Review of Break Ke Baad (2010) by Akhila P — 14 Nov 2018

Break Ke Baad is a romantic comedy movie that is about two long-term friends and lovers who have contrasting aspirations and it is focused on the challenges of trying to maintain a relationship while pursuing one's dreams. Deepika Padukone, who acts as Aaliya Khan, and Imran Khan, who acts as Abhay Gulati, both spend most of their life as close friends with a romantic relationship. However, Aaliya is willing it risk her committing relationship with Abhay to pursue her dream of being an actress in Australia, while Abhay worries that their relationship will be a permanent end to their hopes of having a future together.

While the majority of the film revolves around the banter between the two lovers and their constant struggle with compromising and maintaining their commitment towards each other while having Aaliyah pursue her dream, the reversal of the gender stereotypes in the film is a major motif throughout the movie. Normally in many Bollywood movies prior to the recent contemporary releases, the setting that the protagonists resided in were very patriarchal and provided the actresses with a minor role or a role that did not consist of any assertion. For example, Abhay was ready to submit to his father and work at his company even though he despised the working environment and wanted to pursue his own passions. Additionally, he actively creates an effort to always comfort Aaliya and support her whenever she is spontaneous and daring. On the other hand, Aaliyah refuses to sacrifice her passions for anyone and embraces her independence and ventures to Australia to be a part of a one year study abroad course for acting. Even in the beginning of the movie. Aaliya takes on a rebellious persona to further remove the gender stereotype given to women in the bollywood industry by smoking and drinking, underscoring her ability to be perceived as a protagonist while doing such acts that are normally viewed as immoral in the Bollywood lense. Break Ke Baad underscores the modern indian traditions that are still included in Bollywood moral universe as stated by Rosie thomas, since even though Aaliya does not comply to the traditional female stereotypes, she still is considered to be under the moral universe standards, due to India creating an effort to transform into a modern "Indian traditionalism".

Overall, while the movie was thoroughly enjoyable to watch, due to its more realistic model of what a relationship entail (such as banter, arguments and less trite romantic interactions), The film is limited in its plot, since it has an abundant amount of banter and drama that leads to nowhere except simply entertainment. Additionally, the movie contrasts Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, since in Break Ke baad, the extended family is less involved in their love story and even encouraged their relationship while in QSQT, the demise of the lovers was solely due to the families rather than their own personal obstacles as a couple. However, the film could have been much shorter and more significant in its plot if there was less continuous banter and more progression of the drama occuring between the two lovers.