Jeevi rating: 3.75/5
Punchline: friendship flick
Banner: Aamir Khan Productions & PVR Cinema
Genre: Love
Cast: Imran Khan, Genelia, Manjari
Music: AR Rehman
Editing: Shan Mohammed
Story - dialogues - lyrics - screenplay - direction: Abbas Tyrewala
Producers: Mansoor Khan & Aamir Khan
Release date: 4 July 2008
Review
Story
Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia) are best buddies. They are so inseparable that everybody believes that they are in love. They think they are not in love and to prove, they decide to set up the right date for each of them. The story of the film is all about how they realize that they are made for each other!
Actors:
Imran Khan is cute and portrayed the role perfectly. His innocent looks and soft attitude suited the character very well. Genelia is completely energetic and bubbly in this film. For the guys who are used to Genelia with a dubbing voice by Savita Reddy in Telugu films might feel that Genelia’s original voice is little low and dull for the kind of energy she exhibits through her histrionics. All those guys who saw Genelia in Telugu films can find another facet of her in this film. Imran Khan and Genelia made a perfect pair on the screen. Manjari is very good as the girlfriend of Imran. Naseeruddin Shah steals the show with nice expressions. Paresh Rawal is good as cop. Ratna Pathak Shah is competent as the mother of the hero. The guys and girls who are the part of the friends’ gang are natural. Rajat Kapoor and Kitu Gidwani did a special appearance. Pratik Babbar is excellent as the brother of heroine. Murali Sharma dazzles in a brief cameo.
Technical departments:
Story - Screenplay - direction: The basic thread of the story reminds us of Nuvve Kavali (Tujhe Meri Kasam in Hindi which was the launch pad of actress Genelia in 2003). Screenplay of the film is very good. The director narrated it in a spaced-out flashback format. Direction of the film is very good. He made sure that the scenes in the film are fresh and narration is thoroughly engaging though there is not much of a story in the film. Abbas Tyrewala who penned dialogues for many successful films has made his debut as the director with this film. The director also tried to show the psychology of animals associated with people using horse (Imran), cat (Genelia) and mouse (Genelia’s brother). As a Telugu guy, I can say that he seems have watched many Telugu films earlier as some of the threads resemble some of the Telugu films
1. Basic storyline: Nuvve Kavali
2. Paresh Rawal mannerisms/dialogue delivery: Kshana Kshanam
3. Naseeruddin Shah’s comedy in portrait – Gang Leader and other telugu films
4. Scaring goons by saying that heroine has AIDS – Gudumba Shankar
5. Airport climaxes – innumerable Telugu films starting from Toli Prema
The following are the best scenes in the film
1. When Genelia cries after suddenly realizing that her college days are over.
2. When Genelia says to Imran after he reluctantly says bye to Manjari that she drops him every night.
3. Genelia’s conversation with her brother towards the end of the film.
4. The scene in which Genelia says that spending time with a friend should not be felt like a responsibility.
6. Naseeruddin Sha’s expressions whenever Imran does the 3-things.
5. The climax episode in which Murali Sharma tries singing the song while reporting to his officer over the walkie-talkie.
There is lot of influence of Hollywood flicks as well
1. The creepy characterization of Genelia’s brother is inspired by oscar winning flick ‘Little Miss Sunshine’.
2. The funeral of cat is taken from ‘There is something about Mary’. (It already adapted in Telugu by Trivikram for Malliswari film)
Technical departments: Music by AR Rehman is very good and it grows on you. Cinematography is pretty neat. Dialogues are witty and contemporary. Digital Intermediate is perfect. Editing is crisp. Choreography is nice. Production values are excellent. Amir Khan reaffirms his passion for quality cinema by producing this film.
Analysis: First half of the film is excellent. The second half is good though the tempo goes down and the narration becomes prolonged. The plus points of the film are screenplay, fresh narration and right casting. The negative point is prolonged second half. Abbas Tyrewala who worked as dialogue/screenplay writer and script doctor in the past makes sure that he hits the bulls eye as a director with a sensible script/narration. On a whole, ‘Jaane Tu…. Ya Jaane Na’ is a must watch!
