fan of the model Vikram Verma (Milind Soman). One day her agency gets to shoot an ad campaign with Vikram and his girlfriend Maggie (Namrata Barua). Eventhough they are now working together Vikram does not notice Radha. Enters Daadima (Tanuja) who decides to help out her grandaughter by teaching her aakarshan ke paanch niyam (5 rules of attraction).


Rule No. 1: Aadmi ka dhyaan paana ho toh use dhyaan mat do. If you want to catch a man's attention then don't give him any attention.

That day Vikram asks Radha her name.

Rule No. 2: Aadmi ke peeche bhaagna use khud se dur bhagaana hai. Use bhaagne do tumhaare peeche. Running after man makes him run away from you. Let him come after you.

That day Vikram shares a taxi with Radha.


Rule No. 3: Aadmi ke liye hamesha ek raaz ban kar raho. Have a certain mystery about yourself in front of the boy.

That day Vikram dances with Radha in a party and drops her home.

Rule No. 4: Aadmi se hamesha ek baat chupake rakhna ki usme tumhe dard pahuchaane ki taaqat hai. Don't let the man know that he has the capacity to hurt you.

That day Vikram kisses Radha.



Rule No. 5: Agar aadmi se pyaar ka izhaar karwaana ho toh uski bahut tareef karo. If you want to make a man confess his love to you then you should praise him a lot.

That day Vikram says I love you to Radha.


By following these rules Radha gets what she wants afterall. But thats when it strikes her that she had been playing tricks on Vikram all along... that by playing by the rules she did not give him any choice but to love her. She tells him the truth believing that she couldn't be in love with him otherwise she wouldn't have done any of this.


Daadima takes charge for a second time to bring the two together knowing that Radha is being foolish. She remarks "Aakarshan ke toh phir bhi niyam hote hain par pyar ke... koi nahi."


In the climax of the film Radha climbs inside a hot air balloon to take some pictures during the shooting of a music video and it accidentally leaves ground. Our hero jumps to catch hold of the rope hanging from the balloon and climbs up to rescue his lady love!!


The following dialogues however save the ending from becoming melodramatic.




"Radha: Jab main chaudah saal ki thi toh maine ek photo dekha aur mujhe pyaar ho gaya. Woh tumhara photo tha. Jab main badi ho rahi thi pyar mere liye sirf ek khayal tha. Pyar ki kain tasveerein banaa rakhi thi maine apne mann mein... filmon se, romantic kitaabon se, gaano se. Aur har us tasveer ko main pyar samajhti rahi. Laal gulaabo ka ek guldasta, candle light dinner, barsaat mein saath saath bheegna, Valentine's Day pe kisko ek teddy gift karna, safed ghode pe ek rajkumar ka aana, bageeche mein gaane gaana, pyar bhare khat likhna, Bobby mein Rishi Kapoor aur Dimple ka ek kamre mein akele bandh ho jaana...


Lekin ab main jaan gayi hoon woh pyar nahi hai. Pyar woh hai jo...


Vikram: Jo tum mere liye mehsoos karti ho. "



Radha's description of love as 14 year old is so true. It comes very close to what I still associate with romance. So also are the lyrics of the song Kabhi phool dena... which tells what all happens in the name of love.



Kabhi phool dena...

Kabhi phool dena manaane ke liye
Kabhi dur rehba sataane ke liye
Aur kabhi kabhi khamosh baithe
Yunhi baahon ke sahaare
Suraj bujhaana saagar kinare
Phir raaton ko chaand ugaana
Waise pyar ke naam yeh toh yaaron
Sab hua hai
Ab yeh pyar bhi ho jaaye bas
Itni dua hai
Kabhi raahon mein phirte rehna
Bina kahe bas yunhi sunte rehna
Kammo mein uski saanson mein
Jalte hue pighalte rehna
Its only love I want to
Hold on to
And forever let it stay
Its only love that I need
Its only... only love

Janmo ke waade
Har baat pe kasam
Kabhi jaan kehna
Kabhi kehna haan sanam
Aur sau sau baar yeh kehna
Le aayenge hum taare zameen pe
Jo kahoge toh jaan bhi denge
Waise pyar ke naam yeh toh yaaron
Sab hua hai
Ab yeh pyar bhi ho jaaye bas
Itni dua hai
In lamhon ko rokne ki
Woh naakaam koshishein karna
Jo guzre hain saath unko
Phir yaadein banaake rakhna
Its only love I want to
Hold on to
And forever let it stay
Its only love that I need
Its only... only love