Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2 DVD Set) (Bollywood Movie / Indian Cinema / Hindi Film)
by Abbas Tyrewala
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Ayaz Khan, Genelia, Imran Khan, Manjari, Paresh RawalDirector: Abbas Tyrewala
Brand: UTV Motion Pictures
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Hindi (Unknown); English (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Dolby, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Running Time: 163 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-12-10
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Model: UMPDVD-027
Studio: UTV Home Entertainment
Product features:
- Original UTV Motion Pictures DVD
Movie Reviews of Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2 DVD Set) (Bollywood Movie / Indian Cinema / Hindi Film)
Movie Review: This movie makes you feel that "...everything's gonna be okay!"
Summary: 5 Stars
Watching JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA, I felt like I had a smile on the whole time. It wasn't because everything onscreen was that funny (even though there were quite a few funny bits), but because I had such a good time with the film and felt so damned pleased that I was watching it, if that makes any sense. JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA ("Whether you know it or not") is a contemporary Bollywood romantic comedy, and it sparkles. Mind you, in keeping with Indian cinema, there are still those soap opera scenes, even if, in this instance, these scenes don't feel so overwrought. Mostly, the appeal and sheer unaffectedness of the two leads carry the film, and effortlessly. I wouldn't be surprised if big things were soon popping for Imran Khan and Genelia D'Souza. I can't wait to see them again on film, and, hopefully, sharing screen time.
So this story begins and ends in that most romantic of places - the airport. JAANE TU is mostly a flashback movie, its narrative style borrowed from FORGET PARIS, as four friends regale their new acquaintance with the story of Jai and Aditi (for whom they're waiting). The laidback Jai and the fiery Aditi have spent all their college years together, as best friends. They're so close that it's natural for everyone in their circle to assume that they're in love. Aditi's wealthy parents even go so far as to hint that Jai would be part of the family after college. Jai assumes he's being offered a job; Aditi's parents are thinking more in the way of a marriage arrangement. Thing is, Jai and Aditi aren't in love, and they vehemently shut down this marriage talk. But they come to realize that their closeness might keep them from finding that special someone. Jai and Aditi arrange to play matchmaker for each other. And, if you're an old hand with this sort of romantic dilemma in cinema, you can pretty much guess how that's gonna play out. Jai does meet someone (in a hilarious nightclub scene). And Aditi does meet someone. But you know that's not the end of the story.
To pad the plot, there's some fluff about Jai's being haunted by dreams of a desert warrior and his having to fulfill three conditions for his rite of passage. There's some nonsense about a crooked Police Inspector (played by Paresh Rawal, who I guess is contracted to be in every Bollywood film ever!) and two cowboy types who sporadicaly pop up on the screen and also the horses they ride in on. Bemusingly, somehow, it all ties in.
To quote lyrics from my favorite song in this film, JAANE TU makes you feel that "...everything's gonna be okay!" Maybe the next time I see this movie, I'll be more critical. Next time, maybe I won't relish Imran and Genelia's performances as much, or laugh at the humor or get a kick out of the romance. But I just got done watching this, and, right now, JAANE TU feels like such a breath of fresh air. While there's nothing new in the plot, and the romance plays out pretty much as expected, the whole thing is done in such high spirits and with such a light touch and a spontaneous vibe that you get drawn in. In fact, the film goes down so easy breezy that you might even get startled by the film's emotional punches. One of the best and impactful moments in the film takes place in a scene in which Aditi and Jai, while slow dancing with their respective partners, are simply looking at each other. Making this scene ever more telling is that this is the same painful instant in which Aditi's fiance and Jai's girlfriend realize the connection between Aditi and Jai. Imran Khan and Genelia D'Souza make their characters so relatable. Imran makes an auspicious film debut, and is very natural and disarming as Jai. I have to believe that Genelia, who's been in a few movies already, lands the best role of her still very young career. Her Aditi cuts a different figure from other more subservient Bollywood heroines. Aditi definitely knows her own mind, has a vile temper, and sports an irrepressible smile. It's actually glimpsing this smile on the dvd cover which convinced me to purchase this film. What defined Aditi and Jai for me and also made me fall in love with them is the musical number "Kabhi Kabhi Aditi," which promptly follows their introductory scene. "Kabhi Kabhi Aditi" not only is a great song, but it also readily establishes Jai and Aditi's tight-knit relationship.
I don't mean to diss the rest of the actors; this is a well-rounded cast. It's nice to see supporting characters with added dimensions - except for Jai's dad, who is one-dimensional (but that's because he's a painting). Jai's girlfriend, for instance, obstinately chooses to view life thru rose-colored lenses, to escape an acrimonious family situation. Her habit of playing the make-believe "What's This?" game starts out as annoying, but, at the end, it makes you sad. Another stand-out is Aditi's slacker brother, who used to be close to his sister before Jai came along. Dude misses his sister so much. And, near the end, whoever has that bit part as airport security plays it straight and is, consequently, very funny. As for Jai and Aditi's group of friends, who wouldn't want to hang out with them?
This being Bollywood, there are musical numbers - that's simply part of the psyche of the Indian cinema-goer. I liked all the tracks in this one, although the one I really got into was the mellow, catchy "Kabhi Kabhi Aditi." "Pappu Can't Dance" is energetic and has that dancehall groove going for it, while "Tu Bole Mein Bolun" is jazzy cool. I also dig the score's quick piano riffs which embellish the film's cool, contemporary tone.
Okay, what I have is the 2-disc set. Disc 1 has the feature film presentation, as well as Writer/Director Abbas Tyrewala's audio commentary (in English) and the song selections. Disc 2 is the bonus disc, mostly in English, and offers up the following stuff: a comprehensive 77-minute-long Making Of featurette; 7 deleted scenes (but no English subtitles); deleted songs (two versions of "Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai" - from Jai's viewpoint in one, from Aditi's in the other); segments shot at the film premiere & release, of reactions from fans and other Bollywood actors; Aamir & Imran Khan being interviewed on CNN-IBN (Aamir Khan, longtime Bollywood actor, is Imran's uncle and also co-produced this movie); tons of promos; and production stills. Not bad bonus stuff.
It's still a bit of a while before this film industry catches up to Hollywood in terms of glitz and polish and cynicism, and it'll be a crappy day when that happens. JAANE TU is one of the hippest Bollywood flicks I've seen, but even it reflects several of Bollywood's more fatuous elements. If there's one thing that bugged me, it was the corny nicknames. Jai is "Rats." Aditi is "Meow" Then we get Bombs, Jiggy, Peachy and Pumpkin. And - even the director admits this in the commentary - the film's climax at the airport happens to be one of the most often used Bollywood cliches ever. In the parlance of Bollywood, how "filmy!" Except that, in JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA, the cliche works. It's a marvelous ending, again pulled off perfectly by the two leads, and with that airport security guy making sure that the scene doesn't come off as too soppy (He reports into his radio: "The terrorist was singing, sir."). Only in Bollywood.
Summary of Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2 DVD Set) (Bollywood Movie / Indian Cinema / Hindi Film)
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