Glad I Jhoomed!. Review on Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

Was sitting with my team

at work on Friday evening and we were discussing everyone’s weekend plans, when

I announced I was going for Jhoom Barabar Jhoom that night.

“DON’T!” said one of my team members before I’d

finished saying the name of the film.

I just smiled and told him, “Dude! You forget. I

watch ALL Hindi films. I’m not missing out on a Yashraj film ‘cos you didn’t

like it.”

“OK! But don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.”

I’m glad I didn’t pay heed to his warning. I

found the film absolutely delightful in most parts and quite entertaining all

through.

Which got me thinking...what are people

expecting from a Hindi film these days anyway? Agreed, 2007 has given us some

pretty innovative cinema – Guru, Life in a Metro, Cheeni Kum, Bheja Fry (which

by the way is a straight lift off from an English film called ‘The Dinner

Game’), but that’s not the essence of what mainstream Hindi cinema has been all

about. Call me filmi, regressive even, but c’mon, why does the average Joe on

the street go for a film (not that poor Joe can afford to go watch a film these

days, thanks to the overload of multiplexes replacing the humble cinema halls

of yore, but that’s another discussion…)

Mr. Joe goes for 3 hours of entertainment. Three

hours where he doesn’t have to apply his mind too much, is more than happy to

suspend his disbelief, enjoys some song and dance, and in the case of someone

like me, gets tips on the latest trends in clothes and make up as well.

In that context, what the hell is wrong with

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom? Nothing! It’s a light film, has a basic storyline, has

some pretty good foot tapping music, has a transformed Lara Dutta who’s easy on the

eyes (and even the ears when she’s crooning and preening in French), has Bobby

Deol in a totally believable NRI role (accent and everything!), has Abhishek

Bachchan (albeit in a role that would’ve suited Akshay Kumar better), has Papa

Bachchan frolicking at the drop of a hat and not to mention…has London in all

its glory too!

I didn’t add Preity Zinta in that list up there.

She’s not much a plus point these days. She sports clothes that do not suit

her, doesn’t dance well (I can’t forget how strained she looked trying to dance

on ‘Rock n Roll Soniye’ in KANK) and CANNOT put on an English accent to save

her life. I think she was a total casting disaster in this one.

All in all, the film’s entertaining. And if

you’re someone who enjoys music and dance like I do, the last song is a treat,

choreographed to perfection by Vaibhavi Merchant.

Chill and enjoy it. It’s a Hindi film ya!