Jab We Met Movie Reviews

Will this turn out to be the DDLJ for Shahid-Kareena? I am certain it would have pucca become one if not for the danger awaiting just a fortnight away in the form of OM SHANTI OM and SAAWARIYA. JAB WE MET is a film which has all the ingredients of turning out to be THE family film which guarantees a repeat audience. But with the two biggies already struggling to find ample space for themselves in the multiplexes, one pains to feel that JAB WE MET may have to make way for the two films.

So what do you want to do in the meanwhile? If you still haven't got the message, then go, run, get into some 'bhagam bhag' and get your ticket in the two week window that the film is going to enjoy at majority of screens across the country. The film is a sheer delight and one that qualifies into 'don't miss this one' category.

As a writer-director Imtiaz Ali was always special. His SOCHA NA THA made one feel so. Ditto for the expectations from JAB WE MET too. But what one gets to see is a complete feel-good riot that makes you feel glad that you made it for this movie. The film is an amalgamation of dozens of short but effective scenes that have been spiced up with imaginative dialogues that are so out of life but still so new on screen.

So who is the chosen one here? Is it Kareena who is hardly the Kareena we all know in the film? Or is it Shahid who after VIVAH demonstrates once again that he has an art of getting subtlety in his scenes. Each and every scene of the film that has the duo together is worth preserving in a locker and getting insured. If Kareena's non-stop rattle make you just go and hug her for her innocence, Shahid's broken-heart act wants you to give him a shoulder to cry upon.

This is what Kareena does as she meets him on a train. She acts as her agony aunty, (unknowingly) saves him from committing suicide after he is unable to forget his first love, makes him forget her eventually by having his girlfriend's photograph flushed down the drain (literally), forgets her own boyfriend by screaming at him with the choicest of expletives and last, but not the least, even talks to herself in sleep. Well, without any feeling of guilt whatsoever.

While doing all of this, you forget that she is the same girl who was once seen in a KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM or a MUJHE KUCH KEHNA HAI or an OMKARA. She is what Imtiaz Ali wanted her to be and two thumbs up for the young film maker who gets everything that he wanted from Kareena which translates into her being un-Kareena!

Shahid is tremendous as well. It takes him a few hours to warm up to the real self of Kareena and when he does, life starts looking up for him. The transition that his character gets into with every passing hour is brought to screen quite well by the young actor. He gets the emotions of being lost, irritated, tense, amused, a little kicked, happy, in love, content, caring, a little selfish and a lot considerate with a good regularity hence bringing to screen the powerhouse of talent that he possesses.

So can one can make a statement that this is the best ever act of Shahid and Kareena. Yes, it is. And it would be a pain if any of the two actors do not get awarded and rewarded for their performances in JAB WE MET.

It's the initial portions in the second half though which slacken the pace of the film. A couple of songs come one after another and the film seems to be taking a serious route with the disappearing of Kareena. Introduction of Tarun Arora's character looks stereotype while the scenes that follow are clichéd as well. But the fun returns the moment Shahid-Kareena meet once again and Kareena starts getting into her usual self.

The film's graph starts peaking up at this point and only escalates further as the drama returns to Punjab. These are the portions where Tarun Arora gets an opportunity to act like someone who has been taken for a ride and he does a mighty good job there. Check out for the scene where he is frustrated with Kareena's brothers taking him out to 'ganne-ke-khet'.

Journey of Shahid and Kareena in train as well as on train is a filled up mouth watering events (and eye catching locales aided by splendid cinematography) that you wish they never reached where they finally wanted to go. Sequences like Kareena stranded at Ratlam railway station, her walk with Shahid thereafter, their check-in into a shady hotel (Shahid's conversation with the man at the reception is his best ever enacted scene ever since he made his debut in ISHQ VISHK), Shahid's disclosure about his real identity, Dara Singh's constant claims about getting to know the truth in the very first look - all of these get a 10 out of 10.

This is one film where one doesn't worry much about the final destination. What one wants as an audience is a journey to just go on, as brought out exceedingly well in the film's best song 'Aao Milon Chale'. In fact all the songs by Pritam work superbly with the film with 'Mauja Hi Mauja' in the end giving the film it's stamp of approval.

Imtiaz Ali delivers a definite winner and the film would be counted as one of the best ever in 2007. As the character of Kareena says at the beginning of the film - "Convince ho gaye ya aur main aur boloon". Got the point?