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In
the picture
Jab We Met****
*ing: Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur
Director: Imtiaz Ali
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Of
late we have been witnessing a phase in Hindi films where we have
realized that the audience is yearning for anything different and
out rightly rejecting the clichéd, run of the mill storylines.
Having said that, Jab We Met is a wonderful film in spite of the
fact that its basic idea is extremely simple and has been witnessed
several times in the past; in fact there isn't a single unexpected
twist in the tale. However, it is Imtiaz Ali's treatment and the
performances of Shahid Kapur (undoubtedly his best performance till
date) and Kareena Kapoor that transforms this simple script into
a romantic film which falls into the class of unforgettable love
stories like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. |
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main reason why Jab We Met must be seen is Kareena, and the sparks
that fly between her and Shahid. Having gotten beyond her vibrant
image in this ode to love, Kareena is brilliant. In a tailor-made
role, she plays a boisterous Sikh girl on her way to tell her parents
about her boyfriend, but meets up with a brooding, suicidal, jilted
entrepreneur. |
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The
sparks fly instantaneously and infinitely between them. A chance encounter
between two people on a train is not the most novel of cinematic ideas,
but the sparks that fly between Kareena and Shahid seem so genuine
that you just sit back and watch the characters go through a series
of brilliantly conceived and energised incidents that bring them together.
The story is actually very simple and though it draws inspiration
from A Walk In The Clouds as well as several other Hindi films, the
magic of Jab We Met is palpable. Even knowing that there is nothing
original to the story, you still don't feel like you have seen something
similar before. The freshness of a tale well told grips you. |
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The film is filled with several enjoyable and well written moments
between the two lead characters. Some witty, lines and fabulous chemistry
between Shahid and Kareena, or rather their characters Aditya and
Geet, is what lifts the film. Geet's impulsiveness and bluntness is
the perfect contract to Aditya's initial serious, depressed (and as
Geet puts it) "angry young man" persona. Jab We Met is more
about the moments between these two characters than anything else.
However, Jab We Met is not without its share of flaws. The never-ending
festivities in the heroine's bustling Sikh household do get oppressive
beyond a point, and the imminent 'yes' to the romantic mess is unnecessarily
delayed. Because the story is so flat and clichéd, you do feel
the film dragging in parts, but overall, it is a definite pleaser.
With a balanced mixture of catchy and upbeat with soulful and melodic,
the music of the film is almost brilliant. 'Mauja Hi Mauja' blasts
the listener with its Reggaeton percussion and vocals. Daler Mehndi's
brother Mika provides the lively vocals that will get everyone off
their seats and on the dance floor. The lyrics are truly amazing for
the second track, 'Tum Se Hi' with perfectly smooth vocals. The third
track, 'Yeh Ishq Hai' is the first disappointing song. The lyrics
are nothing to write about; it's not bad by any means, it's just has
a "been there, done that" feel. This one takes you a bit
out of the euphoria of the first two tracks and makes you say, "Jab
I Wish We Never Met". (Perhaps that will be the name of the sequel
to this movie if there ever will be one).
'Nagada' arrives just in time to save the day. Sonu Nigam provides
the bhangratastic vocals and the song just doesn't miss a beat. The
adaptation of a traditional Punjabi folk tune in the middle only adds
to the wow factor. This one makes you hop on one leg and shout out,
"JAB WE LISTEN"! The track 'Aao Milo' is the best one on
the album. The lyrics are spot on in detailing the journey of two
young lovers.
In this film, Shahid no longer looks like a young boy on screen trying
his best to be the hero; he has done away with his Ishq Vishq stereotype
both in terms of his look as well as his performance. He is absolutely
flawless in capturing the maturity of Aditya's character and letting
the lightness seep in after meeting Geet, while still maintaining
Aditya's inherent personality. Shahid has matured leaps and bound
as an actor and this performance should surely silence his detractors.
Shahid and Kareena show sparks of what we have witnessed from Shah
Rukh and Kajol or even Aamir and Juhi as leading romantic pairs. Their
personal equation notwithstanding, one truly hopes to see them together
again because they are magic together in Jab We Met.
-- Saba Sartaj
K
*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME |
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