Gehraiyaan
This is one of the first hindi movies I have enjoyed in a long while, and that is because it is pure entertainment.
I watched it and I liked it and I didn't try and explore its morality or the why's and wherefores. It might never become a cult classic like others in its genre, namely Silsila, Masoom, Arth or even Pati patni aur woh, but it is a decent watch. Fidelity is a state of the mind and even a golden oldie like Navrang addressed it as such.
Putting that aside, this movie belongs to Deepika Padukone all the way. But, ah the dashing and devious devil, Siddhant Chaturvedi makes a mark too. Deepika/Alisha is a conflicted individual, whose backstory is relayed to us in bits and pieces. The irony is that, her perception of everything is colored by her version of the truth. Watch how she takes pictures and then crops them. That's a peak in to her state of mind. She tries to err on the safe side always, and it reflects in her choice of life partner even. Her cousin's fiance Zain/Siddhant is a temptation she doesn't want to resist. Even though she would like to believe, that circumstances forced her hand, it was all her. It is she, who who knowingly ate the forbidden fruit.
It does help that Zain is available and encouraging. The way that Alisha slowly loses her moral ground, is portrayed beautifully by Deepika. You want to slap her silly and hug her tight, both, at the same time. Zain has no compunctions about starting an affair with his fiancee Tia's cousin. You want to feel that he is doing what he is doing because of the way he is being treated, but one does realise that he is just an opportunistic so and so. Even, when he is genuinely trying to get out one relationship and cement another, you just know he is going to mess up. His character evokes no sympathy and he has no layers. Siddhant plays the money worshiping Zain with aplomb. A strange thing though, was how he sounds completely different while speaking Hindi, than when he is speaking in english.
Tia played by Ananya Pandey is actually very multilayered and she is hiding secrets. This character really needed a better actor to play her. She wasn't the best choice for this role, and she doesn't really live up to the draft given her. In the later part of the movie, she gets a chance to hit it out of the park and fails. This role should have been done by Alia Bhat or even Bhumi Pednekar.
Karan played by Dhairya is ok and completely clueless about the actual feelings of the people around him. I found it apt that there are times when he is speaking and the camera isn't even on him. 
Rajat Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah are classic as always. Both have parts which are essentially a backdrop, but as the movie progresses you realise why they have been cast.
Shakun Batra loves giving us layered characters and Alisha is certainly one of them. Tia could have shined, if only someone else had played her. His lief motif seems to be writers and leading ladies with traumatic pasts.
Don't worry about the supposed twist, just enjoy the ride, even though it does flatten out a bit in the middle.
Happy watching.
Cheers!
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