What Is the Story About?
Jaane Jaan is Netflix’s latest original film, titled unoriginally after a classic Hindi film song, yet another in a long line of similarly-titled Netflix original films. The story is set in misty Kalimpong, where a single mother Maya D’Souza (Kareena Kapoor Khan) commits an unwitting crime to protect her daughter Tara (Naisha Khanna) from her abusive, estranged husband Ajit Mhatre (Saurabh Sachdeva).
When hard-nosed cop Karan Anand (Vijay Anand) comes knocking at her door, her next-door neighbor, secret admirer and brilliant mathematician Naren (Jaideep Ahlawat) steps in to save the day.
Jaane Jaan is written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh, co-written by Raj Vasant, and is adapted from Keigo Higashino’s hit novel, The Devotion of Suspect X.
Performances?
Jaane Jaan is Jaideep Ahlawat’s show all the way. The actor slips into his character with such perfection that all one can do is watch with awe-struck appreciation for the man and his craft. Jaideep Ahlawat pulls off every nuance of his complex character with characteristic precision – the gaze, the gait, the guise, the gestures – all of it is simply perfect, with nary a false note marring his flawless performance.
Kareena Kapoor Khan renders a refined, restrained performance as the vulnerable single mother, Maya. It is a marked departure from the spunky, slinky roles she does usually. But the seasoned actress pulls it off well. Vijay Varma’s role doesn’t have too much skin in the game. To his credit, he lends credence to the otherwise underwhelming character.
Lin Laishram (Prema) and Karma Takapa (SI Sundar Singh) lend excellent support in their short roles. Saurabh Sachdeva delivers yet another memorable performance in his ultra-short cameo.
Analysis
Jaane Jaan is the kind of film that scores high on performances, atmospherics and technical prowess, but falls flat in the ultimate test of what makes a movie memorable and compelling. It seeks to blow the viewer away with its dazzling cast and their spell-binding performances, the mesmerising cinematography, and the sharp dialogues. And it succeeds in all the aforementioned counts.
However, Jaane Jaan is also the kind of film that leaves viewers dissatisfied and disappointed with the storytelling that is as lackluster and predictable as they come. At no point in the narrative does one feel any kind of urgency, thrill, or the edge-of-the-seat frisson of tension while watching the story unfold. Instead, it moves ahead in a curiously lethargic and listless manner, diluting even the tiny bit of suspense that develops in the initial moments of the story.
The writers take great pains to establish the brilliance of Jaideep Ahlawat’s Naren, aka Teacher, since he teaches math at the local school. His brilliance is almost shoved down our throats via every second sequence in the entire runtime of the movie. He talks in mathematical language, sets papers that are hard to crack even by the other teachers, takes years to solve complex mathematical problems, the works.
However, the suspense, the mystery and his solution for it seems by no means brilliant. In fact, it is foolhardy and silly, especially when you perceive the story as a whole. It must be said that Drishyam was a much better, more gripping and more suspenseful adaptation of The Devotion Of Suspect X; and with a climax that was far more satisfying and memorable.
That being said, the best thing about Jaane Jaan is the character of Naren, and Jaideep Ahlawat’s portrayal of it. Naren is a not-so-goodlooking man who is painfully aware of his ugliness and his lack of appeal for the fairer sex. He is desolate and despondent, with maths being the only love of his life. Each scene focused on Naren speaks a story of its own – when he Googles ways to cover up his baldness; when he relives conversations with Maya; when he compares himself with Karan and points out his own flaws, and so many more.
All of it when put together paints a moving picture of Naren, and does a far more effective job of conveying the essence of the character than too much storytelling can ever do. And the way Jaideep Ahlawat transforms into Naren is stunning to behold. He looms over the narrative like a colossus, delivering an exquisite performance that deserves to be savoured at leisure.
To sum it up, Jaane Jaan is all style, little substance, and a towering Jaideep Ahlawat.
Music and Other Departments?
The background score by Shor Police (Clinton Cerejo and Bianca Gomes) is eclectic. It gives the right touch of disconcerting to the narrative. Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay’s camera work is exquisite. It enhances the grittiness of the narrative, while amplifying the misty atmospherics of Kalimpong. Simple shots undergo stunning transformation under his deft touch. His tactic of shooting his actors in stark close up pays off in enthralling ways. Editor Urvashi Saxena keeps the storytelling crisp and taut with flawless editing.
Highlights?
Jaideep Ahlwat’s performance
Excellent technical aspects
Drawbacks?
The underwhelming ending
Listless storytelling
Did I Enjoy It?
Not as much as I hoped to
Will You Recommend It?
As a one-time watch, and only for Jaideep Ahlawat’s performance
Jaane Jaan Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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