Masand's Verdict: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na

A LET DOWN: The film battles between cutesy and clever. And cutesy wins over clever.

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

26/11: Terror comes precariously close

Featured Slideshows

Silliness aside, at its heart, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is a refreshing film. Refreshing because of its spectacular performances. Refreshing because of A R Rahman's outstanding soundtrack. Refreshing because the film's actors look like they actually enjoyed making this film. And refreshing because sitting there watching the film, you can't help feeling very old.

For every Jayant Kriplani, Anooradha Patel, Rajat Kapur and Kitu Gidwani that Abbas has wasted in this film as mere caricatures, he's given us the spirited and feisty Ratna Pathak-Shah, the brooding and brilliant Prateik Babbar, the luminous Manjari Phadnis, and then those three cameos.

The dead parent in the photo-frame may be an old plot-device (as old as Hum Paanch on TV), but it's a stroke of genius on Abbas' part how he ties it up so smartly in this film. Also the horsemen — at first such a harebrained and pointless idea, but so cleverly incorporated in the narrative.

So there, that's the Abbas I was looking for from the start of the film, but truth is, these masterstrokes are few and far between. The film battles between cutesy and clever. And cutesy wins over clever.

The only good thing that comes out of that is the electrifying chemistry we get between Imran and Genelia who literally bounce off each other and keep you spellbound when they're on screen, even in the film's dullest scenes.

Genelia is what I'd call a pathaka — she's spontaneous and sparkling. And Imran is the best young actor we've seen on screen for months. He's unconventional and vulnerable and he knows how to use both to make a lasting impression.

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is not one of my favourite films this year, far from it. But it's a respectable first film for any director. Even if one expects more from this one. It is, then, at best an above-average film, but since you won't find any half-stars from me, I'm going to go with an average rating — that's two out of five for Abbas Tyrewala's Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

But make sure you watch it. Watch it for some sparkling dialogue, some fantastic music, but most of all, watch it for Imran and Genelia who conceal the film's many flaws.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)