Jaan-E-Mann
No major Spoilers ....
The greatest strength of Jaan-E-Mann is that its not trying to be something its not. It is what it is. Take it or leave it. In this Bollywood style Moulan-Rouge meets Bombay Dreams meets Hitch meets Mr. Wonderful meets Friends; the audience isn’t expected to take things much seriously (until a twist comes around and all that changes). Its a film for the classes, especially for those who appreciate broadway musicals and their format and are thirsty for a unique form of story telling. So
Did I like the film?
I liked Jaanemann, I loved Jaanemann, Jaanemann is in my blood!
Lets begin with Shirish Kunder. I have to admit, I had my doubts on a new director because you have no idea what to expect when you go into the cinema. Besides, I wasn’t too keen on him after reading his interviews. But with all that set aside, from the very first reel, he stands out from the rest because of the way he sees his scenes. They are refreshingly different and unique. The man is an all-rounder. Hello? Director, Writer, Editor, Dialogues, Background Score, Promo direction... what can’t this guy do? And I’m sure I’m still missing something! Technologically, its a film far superior than any other in Bollywood. The scene changes are spectacular... the colors are saturated in certain sequences to gain more visual appeal and the visuals used to express emotions are outstanding. Moreover, he’s taken all cinematic liberties and they’re all used so effectively!
If you saw KHNH and KANK and thought that was all there is to New York. Wrong! Sudeep Chatterjee shows New York in a different light alltogether. More scenes are done in the evening/night here rather than the broad daylight. Sabu Cyrill goes a step further and creates sets that further enhance the entire "Jaan-E-Mann" experience. Great job to both!
Farah Khan’s choreography shows us exactly where her heart is.... with Shirish Kunder. Her choreography flows SO well with the storyline and the screenplay. Its as if the body is meeting the soul because the songs are just an extension of the scene that preceeds. No popcorn break here folks. Dialogues are placed within the songs and this is where teamwork really shines. Anu Malik, Gulzar, Farah, Shirish and the starcast have really worked together to make the music of this film shine. While Gulzar has penned perfect lyrics (yes! ’mom’; ’dad’; ’future’ ’ignore’ all make sense now!), Anu Malik has given the music a majestic feel and Shirish and Farah have worked well together to place the songs in the right moments and give the most suited choreography possible. The actors just flow with the direction and make the dream of Shirish and Farah come alive on the big screen. Dont believe me? See for yourself and be the judge.
While talking about the songs, I must say that each and every one was presented in a completely different manner and held its own. Each has its own reason for being there in the film, and to be honest; without the music, the film would be incomplete. It just wouldn’t work.
THE PERFROMANCES!
We start with Chachu ... Anupam Kher. Its true that his character didn’t need to be a dwarf, but it added some zing to the film by making him a dwarf. Moreover, it allowed the director to explore different camera angles. When you’re in Chachu’s office, you feel like a dwarf yourself. The characte was important to Shirish and it shows. I loved Chachu’s car haha. Anupam Kher did a great job and I can imagine how much it must’ve hurt for Kher to stay on his knees for various shootings... not to mention "Jaane Ke Jaane Na". The song wouldn’t have been half has good if Anupam wasn’t a dwarf.
Now, presenting the heroine... Piya Goel. Beautiful, Smart, Ambitious is she ... yet suffers from a lingering heartache. Though, there isn’t much scope for her as an actress, Preity Zinta has still given it her all. She’s cute as the popular college girl who cuts school to hang out with her bf, who is most probably a dropout. In NY, she’s sophisticated, cultured and a sweet _______. Fill in the blank when you watch the film! ... and she really shines in the climax!
Next, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for ..... Agastya Rao aka Champu. A dreamer in his own right. THEN, a geek with no clue on how to woo a girl. NOW, sophisticated, intelligent, a great catch .. but still no clue on how to woo a girl. Akshay Kumar attemps a role he’s never done before and churns out such an endearing character, that you just can’t let go of him. His full confidence and dependance in Suhaan shows through (especially towards the end where he becomes almost desparate) and the scene in front of the mirror is outstanding. Even when you leave the theater .. his "Huhh Huhh Huhh" laugh lingers in your head.
Finally, an encore for the "super star" of the film ..... Suhaan Kapoor. Selfish, over-confident, arrogant and pompous are just a few words that describe Suhaan. THEN a drop out student who only dreams big... NOW, he still dreams big... the only problem is, not much has changed from then and now. In fact, he’s worse off now than before. The man can cry when affected because his heart deeply cares for those he loves. He blames the world at first and later only himself. This role is CUSTOM MADE for Salman Khan. Salman plays Suhaan to perfection. He takes digs at his own real life that no actor in his postion would ever take. It really shows how comfortable he is in his own skin. The various characters that he takes on throughout the film are hillarious and really add to the flamboyance of entire canvas. In the second half of the film, you see a more sensitive Salman. The subtleness he keeps throughout really shows that he’s in control of his character. His emotional scenes are outstanding. When he cries, you cry along with him because you understand the reasons for his mistakes. Salman, keep at it. You really are a "SUPER" star.
Now that i’ve mentioned individuals. I must mention the chemistry between the characters. Its refreshing to see Preity and Akshay come together after such a long period of time. I hope they plan on doing some more films together. Salman and Preity both share such a comfortable chemistry with each other and it shows through on screen. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the two together. Salman and Anupam were as usual.. great! ... but the takers for this film were Salman and Akshay. They share such an AMAZING chemistry that not many actors tend to share. This film is miles ahead of Mujhse Shaadi Karogi in many ways. If you thought they gelled well in MSK, you’ll be happy to know that the chemistry they share here is much much more. I hope they continue making films. Love the two together.
This is a movie that one should enjoy for its craziness, flamboyance and visual style. Thie is one to be truly enjoyed on the big screen itself for all its grandness. It is an out and out broadway show with plenty of glitz, glamour, musical number and talented performers. Ladies and Gentlemen .. after seeing this film .. I say .. ENCORE!! Yes, I’ll be seeing this one again in the theater the next weekend.