Jab Harry met Sejal

 

I am writing this after Shahrukh Khan came out of the box-office rut with a movie called “Pathaan”. I am writing this about a movie that contributed to the box-office rut; Jab Harry met Sejal.

 

What can you say about the movie that’s unsaid? It’s an Imtiaz Ali movie. It will showcase travel. It will have the protagonists mouthing philosophical dialogues about love, life and relationships. It will have the protagonists “finding themselves” during the journey.

 

Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma put in earnest efforts in the movie, but the movie lets them down. While I was watching the movie, the person next to me (who wasn’t even watching) asked if Anushka Sharma was playing a Gujarati in the movie. That in my eyes is Anushka Sharma nailing her bit.

 

The problem with the movie isn’t the premise but how the director deviates from the premise often. While it may be deliberate, it does seem that the director wants to leave his “signature”. At times, the movie does seem like an extended ad for Travel agencies rather trying to move the plot forward.

 

Based on screenplay alone, this movie seems to have been inspired by Rockstar. While this movie shows us the developing emotions of the protagonists while searching for the ring, Rockstar depends on the obsessive nature of the protagonist. In both the movies, the emotions are done to death. That might eventually be the reason why it feels like both the movies dragged on forever.

 

This must be one of those movies that would have a finger pointed at it for having no relatability factor. That is a huge factor in how Hindi movies are perceived right now. It’s altogether a different argument for what passes off as relatability in Hindi movies now. Let all hell break loose is something Shahrukh says a few times in the movie. It’s also a lyric in a song in the movie. The build-up towards that scene is good but the pay-off is spoilt.

 

Verdict: Red Chillies entertainment has a few scenes from the movie put up on their youtube channel. That might be a better watch than watching the entire movie