Pyaar Impossible!

''Pyaar Impossible!'' (transl. ''Love Impossible!'') is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written by Uday Chopra and directed by Jugal Hansraj. Produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films, the film stars Uday Chopra and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles, with Advika Yadav, Anupam Kher, and Dino Morea appearing in supporting roles. The narrative revolves around a socially awkward software engineer who harbors unrequited feelings for a college crush and later gets a second chance at love when their paths cross unexpectedly.

The film marked Priyanka Chopra’s first collaboration with Yash Raj Films and featured Yadav in her debut role as a child artist. It was also the penultimate big-screen appearance of Uday Chopra. Principal photography took place in Singapore and Mumbai, with cinematography by Santosh Thundiyil. The soundtrack was composed by Salim–Sulaiman, with lyrics penned by Anvita Dutt.

Released theatrically on 8 January 2010, ''Pyaar Impossible!'' received mixed reviews from critics. While performances and music drew some praise, the screenplay and pacing were met with criticism. Produced on a budget of ₹14 crore (US$3.1 million), the film grossed approximately ₹9.7 crore (US$2.1 million) at the box office, falling short of commercial expectations.

Plot

At Ankert University in California, Alisha Merchant is a popular and admired student, unaware that she is the object of affection for Abhay Sharma, an awkward and introverted computer science student. One night during a party, Alisha accidentally falls into a river. Abhay rescues her, but before she regains consciousness, her friends take her away. The next day, Alisha's father withdraws her from the university, and Abhay never has the chance to reveal his identity.

Seven years later, Abhay has developed a groundbreaking software program that enables seamless integration across all operating systems. During a meeting with a potential investor, he briefly steps away, only to return and discover that the investor—Siddharth "Siddhu" Singh—has stolen his software. Siddharth, whose real name is later revealed to be Varun Sanghvi, begins marketing the product in Singapore as his own.

Determined to reclaim his work, Abhay travels to Singapore and coincidentally encounters Alisha, who now works as a public relations representative at the same company. Due to a misunderstanding, she mistakes him for a nanny sent by an agency to look after her spirited daughter, Tanya. Recently divorced, Alisha is struggling to manage both her professional and personal responsibilities. Abhay assumes the role of Tanya’s caretaker, concealing his true identity in order to remain close to Alisha.

Gradually, Abhay wins over Tanya and becomes an integral part of their household. Tanya nicknames him "Froggy" due to his appearance, while Abhay maintains the house with outside help and supports Alisha emotionally. As Siddharth re-enters Alisha's life and promotes the stolen software to her company, Abhay attempts to expose him while hiding his own identity. He also encourages Alisha to experience how society treats individuals based on their appearance by persuading her to dress down for a day.

Just before the software's official launch, Siddharth reveals Abhay’s true identity to Alisha and claims that Abhay is a delusional impostor. Feeling betrayed, Alisha asks Abhay to leave. Tanya later informs her that Abhay was the person who saved her years ago at the university. Alisha realizes that Abhay had been in love with her all along.

Seeking redemption, Alisha finds Abhay and confesses her love. Together, they rush to the software launch event, where Abhay challenges Siddharth. When Siddharth fails to provide the system password, Abhay proves his authorship by entering it: "ALISHA." With the truth revealed, Siddharth is discredited. The film ends with Alisha, Abhay, and Tanya beginning a new life together.

Cast

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of ''Pyaar Impossible!'' was released on 14 December 2009. It was composed by Salim–Sulaiman with lyrics by Anvita Dutt Guptan. Two tracks were remixed by Abhijit Vaghani, and all songs were choreographed by Ahmed Khan.

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Reception

Box office

''Pyaar Impossible!'' had a modest box office performance upon its release. It collected approximately ₹9.5 million on its opening day and went on to earn ₹34.8 million over its first weekend. The film concluded its domestic theatrical run with a net total of ₹58.9 million. Overseas, it grossed around $190,000 (₹8.5 million), bringing its worldwide total to approximately ₹89.5 million. Produced on a budget of ₹140 million, the film was declared a commercial failure by trade analysts.

Critical response

''Pyaar Impossible!'' received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. While some praised its lighthearted tone and performances, others criticized the predictable storyline and superficial treatment of its themes. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 40% based on five reviews.

In India, reviews highlighted both the film’s charm and its limitations. Shubhra Gupta of ''The Indian Express'' awarded the film 1 out of 5 stars, writing, "How do you watch a film you know will pan out exactly as you think it will from its first frame? By sitting stoically through ''Pyaar Impossible!''" Kaveree Bamzai of ''India Today'' criticized the film's central premise as implausible and remarked that its message about beauty and self-worth was diluted by superficial storytelling. ''The Times of India'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as "a decent one-time watch" and commending Priyanka Chopra’s performance, while observing that the film "doesn’t quite rise above its formulaic treatment." Sukanya Verma of '' Rediff.com'' described the film as lacking emotional investment and stated, "''Pyaar Impossible!'' is shallow and predictable, offering little beyond surface-level cuteness." ''The Economic Times'' echoed similar sentiments, writing that the film "aims to be a charming rom-com but falls short due to its weak script and simplistic character arcs."

Among international critics, Rachel Saltz of ''The New York Times'' gave a positive review, writing, "''Pyaar Impossible!'' shouldn’t work, but does. It’s sweet, and as far as formula goes, deftly done and satisfying." She also noted the film’s conspicuous integration of Apple products. Frank Lovece of the ''Associated Press'' offered a contrasting perspective, labeling the film "a vanity project" and adding, "While love may or may not be impossible, nepotism is eternal."

References

External links

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2010s Hindi-language films
2010 romantic comedy films
2010 films
Yash Raj Films films
Films shot in California
Films shot in Singapore
Films set in Singapore
Hindi remakes of Malayalam films
Indian romantic comedy films