Gagan K.

Jaane Tu Jaane Na is nothing but an old story of boy and girl being cloooose friends and despite ignorant of “something” between them. And finally realizing “that” something in absence of each other.

The film’s title card is done innovatively. The title card video is shot in Mumbai’s Marine Drive area in a slow shutter painting type of video. We can notice several delicate moments in this title card video.

The film stars off with a group of friends driving into the airport and waiting for their other friends who are about to arrive from some place. One of the boy in the team has brought his girl in order to introduce his friends to her. She is totally a girl without any emotions, no taste in anything.

To keep her entertained, the friends start narrating a story. This narration which seems like a imagined one turns out to be the plot of the film.

All the friends in the team harmoniously narrate the story. The film moves into the story and again back to the airport. This is the most innovative thing about the screenplay.
It takes about 15 minutes for us to get into the main plot of the film. The next part is not all boring.

When we thought it was another love story inside the campus.. oh no there is already the farewell party! There we have the song “pappu cant dance”. The friends cannot believe that their college days are over. Especially Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia D’Souza) are still glued to each other.

As we enter the world of these friends, we have the song “kabhi kabhi aditi” which is shot well inside the campus and Aamir Khan makes a guest appearance as street vendor.

Now let us know about the main characters in the film. I can say almost all the characters have a job and make an impact on our mind. As we know from the pre release publicity, that Jai is a non violent guy, and Aditi a talkative fighting girl. Aditi wants only Jai to call her Meoww (yes the cat sound), and Aditi doesn’t want anyone other than her calling Jai as Rats.

Then we have a list of characters who make an impact in the film like — The “pappu” of pappu cant dance sala song, the police officer (Paresh Rawal), mom of Jai, brother of Aditi, Khan brothers (guest appearance).

I don’t know the names of other supporting cast. Each and every person in the friends’ team has acted with full confidence and the characterization of each one is done well.

The first half and the second half partially is filled with fun. Specially the song picnic song on lorry and on the dry grass lands and water. Very well shot song. Specially the simple choreography in one single shot where camera moves around all the characters.

The use of handycam and use of handycam type of video filter in some scenes makes us recall the similar scenes in Rang De Basanti.

Parents of Aditi arrange for marriage between the both, but both are confident enough to say they are close friends and nothing else. Then the friends decide to search life partner for each other. Aditi finds a girl for Jai and Aditi finds her boy who is her father’s son.

The film is a bit irritating after this point, as we all know the same old story. It becomes irritating at a point when both Aditi and Jai are engaged with their respective partners. I think this part which needed a better treatment. But the film doesn’t turn out to be tear bringer with over emotions.

As we reach the climax, we have the “Rathore” family story in a thicker way. Nice idea by the screenplay writer to introduce some new element to the old story. There is a formula type of 3 essentials acts to be performed by each member of Rathore family to become a man. And we keep expecting the performance of these three acts.

And there we have Jai Singh Rathore riding a horse in the middle of the night (thanks to transport strike). The last few minutes of the climax are filled with our hero breaking the airport security in order to stop his girl going to New York.

The final scene of the climax (of the story!) ends with our hero fallen on the floor and his body targeted by the guns of the security people. And Jai screams “meow” — strange enough for the police to suspect him as a terrorist. And meow aditi turns back, runs and hugs Jai on the floor! A new type of hug on the floor unlike the usual hugs.

There ends the story. We come back to the gang of friends waiting at the airport. And the friends for whom they were waiting arrive and they both are none other than Aditi and Jai!

Imran Khan does his role well. Genelia wins with her cuuuuuute looks and cuuuute smile but not so impacting performance. Seems like her voice was dubbed by some other person.

The main plus point is the brilliant performances by all the members in the friends gang. Not one or two.. but all.

Coming to the music, kabhi kabhi aditi, Pappu cant dance, Dil Kabhi banda songs stays in mind. The other 2 songs come and fit the sequence but do not register in our minds immediately. AR Rahman should have tried to give one better sad song. The new singers sound great and as fresh as the cast youth.

Camera work is flawless and good lighting at several places like the scenes inside the car, pappu cant dance song. The lighting is more of yellowish in most scenes. The camera man has shown his talent when he revolves the camera from the shadow part of the building to the sunny part of the building for the lines “lekin raath ke baad hi savera hota hai”. And the song “dil kabhi banda” is also shot well. The whole set of airport scenes are shot in low lights and the sudden movements give a sort of dynamism to the story itself.

Yes an old story, wins due to the new narration style. A perfectly made story for introducing the new boy Imran Khan. His character is made like that of a normal guy and nothing special. Imran’s character is never given more importance and all the characters have their own identity. The film is watchable due to the brilliant performances by all the artists, fresh narration, melodious music, and quite entertaining stuff.