Directed by Shaad Ali Produced by Aditya Chopra

Ask a moviegoer in India and he/she will probably tell you not to watch it. Or fast forward it to the funny moments. But to my friends here in the US, I will say this – if you’re not looking for story, but a film that screams Bollywood in its rich colors, hip- swayin’ party music, cool choreography and completely unreal story twists, then Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (JBJ) is for you. Think Bombay Dreams  meets Moulin Rouge. JBJ is exaggerated with a capital E! And they have no qualms about it. And that’s what I loved about the movie. Even the director seemed to be aware that he is dishing out a highly stylized, snazzy lookin’ slick film with not much grey matter. If you go with these expectations, then trust me you won’t feel let down.

Story/plot - Film opens with the usual scenario – boy meets girl. Boy flirts with girl. Girl, Alvira Khan is ultra chic– a Pakistani British citizen with a tattoo on her uhmm.. chest. Boy, Rikki Thukral from India. Lacks class, but keeps saying “I got class” in a very charmingly uncouth fashion. Both lie to each other about being engaged. Their respective fiancées are GORGEOUS and out of this world! Everything seems to be over-the-top unreal, starting with the names. Anaida is Rikki’s stunning Pakistani girlfriend and the manager of Ritz hotel in Paris. Think BIG, dudes! Steve, Alvira’s fiancée, is a lawyer from India who works in an office that resembles a set from a James Bond movie. He is taking on none other than Madam Tussad herself in a court case. The rest of the movie is about how they keep tricking each other about their fictitious partners, while being secretly infatuated with each other. The plot thickens, as do their accents. And finally the four con artists face off in a three part song and dance sequence in London’s discotheque, Jharokha.

Cast – Abhishek Bachchan (Rikki) shines in his role as a smartass dude completely lacking class – exact opposite of Preity Zinta (Alvira), who is stylish and adequately ‘plastic’ in her expressions and her dialogue delivery. Lara Dutta (Anaida) was refreshingly appealing and of course sexy in expensive designer wear and not to be missed shoes. Finally, Bobby Deol (Steve) is someone I cannot stand as an actor. But he was the surprise item of the movie, looking cool and confident in purple suites and mocha brown frizzy hair. I think he should not try doing serious roles any more. This could be his second coming. Music and choreography – Loosely translated, JBJ means groove to the music. And music directors Shankar Eshaan Loy give you every reason to do that. The terrific trio have made this movie worth watching, or listening. Every song has a modern feel but a folkish voice that made me run out and buy the CD the next day. The songs have character and ‘class.’ They’re perfect for a Bachelor or Bachelorette party. And Vaibhavi Mechant makes you want to pause and learn the steps as you watch, especially if you are the dancing type. I was impressed by Zinta’s dance skills, the gal has come a long way. Lara, you need some more coaching baby.

Aesthetics – the song and dance sequences are complemented by hip costumes and super stylized lighting that make them look like Broadway on screen. Brocade, silk, metallic, neons – JBJ is a visual feast and a sensory delight! 

Things I loved - Pakistani influences in the film, the India Pakistan love affair, Rikki’s funny dialogues, Lara Dutta’s Parisian accent, Rikki’s rainbow colored shirt in the song sequence in India, Rikki’s Pakistani friend and Big B. Things that didn’t work for me - it could have been tighter. There are awkward pauses between dialogues and the script is loose.

My two cent – if you’re looking to review a Bollywood movie for your Master’s thesis paper, then you’re going the wrong direction. But if you want to have a blast on a Friday night with a batch of friends and a bag of popcorns, then this is your movie. Watch it on a big screen tv with surround sound.

Note: Big B is Amitabh Bachchan, India’s veteran actor known as the ‘angry young man’ of the 70s. He is also Abhishek Bachchan’s father.

For a different take on JBJ, read this review on Bollywood Gate.