In any grown up relationship, there are always ups and downs, highs and lows. Whereas, during childhood, the same ups and downs were equalised as 'katti' and batti', where 'katti' signified red signal for communication and 'batti' signified green. This week's release goes by the name KATTI BATTI, and is said to be fresh take on the ups and downs of romantic relationships.

If you have had your fill of breezy romances, then Nikhil Advani's latest release Katti Batti should definitely warm the cockles of your heart. Starring Imran Khan and Kangana Ranaut opposite each other for the very first time, Katti Batti is an intense and emotional tale of love and heart-break, which has not been seen in Bollywood since a long time.

Nikhil Advani shocks yet again, for the second week in succession. Last week it was the lifeless, listless HERO and now KATTI BATTI. If HERO was a bore, KB, is no Kill Bill! In cricketing terms, Nikhil has scored back-to-back Golden Ducks! Nikhil literally smothers you with his super display of insanity masquerading as a script on screen. You have the hero (Imran Khan) going back and forth thinking about his past to help you connect with the sudden disappearance of his girlfriend (Kangana Ranaut) from his life.

"Just hold the little soldier and aim" --- this line said by Kangana Ranaut to Imran Khan may have led to a few chuckles while watching the trailers of Katti Batti, but in the film the scene doesn't even come close to being cheeky or witty or whatever its purpose was. And that could well apply to the film on the whole --- you don't know its purpose and what's much worse is that the film tries too hard to convince you that it has one.

It seems like Nikhil Advani was too taken in by the brilliance of a seed of story concept (Anshul Singhal) that he had no time to look into the necessary details. It really is frustrating to watch a fairly decent story being narrated by just skimming the surface and shockingly leaving out the little details that make them whole.

In 2007, a film called Dil, Dosti, Etc. was quite the rage in Delhi University, thanks to its story. It was based and shot in North Campus, and introduced the country to certain catchphrases and acronyms. One among the latter is 'FOSLA' - Frustrated One-Sided Lovers' Association. After the film, every 'Relationship Status: Single' person has had to face being added to a Facebook group called 'FOSLA' by someone or the other.

Nikhil Advani comes with the second of his back-to-back releases, the first being the Salman Khan-produced Hero. Katti Batti stars Imran Khan, who returns after a paternity leave of two years, and Kangana Rananut, who is still basking in her Tanu Weds Manu Returns glory. Nikhil disappointed us in Hero. Let's see if he redeems himself here....

Ever gone shopping with that annoying, indecisive friend who'll try out a gazillion outfits but buy nothing? Sitting through Nikhil Advani's Katti Batti is akin to the experience. Like your infuriating pal it cannot make up its mind as to what sort of romance it really wants to be. The upshot is an adrift, arbitrary, absolutely toneless flick that kicks off only in the last few reels dropping a last-minute bombshell.

Presented in a non-linear pattern, the movie starts with Madhav Kabra aka Maddy (Imran Khan) going through a tough time post his break-up with live-in girlfriend Payal (Kangana Ranaut). A heavily drunk Maddy mistakenly drinks Phenyl and is rushed to the hospital by his best friend. After this supposed suicide attempt of his, everyone around Maddy is trying to explain him that 'its over' with Payal and that he has to forget her.

Here's a simple question: If you have an actor who is popular and on top of their game and another who's struggling to find success, who would be the obvious choice for the star of a film? It seems obvious that one would choose the first. Now let's rephrase the question: If you have an actress who is popular and on top of her game and an actor who's struggling, who would be the obvious choice? For director Nikhil Advani, it's the struggling actor.

So, Katti Batti is sweet, funny, sassy - but inconsistent. Maddy (Imran) and Payal (Kangana) fall in love, moving into a New York-like Mumbai apartment, living together in yuppie style. But slowly, the romance of bedside candles and naughty home videos fades and life - feeding the pet, paying the bills, withstanding family tragedy - happens.

A few minutes into 'Katti Batti', my jaw dropped. I collected it, with great difficulty, only after the film was over. Because the question-just what IS this?- which popped into my head almost with the first frame got into such a loop that it chased all other coherent thought away.

If media reports are to be believed then the makers of Katti Batti wanted to go with the title of 'Saali Kutiya' initially, and now I wonder why, because the film fails to instigate any emotion, leave aside loathing for its female protagonist. On hindsight, it was a good decision to stick to Katti Batti because this rudderless drama has at least one interesting thing: its title.