Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (transl. Life Doesn’t Come Again; About this soundpronunciation (help·info) is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language buddy road film directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif, and Kalki Koechlin. It was filmed in Spain, India, Egypt, and the United Kingdom on a budget of ₹550 million (US$7.7 million). The music and score were composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.
The film’s story follows three childhood friends, Arjun, Kabir, and Imraan, who reunite for a three-week road trip. They set off to Spain and meet Laila, who falls in love with Arjun and helps him overcome his compulsion to work. Kabir and his fiancée Natasha experience significant misunderstandings. During their trip, each friend chooses a dangerous sport for the group to partake in.
The release of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was initially planned for 27 May 2011 but technical problems with post-production work led to the release being postponed to 24 June and again to 15 July that year. The film had a worldwide release in 1,800 screens and was a critical and commercial success that grossed ₹1.53 billion (US$21 million) and received critical acclaim for its performances, story, music, humour, and direction. After its theatrical run, the film was nominated for and won several awards, including two National Film Awards.
Plot
Kabir Dewan, a member of a family construction business, proposes to his girlfriend Natasha Arora. Their families meet at the engagement party where Natasha learns that Kabir is planning a three-week bachelor party road trip to Spain with his school friends – Imran Qureshi, an advertisement copywriter; and Arjun Saluja, a financial broker who is working in London. Kabir says the three friends have a long-standing pact, and that during the road trip each of them will pick an adventure sport that all three will try together. Arjun is initially reluctant to take the trip as he does not want to miss work. Imran secretly plans to find his estranged biological father Salman Habib, an artist who lives in Spain.
The three men fly to Spain separately and meet in Barcelona. They plan to visit Costa Brava, Seville, and Pamplona. On the way to Costa Brava, Imran and Kabir are annoyed when Arjun, a workaholic, continues working. Imran casually throws Arjun’s mobile phone out of their car, causing an argument in which Arjun accuses Imran of being unapologetic for having an affair four years prior with Arjun’s then-girlfriend Sonali. However, the argument is ceased by Kabir who pacifies them both. Upon reaching their destination, they meet Laila, an Anglo-Indian woman, whom Arjun is immediately attracted to; Imran flirts with her and makes Arjun jealous.
Kabir announces he has chosen underwater diving as their first sport, and they later find that Laila is their diving instructor. Arjun, who cannot swim and is aquaphobic, receives assistance from Laila to overcome his fears and finish the sport successfully. Laila suggests they attend the La Tomatina festival with her in Buñol. Meanwhile, Natasha becomes suspicious of Kabir’s involvement with Laila when she sees them via webcam when Laila has been invited over to the boys’ villa for dinner. She crashes Kabir’s bachelor party trip, much to Kabir’s discomfort. Imran spends time with Laila’s friend Nuria, and Arjun with Laila. After the men leave, both Arjun and Laila realise they have fallen in love and to not regret the partition, Laila chases them on a bike, kissing Arjun passionately before saying goodbye.
On their way to Seville, Kabir drops Natasha at the airport, while Arjun and Imran discuss Kabir’s change in behaviour around Natasha. The trio then visits Seville to go skydiving, which is Arjun’s choice. During the task, Imran is forced to confront his acrophobia and hesitates to take part, but does so. After skydiving, the three men go to a bar and get drunk. They get into a fight with a stranger on whom they had tried to pull a prank. They are jailed after the fight; Imran calls Salman, who bails them out and takes them to his home. Salman reveals that he never wanted the responsibility of married life or children but Imran’s mother Rahila did. Imran, heartbroken, realises how his actions must have hurt Arjun four years ago. He apologises to Arjun, and Arjun, seeing the genuineness of the apology, forgives him with a hug.
The three men learn of the running of the bulls in Pamplona, which is Imran’s choice, baffling Kabir and Arjun. Imran contacts Laila, who joins them. When confronted by his friends, Kabir admits to the others that he does not love Natasha and is not ready for marriage. He reveals that Natasha had mistaken a ring he had bought as a birthday present for his mother as a proposal ring for herself. Arjun asks Kabir if that is why the trip was so important to him; because no one else apart from his two best friends would tell him to cancel his wedding. On the morning of the bull run, Imran suggests they make another pact: if they survive the event, Imran vows to publish the poetry he has written in his diary, Arjun vows to go to Morocco with Laila, and Kabir promises to tell Natasha he does not want to marry her yet. As they complete the event, the friends gain a renewed sense of their relationships with each other, their families and friends, and themselves.
During the credits, Imran, Kabir, Nuria and Natasha attend Arjun and Laila’s wedding. Natasha and Kabir are no longer together, as she came with a companion, but are still friends, and Imran’s poems are revealed to have been published.
Cast
Hrithik Roshan as Arjun Saluja
Abhay Deol as Kabir Dewan
Farhan Akhtar as Imran Qureshi
Katrina Kaif as Laila
Kalki Koechlin as Natasha Arora
Ariadna Cabrol as Nuria
Naseeruddin Shah as Salman Habib
Deepti Naval as Rahila Qureshi
Suhel Seth as Natasha’s father
Anupam Kher filmed scenes as Imran’s stepfather, but they did not make the theatrical cut.
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