Old concept, fresh treatment

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Director: Abbas Tyrewala
Cast: Imran Khan, Genelia, Prateik Babbar
Rating: ***

Let's get one thing clear – 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' (JTYJN) isn't a great film. It had potential, but a lengthy second half and unwanted sub-tracks act as hindrances. However, the film deserves a watch for the following: A great lead pair, amazing cameos, one of the most humorous tracks written in a Hindi film and writer-director Abbas Tyrewala's fresh approach to filmmaking.

The story is about Jai (Imran) and Aditi (Genelia), best friends since the first day of college but unaware of the fact that they may actually be in love with each other. 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', you say! No marks to 'JTYJN' when it comes to an original concept.

Jai and Aditi insist that they are 'only friends' while the rest of the world is waiting for the two to realize that the two are made for each other. When Jai starts going out with another girl, Aditi realizes that she has feelings for Jai. Unable to deal with the emotions, she agrees to get married to a suave, rich and what seems like a perfect guy. What follows is anybody's guess. Or is it?

'JTYJN' may have a predictable story line, but Tyrewala has spiced it up with a great script. Jai's equation with his mom, the back story about Jai's Rajput roots and the one-liners among the friends are all immensely enjoyable. The tracks about Jai's mother (Ratna Pathak Shah) talking to his dead father's (Naseeruddin Shah) portrait and the two rodeo-like Rajput brothers (Arbaaz and Sohail Khan) are hilarious and among the highlights of the film.

Other enjoyable sequences include the ones involving Aditi's brother and his interactions with her friends. Scenes where he insults Jai, Aditi beating him up and the confusion over Jai-Aditi's relationship status are entertaining.

The film could have done without focusing too much on the individual affairs of Jai and Aditi in the second half. In fact, there are too many scenes where either Jai or Aditi are missing and that is a put off. Besides, in comparison to the breezy first half, the second seems like a drag. The romance has not been very well-developed and could have done with a few more scenes between Jai and Aditi.

Tyrewala shows maturity in handling comic scenes and keeping everything as real as possible. In fact, the performances he has extracted out of his actor belie the fact that this is his debut as director. AR Rahman's music elevates the film greatly and you'll probably be humming Pappu can't dance saala long after watching it. However, who the hell is Pappu?! 

All performances are superior. Imran Khan makes a decent debut. He may not be your conventional hero, but the guy is remarkably easy going for a first-time effort. Genelia is sweet and has the childlike quality required for the role. With better dialogue delivery, she could go places. The film is livened by cameos by Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah and Paresh Rawal. Arbaaz and Sohail Khan get the best roles of their lives and come out with flying colours.

But the biggest surprise packet of the film is Prateik Babbar. Son of the legendary Smita Patil and Raj Babbar, the boy is one of the most natural actors lately. In fact, every scene the actor appears in is a memorable one. Watch out for this guy. The casting director deserves special mention.

In the end, 'JTYJN' is probably one of those films you would like to add to your DVD collection. Belonging to the Basu Chatterjee kind of 'natural cinema', the film is as fresh as it comes. Definitely worth a dekko.