Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na Movie Review

Malayalis who watch Malayalam movies will feel a sense of déjà vu with this movie. It has the same theme as ‘Niram’(‘Colour’) directed by Kamal- old friends not realising they love each other until almost too late.

Of course there are lots of differences in the treatment. Niram is a Malayalam movie made for malayalis. JTYJN is like an English novel translated into hindi movie, complete with the dialogues and characters. For example, there is the heroine’s brother, unsocial but insightful, who keeps a white mouse as a pet.(Reminded of Blyton, anyone?) The sister has a cat as a pet.( Logically, if there is a cat and a mouse in the same house, which should die first? Haha the cat dies first here.) There are two rustic rajasthanis who dress up as American cowboys. Nothing desi about the movie except the actors, language and may be the location. But then, what do I know. A very significant part of Bharata is not really desi anymore.

Imran Khan is the hero and his uncle Aamir is the producer. But this movie is not really a star vehicle. Imran is one among the many. He has no significant close ups, no slowmotions. He is very likeable and lives the role. In fact, none among the group of friends is acting. They just are. Genilia is okay but has a way of mouthing dialogues as if she is not speaking hindi. Can’t describe it any better.

There are three sets of parents-the good(Genilia’s)the funny(Imran’s)and the bitter(the other heroine’s Manjari?). Imran’s parents are Naseeruddin and Ratna Pathak who provide the most hilarious moments of the movie, along with Paresh Rawal, a police inspector.

The narration is clever; the story is told by the group of friends to a new member who doesn’t like romances and doesn’t believe in them.

Of course, she changes in the end.

No scene is prolonged to a yawning point. Well I found the songs boring. Rahman’s music usually rises above the movie(Taal, Lakeer, Rangeela)or is of equal draw(Lagaan, Roja, Bombay)Here, the movie is better. I liked the Aditi song; pappu can’t dance is apt for the occasion. But in the end, I came out of the theatre humming not a Rahman number but that beautiful oldie ‘tera mujhse he pehle ka naata koi.’

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is a fun movie. I enjoyed it a lot.

At the end, as the friends come out of the airport, there is a man snoozing away with a board ‘Mr.Godot’ in his hand. Was that an allusion for ‘Waiting for Mr. Godot’ by Ayn Rand(probably)If it is, does it have any significance or is it just the director’s whimsy?

It struck me as funny.