Jaane Tu … Ya Jaane Na (2008). K-Factor.

No single letter has wielded as much influence over the Hindi film and TV industry as ‘K’. The surnames Khan and Kapoor start with a ‘K’. Ekta Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan name their products starting with this letter.

8 years ago, a certain Roshan generated mass hysteria under the influence of the K-factor. I was no fan then, but ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ changed it all and I openly gush about him now.

Jaane Tu … Ya Jaane Na. The K-factor did not dampen the freshness of this film. It quietly worked behind the scenes as a loving uncle.

Message for Amit:
If you plan to watch this film, do not miss the beginning. The images are made to look like watercolour paintings with very interesting strokes, and it is a riot of colours as the opening credits roll.

The storyline is uncomplicated. Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia) are extremely close friends since they are 15 years old, and their relationship gives their parents (and everybody who knows them) the impression that they are romantically interested in each other. Both of them deny this.

Jai and Aditi are part of a group of 6 friends in college. The characters deal with their problems in a refreshing, matter-of-fact manner. Aditi does not deny her strained relationship with her brother Amit (an interesting Prateek Babbar). Rotlu and Boms realize early on that their love interests have no interest in them, and do not hang on for attention.

They find each other instead.

The remaining members of the gang are Shaleen (Sugandha Garg) and Jignes Patel. Shaleen is a spunky girl who can play the guitar, and is highly observant.

Aditi wants a tough stud, and Jai wants someone mild tempered – and they do find people with these attributes. Eventually they come round to understand and accept that they love each other.

It was nice to see that the lead characters did get attracted to someone else, but choose their much healthier relationship – for they are so comfortable with each other, and believe, “Tu khush hai to lage ki jahan mein chayee hai khushi!”

What worked for me?

Guitar strains

Jai shaking his head to say a no to getting provoked, in response to Aditi’s remarks
It is very attractive to see a man remain assertive, and polite.

Jai not carrying a mobile phone, and saying he would get one when he started working.
It reminded me of my days as a student. Luxury products would be bought with my money; after I started earning.

Jignes’s natural, “Sabko visa nahin milta!”
Gujrati speaking friends from college with flying-to-US dreams had said this on more than one occasion.

Amit’s admission, “Of course I hate him!” - and he goes on to explain why.
I agree. Comparisons to Jai would be very difficult to handle without an unhealthy dosage of disdain.

Aditi’s parents (Jayant Kriplani and Anooradha Patel) playing scrabble.
Love as it should be.

Jai’s mother (Rathna Pathak) and her love for reading; her interaction with her dead husband (Naseeruddin Shah)
Perfect comic timing. Two tremendously talented actors enjoying themselves.

And this. Role reversal of sorts. The rat saving the cat.


Imran is effortless, and plays the nice Jai Singh Rathore from Ranjhor well. Has very attractive eyes, and a nice voice. As he said, “Tumhara bhai hum sab se sharp hai, my ears perked up - ‘sharp’ is not a word that makes a regular appearance in Bollywood dialogues. I liked the way he wrote in Aamir’s blog, and that got me to leave a comment behind. He looks set to have an interesting career ahead.

Aditi is the most predictable character of them all. A younger Preity Zinta would have given her character a zing.

P.S - Tinkerbells, this post is for you. For loving and marrying the man you met as a 16 year old.
P.S.1 – Phoenix, will this get you to comment on visas and dhoklas?

Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

As a teenager, I was besotted with the Academy Awards. I had made a list of past Oscar winners across categories, and happily updated the list year after year. This resulted in my becoming familiar with the names of several great performers (and movies).

Mighty Aphrodite was one such name. So were Woody Allen and Mira Sorvino.

I had watched Mira in the comedy ‘Romy and Michele's High School Reunion’ and enjoyed her performance. Recently, I watched her Oscar-winning performance in Mighty Aphrodite (1995).

This movie starring Woody Allen, Helena Bonham Carter and Mira Sorvino tells the story of Lenny (Woody Allen), his obsession with finding out who are his adopted son’s biological parents, and events that follow.

Lenny’s wife (Helena Bonham Carter) is embarking on an extra-marital affair, and his marriage is crumbling. On the other hand, the son displays signs of being a child prodigy. Lenny’s search for his son’s biological parents leads him to the mother, Linda (Mira Sorvino), a prostitute and part-time porn star.

Linda dreams of a loving marriage and husband, and Lenny introduces her to a dim boxer who wants to get back to his original occupation – that of onion farming. The amateur boxer proudly declares, “I've had 16 fights and I won all of them but 12.” The association ends when the boxer gets to know of Linda’s past, and she eventually finds happiness with a helicopter pilot. And Lenny’s (much younger) wife returns to him.

Watch out for Lenny’s interaction with the boxer, and Linda’s performance. Greek chorus makes an appearance throughout the film. So does sparkling wit. A funny sequence is when the chorus calls on Zeus; all they hear is his answering machine requesting them to leave a message.

I read that Woody Allen has undergone psychoanalysis for years. This is a subject I have little knowledge of, and lots of fascination for. Some day, it shall be explored in detail.

The Holiday (2006)

'The Holiday' is a romantic comedy that did not activate my tear glands even once. Nor did I laugh loud enough. This is, indeed, one of the rare occasions where you would find me talk about a chick flick that has a picture perfect, predictable ending.

I enjoyed 'One Fine Day' (1996) and 'Freaky Friday' (2003) a lot more, and have not written about them. This movie has one thing going for it - it helps me relive my second trip to Colombo (an official trip that has surprisingly thoroughly rejuvenated me, and renewed confidence that I can express myself clearly), and thus it shall find mention in this space.

The talented Kate Winslet stars here. Her accent and delivery, as she effortlessly essays the part of a girl who is unable to get over the boyfriend who has dumped her three years ago, reaffirms my view that she will remain one of the best actresses I have watched.

Nice girl Iris draws blinds and blocks natural light out when she is about to edit columns by her ex, who ‘needs’ her even as he believes that she epitomises the quintessential square peg stuck in a round hole. A change of location (watch the movie to see how it happens) brings a new, 90-year-old neighbour, who is a writer from Hollywood, and has an Oscar to his credit, to her life.

Eli Wallach is a delight to watch.

“Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend.”

“You're so right. You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for god's sake! Arthur, I've been going to a therapist for three years, and she's never explained things to me that well. That was brilliant. Brutal, but brilliant.”

The radiance in her expression and the relief on her face when she bids her ex goodbye from her life is rather difficult to express with my limited vocabulary, but the image is firmly captured in my memory.

The movie also stars the smart Cameron Diaz, weepy Jude Law, and affable Jack Black. The unexpected finds mention in the revelation of the identities of Sophie and Olivia, and a fleeting appearance by Dustin Hoffman.

Feast your eyes on this.

Rule of the overlord

‘Sarkar Raj’ was on my watchlist ever since I watched ‘Sarkar’ in 2005. Subhash Nagre’s family had a set of well-etched characters, and it was good to see Shankar Nagre emerge from the shadows of Subhash Nagre. In real life too.

This weekend, after toying between the sequel and ‘Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic’, the sequel won. Archu was left grumpy, but I am not going to spend any more money on the Yashraj banner – unless the film stars King Khan!

And I faced trouble with online ticketing. For the first time.

I did not receive any sms with my transaction id. Nor was any other form of confirmation from the multiplex forthcoming. I tried calling the ever-busy landline number in vain, and my email did not beget any response.

However, my list of credit card transactions had promptly been updated.

Printers were non-functional when I went to enquire at the multiplex, and I finally used a kiosk to generate tickets. Four in number.

The first half of the film is undoubtedly slow. The lady CEO of a company (a character introduced in the sequel), with a pet power plant project in mind, decides to camp indefinitely in the capital of the State that is going to house it. The younger overlord is convinced about the project, and goes around convincing villagers about how the plant would solve all the electricity problems of the State. He is upright, but slowly gets caught in vicious politics before he realizes. His pregnant wife is the first victim.

The second half is when the film picks up pace. The best sequence in the movie is set in the terrace of a building where the CEO and the younger overlord talk to each other, and soon after he is shot by an unseen assailant.

A change in circumstances prompts the original, gritty Sarkar to resume duties, and Big B shines in the moments that follow. The ending makes it seem as though a third film based on the characters is a possibility.

The lines I liked (and recollect)include:

"Nazdiki nuksaan dekhne se pehle, door ka fayda dekhna chahiye"
Foresight and patience; this struck a chord immediately for it mirrors my thoughts.

"Mujhe jo sahi lagta hai, main karta hoon"
Self-conviction can move mountains, but how easy is it to actually put the above in practice?

"Sab kuch niji hai"
I am slowly realising the importance of not taking things personally. Hearing it aloud reinforces it.

For those who are planning to watch the sequel, do watch the original first. The metamorphosis of some characters can be understood better.