The film starts off with Yash Chopra's portrait and his own special Jab Tak Hai Jaan poem. And from that moment, you're transported to his magical world to witness his take on love. You see the world from his perspective, and accept anything (whether good or bad) with the most idiotic smile on your face. If you snap out or zone out of that phase, then you probably won't enjoy JTHJ. Otherwise, you're in for the best romantic saga of 2012, where true love is beyond anything, where love defies everything. Yes, even God's will.
The premise of Jab Tak Hai Jaan is simple - almost too common. The framework is similar to Yash Chopra's Veer Zaara - start from present, flashback, 2 lovers, separation for a long time.... then the same questions. Why are they not together? Will they end up together?
It worked for me in Veer Zaara. And it did here as well. If I were to compare, I'd say that Veer Zaara's story had more ''meat'' - and the reason was more compelling and made a bigger impact there. Jab Tak Hai Jaan's twist will meet with a mixed reaction - you'll either approve of it or think it's highly stupid. It will all come down to how you warm up to Meera's character, and agree or disagree with her ideologies. This is another crucial point which determines whether Jab Tak Hai Jaan will work or not for you. And if it doesn't at the interval, then do walk out because you'd certainly not enjoy the second half or the climax.
Jab Tak Hai Jaan works primarily because Yash Chopra manages to make you believe in his vision. As a director, he has that ability to present his storyline in the most innocent, simplistic, convincing way.
The film comes with a fair share of blemishes. The pace & length being the major culprits. In that respect, the editing and screenplay should have been tighter. The writing by Aditya Chopra could have been more imaginative
The love and passion were present, and how. No one does it better than Yash Chopra. And no one portrays it better than Shah Rukh Khan. Lethal combo. I always use this vague term - but Jab Tak Hai Jaan has so much soul and has its heart in the right place. Picturisation and cinematography deserve full marks. Dialogues were simple for most part - and I liked that. There were a few really deep ones which I absolutely loved.
A.R.Rahman's music is apt for the film. It does lack the ''epic'' vibe throughout the film, but then comes the title track at the end, and you're sold.
Shah Rukh Khan, as Samar, was flawless. Every single time. You think he's done it all. You think there won't be any novelty in his approach. And yet he comes and blows you away. The intensity he brings in, and the powerful control of emotions he displays is just brilliant. His outburst scene at the church, is more than enough for me, to declare this as my favourite male performance of the year.
Katrina Kaif went all out for this role, and it's obvious. Her dancing and attitude in Ishq Dance was out of this world!! I take my hat off to you, Kat. And her pole dancing in the tube, major turn on. This was no doubt her best look yet. Acting wise, Katrina does well. It's a sincere performance with many ups and one down. She messes up her breakdown scene before interval -but that aside, she was natural to the core, and this is something she should be proud of.
Anushka Sharma as Akira brings the freshness required to get Samar out of his shell. The chick's energy is infectious - and it's hard not to fall for her character. Her crying scene is one of the most natural ones I've seen so far. Rishi Kapoor & Neetu Singh have a special appearance, but a crucial one. In fact, Pooja (Neetu)'s scene with Meera takes the story forward and those 8 minutes between the four stars were one of the plusses of the film. Rishi is his jolly, flirtatious self, while Neetu has more to play with, and leaves a good impact. Watching Anupam Kher was a delight.
In short, I liked it. While not perfect as a whole, there's nothing to hate as such from Jab Tak Hai Jaan. It's a saga. An almost dreamy one. If you're charmed enough by the premise and the characters, then you'll have a good time.
This will remain the most special film of 2012 - whether you love it, like it or hate it. Go, celebrate Yash Chopra.
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