JAANE TU YA JAANE NAA: MOVIE REVIEW!!

Take a bow Abbas Tyrewaala-take a bow. You haven't just made a feel good movie, you have made a move which makes us believe in love all over again. Imtiaz Ali did that with Jab We Met last year but yours I believe is still a bigger feat to achieve-for there's nothing new in your script- it's just your treatment and the perfect casting that takes Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa to an altogether different level of stratosphere. If there's one movie other than Dil Chahta Hai that's captured the urban metroplis gang of youthful friends so wonderfully, then this is it. Ofcorse while the friendship in DCH played a much more important role, in JTYJN it's more of the tadka-the spice that this movie requires to help the main love story reach its natural conclusion.

The story couldn't be simpler-the execution couldn't better.

Right from the first shot Abbas Tyrewaala takes us into the world of this youthful bunch of friends as they sing Jaane Tu Yaa Jaane Naa(the old one) to a hapless Mala(Renuka Kunzru) who isn't part of this gang yet and hence doesnot understand the significance of the song. Ofcorse it doesn't take long for her to realize-infact 2 hours 45 minutes, the same time it takes us. And in those 2 hours 45 minutes what you get is a beautiful and simple tale told in such a refreshing manner that no one will ever again dare say that cliched love stories don't work anymore. They do, if you know how to tell the story in a novel manner. What Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na makes us realise is that you don't need a 50 crore budget, super cool special effects and a sci fi love story to make a succesful movie(Yeah, I am takig a dig at that other other dull and drab of a movie that released this weekend). All you need is a fine story teller. Harry Baweja-who has been directing movies forever might want to take a few tips from Abbas Tyrewaala here. And Aamir Khan, the producer of the movie.

The story? Ha-don't make me laugh. You really shouldn't care about the story here. Its as cliched and downtrodden as all those masala hindi movies you saw in the 80's. There's nothing novel here-so save it. This movie is one to be experienced, not to be heard. Telling you anything about the plot will spoil the fun. Nevertheless I'll give you the gist of it. Jai(Imran Khan) and Aditi(Genelia D'Souza) are unseparable friends. Everyone-from their friends to their parents believe that they are made for each other. Except ofcorse-they themselves. They are too absorbed in their friendship to notice what has been brewing for so long-that they can't live without each other. And this realization of their undying love for each other is basically what forms the plot of the movie. Told you-nothing exciting there. But watching this simplest of plots unfold on screen is an altogether different experience.

Natural is the keyword here. Nothing is forced or out of the ordinary. The dialogues come out as if we would be saying them to our friends or parents on an everyday basis, the scenes flow as if straight from our lives, the characters as if they were our friends. And the one time that this move does take the downtrodden path, it steals the show. The climax is so cliched and done to death in numerous movies, but then you have to realize that Abbas Tyrewaala does it on purpose-because he believes that for a tale so ordinary, only a climax so completely out of the ordinary would be befitting. And as Jai gallops across the city, racing against time to stop the love of his life from leaving his life and finally declare what had been so obvious right from the beginning, we too race with him-our hearts in our mouths and cheering Jai on to stop Aditi and tell her what we have known from the beginning-that he loves her and that there could have been no one else. We know he will make it, we know they will live happily ever after and we know exactly how all of this is going to unfold but we just can't help but feel our heart beats racing at an abnormal pace as Jai runs out of time. For if he doesn't make it, then there could be no bigger tragedy on earth. We so want them to be together that we forget that this is just a movie.

A R Rahman's youthful music only adds to the experience. 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi and Pappu Can't Dance Saala' add spice to the zany proceedings on screen. 'Nazrein Milaana....Nazrein Churaana' comes at the apt time as it takes the narrative forward. And it is wonderfully picturized. 'Kahi To Hogi Woh Duniya' is such a heart breaking song, it's worth listening to again and again.

Rajeev Soorti's cinematography is rivetting. The dialogues are so completely natural and the screen play rock solid. And in all this Aamir Khan has a hand. Without a doubt he's setting the benchmark for the rest of the production houses in India to follow. 3 movies and all 3 have been memorable to say the least. Aamir has been known for excellence for quite a while but Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa wil take it to an altogether different level. For this isn't an Aamir Khan type of movie. Far from it. Yet only he could have seen the potential in the screenplay.

Of the supporting cast-whom can you single out for praise? Is it Ratna Pathak Shah who as Jai's mother seems so beautifully natural that everything else around her just crumbles. Whether it be in the scene where a crying Aditi realizes that her college life is over and wonders where did they go and she effortlessly replies-'Phone pe beta. Phone pe' or the scene where she sees her son Jai galloping on a horse and when her friend asks her-'Isn't that your son?', she so cooly replies-'Nahi, ye mere pati ka beta hai,' Ratna Pathak just seems completely at ease. Or is it Prateik Babber as the angst ridden and mature brother of Aditi? Watch him as he explains to his sister why they don't seem to be friends anymore or later when he explains to her why she can't live without Jai. He is the conscience of the movie, the one misunderstood character whom we somehow understand so well. Or is it Manjira Phadnis as Jai's girlfriend who is just so beautiful and innocent that you really want to live in her world forever. You feel sorry for her as you know she won't get the man she loves although it's no fault of hers. Watch her as she explains why she has turned a blind eye to her parents fighting and you somewhere in you heart you would wish that she too gets her happy ending. I still do. Rajat Kapoor in just one scene is absolutely rivetting. The four friends-Alishka Varde as the slow Bombs, Karan Makhija as the pessimistic Rotlu, Sudhan Garg as the ever optimistic and carefree Shaleen are all fantastic additions to a great cast, although Nirav Mehta as Jiggy undoubtedly steals the show among the friends. Paresh Rawal, for once doing a non-Priyadarshan movie, is absolutely hilarious. He's so mean that he's funny. And that says it all. Ayaz Khan as Aditi's fiance makes a strong impact although you do feel that he's a bit old for the absolutely ravishing Genelia.

There are also 3 fantastic cameos in the movie, each one standing out on their own. The desi cowboy brothers act by Arbaaz and Sohail Khan will have you rolling on the ground with laughter. While Naseruddin Shah, he just seems to be so busy enjoying himself that he doesn't even notice that he might have pulled out the best performance of the movie. And that's no mean feat in a movie where not even one casting seems to have gone wrong. In fact-let me just say this-I haven't seen a better ensembled cast in a hindi movie in ages. Hats off to the casting director-Pakhi.

As for the lead pair, you can't help but fall hopelessly in love with them. Genelia D'Souza as the eccentric, fiery cat-like yet sweet Aditi is absolutely fantastic. As Abbas Tyrewaala said in an interview-the camera loves the girl. And so do we. You wonder where has she been for so long? Why couldn't other directors see in her what Abbas saw? She really is the spark of the movie, the one to whom you keep coming back when things start to get heavy and everytime she comes on screen, you fall in love with her all over again. The climax works because you are so hopelessly in love with her that you know that you would do the same for her. Whether it be the scene in which she very rudely reminds Jai that hanging out with her isn't some sort of duty or the scene where she breaks down and admits to her fiance that she is indeed in love with Jai, she lights up the screen like she owns it. Hopefully we would be seeing much more of her from now on.

Imran Khan makes a debut which will be remembered for ages. He's so refreshingly charming and different in this age of 6-pack abs and kung fu fighting heroes that he makes you smile. Just watch his reaction when he sees Aditi getting a tab bit too close with her fiance or for that matter that hilarious scene where he saves his to be girlfriend from two goons by convincing them that she has AIDS-he's downright mind blowing. He's definitely here to stay-no two opinions on that. What remains to be discovered is whether he follows in the footsteps of his illustrious uncle and climb the ladder of success as Aamir Khan has. There's no doubt he couldn't have got a better launch.

It's like the last scene of the movie when Mala finally gets to meet Jai and Anjali. She hugs them without giving a second thought and much to their surprise and later explains, "We have never met but seems like I have known you for years." At the end of those 2 hour 45 minutes, you feel much the same. Like you had known Jai and Aditi for years and they were your friends. And their stories was yours. The beauty of a story lies in its narration. And that's where Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is a hands down winner. Enough said.

Final Verdict: This isn't just another movie going experience. It's a movie going experience for the ages. Watch it once and you are left thirsting for more, a second viewing it definitely deserves and a third is something you might not be able to help. So go catch this one now. And when the dvd comes out, keep it on the top of your collector's edition. For this is what movies are supposed to be. Where at the end you just can't help but smile. Where your heart feels elated and your joy in Jai and Aditi's union seems to complete you. I haven't felt this good or upbeat after watching a movie in ages. And for that Abbas Tyrewaala-I really do thank you.

RATING : ****