Harman Vs Imran - 2008: Pappu pass ho gaya Satyajit Ray once said about Jean Luc Godard that he knew the rules and that’s why he could break them. Forgive the parallel, but Abbas Tyrewala (who wrote Main Hoon Naa) knows the filmi pharmoola well enough to twist it, tease it and serve a real lip-smacker. Just like what Imtiaz Ali did with Jab We Met, taking an oft-seen premise and giving it a fresh dimension, Abbas breathes new life into the much-visited world of teen friendship blossoming into love. There’s nothing you have not seen before. As one of the characters says in the film, it is duniya ki sabsi purani kahaani. There is a group of friends with Jai (Imran) and Aditi (Genelia) at the forefront. Jai is a Rathore from Ranjhore, but after his father Amar Singh Rathore (Naseeruddin Shah) dies young in battle, mother Savitri (Ratna Pathak Shah) inculcates in the kid the need to abstain from violence in any form. But the first words you get to hear from Aditi are “haraami ki aulaad”. So she obviously is not sworn to verbal ahimsa. Jai and Aditi have been close friends for five years in college, close enough for her parents to talk marriage. But hello! they don’t want to get married. They are not even in love. So she sets out to find a girl for him and he looks out for a guy for her. Once the supposedly suitable partners enter their lives, Cupid crops up. Yes, it’s as predictable as it sounds and, to top it all, there’s even an ending at the airport. And despite it all, Jaane Tu... Yaa Jaane Naa is the film of the year till now. Because it speaks our lingo. Because it’s like a Dil Chahta Hai with real college kids — and not 40-somethings in pink pants. Because it’s breezy, it’s fun and it feels real good. It’s not just the young college kids. Even the parents in the film are as cool as today’s mamas and papas. It’s the world where ghar ke bade-boodhe finalise your marriage first and you discover love later. It’s you out there hunting around for love but not looking under your nose. It’s Love Story 2008 (who cares what’ll happen in 2050, anyway?). What makes Jaane Tu... so special is the casting, done by Abbas’s wife Pakhi. The friends, who narrate Jai and Aditi’s story at the airport (like Chalte Chalte), are complete naturals. Bombs, Rotlu, Jiggy, Shaleen are those precious corner pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that complete the pretty picture in the middle. And when you have the likes of Ratna Pathak Shah, Jayant Kriplani, Anuradha Patil, Rajat Kapoor and Kitu Gidwani chipping in as parents, you know you are in super-safe hands. Add to that brilliant cameos by Paresh Rawal as a disgruntled cop, Arbaaz and Sohail Khan as Rajput cowboys and Naseer’s jig inside a picture frame. Yes, you read that right. And that brings us to Imran Khan and Genelia. She is like Kangana. When you first hear her speak, that laborious diction can really get on your nerves but before you know it, you are searching for that smile. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming Kabhi kabhi Aditi, urging the girl to has de has de toh zara... Sorry Mr Harry Baweja, “the future is here”, on this side of the page. Imran is, finally, what the doctor ordered for Bollywood, what Ranbir tried so hard and couldn’t be in Saawariya. Effortlessly endearing. You warm up to him so fast that by the time he lands that Rathore punch, the packed 9.30am first-day-first-show multiplex crowd is clapping in unison. Aamir Khan isn’t too wrong when he says that Imran in JTYJN is “many times better” than he was in QSQT. But do watch out for the three scenes featuring Prateik Babbar. Only Smita Patil’s son could be that effortless and show so much promise in so little screen time. Finally, what is bringing the crowds to Jaane Tu... and what binds Abbas’s clever script together so beautifully is A.R. Rahman. From the opening jazz bars to the romantic chords of Kahin to..., Rahman has again rocked the party. But don’t blame him if you leave the theatres humming RD’s original Jaane tu... yaa jaane na... to your best friend. IMRAN KHAN Face: the eyes call the shots and if you can keep your eyes off them, you will get stuck on that endearing smile Body: lean but not toned enough to do an action film. Muscles: may not work with his image Acting: at total ease in front of the camera, the guy exudes warmth and can make that emotional connect Dancing: when you have a song like pappu can’t dance, it’s clearly not his strong point Romancing: he excels in the schoolboy romance OF jaane tu... Passion? we will wait, watch and hope for the best! X factor: the usp of the film, the reason you root for him right through and want him to make aditi smile once more Verdict: If he chooses the right films, there’s no stopping Imran Khan from being the next big thing in bollywood.
9/10
