Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao is what I need now after watching the movie “Cheeni kum” – It is the catalyst in the hook-up here. A cooking mishap, and yes no sugar is to be added in the authentic Zafrani pulao we are told! An age-defying romance - but what charms you is the romance itself. There's no flowery language or endearments but loads of playful dialogue.

The sixty-four year old Amitabh(Buddha) is suave and dashing and incredibly sexy with his pony tail and all. Tabu(Nina) is a treat, very much a woman of the world who knows her mind. With her long flowing hair and naughty glances she is delicious. The wait, the food, the lost opportunities, all add to the magic. My favorite line is the one when she explains why she is still unmarried at thirty four saying that it takes sixty-four years to make the man she wants.

He is a control-freak chef with “The best Indian restaurant in London” and keeps his underlings on a tight leash and they provide the slapstick comic relief. The other important character in the romance is - the umbrella and it is forever being used by both protagonists - returning it becomes the reason for the promise of another meeting.

AB and Tabu make a fresh romantic couple despite the age they match each other in the volley of words and there are no cheap lines or breaking into song and dance or even praises of beauty or anything of that sort no one dwells in the superficial too much... except for the Versace glasses AB buys on a whim to impress Tabu. AB who does not own a car says, "a taxi is more sexy.”

Talking of Sexy, the ailing little girl with large sad eyes, the one in AB’s life before Tabu arrives - Sexy stands apart with her take on life for someone so small. However Zohra Sehgal AB’s mom who lacks cooking skills with a fetish for well-built wrestlers on TV is superb. She has mirth and cheekiness written all over her face and wants her son to go to the gym daily.

Ilayaraja’s “cheeni kum hai cheeni kum hai ...” is included here and there whenever the pair ends a conversation on a romantic note. The romance builds up beautifully and has to be seen and not spoken about. The second half is mostly in Delhi and with Paresh Rawal, the Gandhiwadi father of Tabu, who has resigned himself to his 54-year-old self.

At the end you leave with a silly romantic grin on your face wishing you had such an opportunity. Tabu tells her dad its better to live with someone you love for five years than to live in a love-less marriage for thirty years.

Well us married ones, let’s romance too… hubby and I had a bike ride in the rain on our way. Not bad right? Verdict: Must Watch ****

Sooni sooni khoyi khoyi aankhein meri dhoondhein tujhe hi..
kabse haan kabse..
Ab aaogi, tab aaogi.. kab aaogi poochoon main yehi..
khudse haan khudse..
Main hun yahan tu hain kahan, Aahein meri sun..
Sooni sooni khoyi khoyi aankhein meri dhoondhein tujhe hi..
kabse haan kabse..

Mere jazbon ko dard de ke,
Gum hue tum kahan chain le ke..
Dhoondti tumko meri aankhein..
Bin tere thehri hain ab yeh saansein..
Zidd pe ada hai yeh dil.. jinaa kiye hain mushkil..
Bass mera khud pe hi hai kyun.. kyun..
Sooni sooni khoyi khoyi aankhein meri dhoondhein tujhe hi..
kabse haan kabse..
Ab aaogi, tab aaogi.. kab aaogi poochoon main yehi..
khudse haan khudse..

Kya milla tumko yun sata ke..
Is tarah se mera dil jala ke..
Na raha jaaye ab to tanha..
Chubh raha shool sa lamha lamha..
Ik baar to aao.. phir chaaho to jaao..
Khelo na yun mere dil se..

Cheeni kam hai, cheeni kam hai.. thodi thodi tujh me hi kam kam,
hai kam kam..
Sooni sooni khoyi khoyi aankhein meri dhoondhein tujhe hi hum dum..
o hum dum
Main hun yahan, tu ho kahan.. Aahein meri sun..

Sooni Sooni, Khoyi khoyi Aankhein meri dhoondein tujhe re..
kabse haan kabse..
Ab aaogi, tab aaogi, kab aaogi.. poochoon main yehi..
khudse.. haan khudse..