Jashnn has lots of cheese but little good taste

Jashnn (U/A)
Directors: Raksha Mistry, Hasnain Hyderabadwala
Cast: Adhyayan Suman, Shahana Goswami, Anjana Sukhani, Humayun Saeed
Critic's rating: **

The girl asks, "Do you think I'm fast?" The boy replies, "Even if you are, I can keep up with the pace." She smiles. The boy continues, "Anyway, I love running, whether it's on the treadmill or behind women." The girl laughs uncontrollably. "You are so funny!" she says, visibly impressed. They are on!

If you thought that little exchange was cheesy, then Jashnn is one cheese-fest. Sequences that seem right out of the 1980s (there is the behen-bhai ka pyaar, and also a 'tum baap banne waale ho' scene); kitschy dialogues: "Thandi aurat ke saath sone se achha hai main ek thandi beer ke saath soun" (It's better I go to sleep with a cold beer than with a cold woman); and terrible clichés all come together in Vishesh Films’ latest offering.

But not all is lost in this film that is a cross between a lot of past Bhatt films, where the hero grapples with his inner demons, and last year's Rock On! It has its moments: some interesting scenes, a couple of really good songs, and the biggest advantage of them all — a running time of just 2 hours. The fast-paced screenplay helps you tide over Jashnn quickly and not rue wasting too much on the film. And if an emotional melodrama with some mediocre acting is your thing, then this one is for you.

Akash Verma (Adhyayan Suman) is jobless at 23. He aspires to become a "rock star", has a band, no money, and lives off sister Nisha (Shahana Goswami), who is an ex-model in an extramarital relationship with a rich businessman Aman Bajaj (Humayun Saeed). Aman provides the Vermas with a home and money and treats Nisha like a dirt bag in exchange. Akash falls in love with Sara, who brings some peace and happiness in his life. Trouble arises when it turns out that Sara is actually Aman's sister, who is going all out to destroy Akash's career.

A lot of what follows is pure bumkum, which could have been salvaged if the big "music competition" in the climax had been executed well. Sadly, it isn't. And how Aman has influence over any and everybody in a position of power is not explained. What does the guy do?

A lot of times you can't understand why the characters don't use their brains a bit. For example, the musicians keep talking about the "difficulties of becoming music stars" in their 'jamming' warehouse, never really doing anything about it. And they are wondering how to get themselves heard by an audience. None of them heard of YouTube?

The director duo (Raksha-Hasnain) has been notorious for lifting stories from Hollywood films. Their earlier two duds were 'inspired' by Derailed and Collateral. This one is no different. Akash's band is shown performing at a funeral, in a scene straight out of Rock On! Remember the four performing Saanson Ki Zaroorat Hai Jaisi at a dandiya function? This one is similar. Another scene of Akash and Sara paintballing is a direct lift out of 10 Things I Hate About You, right down to falling in a haystack at the end of it.

But this one is their best effort so far, and the two have been able to extract tolerable performances from a cast in which only Shahana Goswami has some acting credentials. She performs well. Adhyayan, in a role any newcomer would give his right arm for, puts in an effort even if it doesn't always pay off. With an inconsistent performance that ranges from good to awfully bad, Adhyayan has a long way to go before he can carry a film entirely on his shoulders, but he shows promise.

Anjana Sukhani leaves no mark whatsoever. The best performer in the film is Bhatt's Pakistani import Humayun Saeed, who plays Aman Bajaj. The guy has good screen presence and voice and can act, too. Don't be surprised if he bags a couple of good supporting roles soon. The music of the film, by the Sabri brothers, is good.

In the end, however, Jashnn leaves you untouched and unaffected. After the success of Jannat and Raaz — The Mystery Continues, this one is a letdown. But don't be surprised if the Bhatts strike back soon.