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Review - Jab We Met: ordinary story played out well
Jab We Met
![[Poster for Jab We Met]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2667/4192176812_29b57b33fb_m.jpg)
It's warm, it's cuddly, it's adorable, and it's telling the truth in the disclaimer at the beginning - it's fictional. Obviously, characters like Aditya Kashyap and Geet can exist only in imagination. But we are used to letting go of our need for "resemblance to reality". And once you do that you begin to identify with the emotions playing on the screen at that moment, even though the character as a whole is pretty unreal.
Life is unambiguous when it is black and white. Everything is crystal clear. My problem with stories usually begins when people transition from black to white (or vice versa) without going through the gray. Here, it irritates, it nags, but soon enough the dialogues and the sheer charm of the actors playing the characters take you away from thinking too much about it.
The dialogues have a very fresh feel to them. They are outright funny at times and quite perceptive at others. And they are hardly ever mundane (except the one given to Dara Singh!). What I found most interesting is that, whether comic or thoughtful, they were very believable.
It must be some sort of an art form to actually make use of Kareena Kapoor's over-capacity to bubble and sparkle - it's very well woven into the story. I have always liked the way her eyes express her character's sorrow. But, in the movies I have watched so far, it is usually a glimpse, just a flicker. Here however, she retains the tone impressively for a longer time. It is also great to see Shaheed Kapoor get the chance to show his maturity as an actor. As clichéd as the events might turn out to be, you don't want his character to be hurt.
How can escapist cinema survive without its song and dance? We have plenty of foot-tapping numbers with fresh lyrics. The visualization of the songs was also done well. Especially, "tumse hi" - makes you really believe that the characters are in love.
The length of the movie works against it. The average runtime of a movie in recent times is about two hours. There should be a very good reason for me to stay the extra 20-25 minutes, without fidgeting. And in this case, there was no spectacular cause to hold me. Tarun Arora's (Anshuman's) sequences were handled rather shabbily - almost as if they were intentionally ignored so that the audience does not empathize with him. They should have been cut down to bare minimum. And Dara Singh was absolutely, totally, completely avoidable - from all aspects - relevance to story, line(s) given to him, and the way he delivers them.
While watching the movie, there were various points at which, I wanted the script to take an unexpected turn. A turn that would make it a little more substantial than just "time-pass". But, that was not to be. It's silly, it's mushy-mushy, it's not to be taken seriously at all - it's a perfect date movie. No more, no less.
- meetu, a part of the audience
Jab We Met - Movie Details
- Official Sites: Website
- Producer: Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd
- Director: Imtiaz Ali
- Lead Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor
![[Has twitter account]](/site_media/images/icons/twitter_small.png)
- Story: Imtiaz Ali
- Cinematography: S Natarajan Subramaniam
- Editor: Aarti Bajaj
- Choreography: Saroj Khan, Ahmed Khan, Ashley Lobo
- Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
- Lyrics: Irshad Kamil, Sandesh Shandilya
- Running time: 145 minutes
- Reviewer: meetu
- Categories: Hindi Movies
- Genres: Comedy, Musical, Relationships, Romance
Jab We Met - Trailer
Jab We Met - All reviews summary
External Reviews
30 reviewers have given Jab We Met an average rating of 4.2/5.0. 23 yays, 3 nays, 4 so-so. See all external reviews »
Comments (43)
its really sad that after doing such a romantic movie the two Shahid and Kareena are no more a couple. May be all reallove storys doesnt have a ending like the reel one. soory guys
I saw this movie simply because Shahid And Kareena wont be working in future. if they did also they wont have that chemistry like the one i saw in Jab We Met.
this movie is simply superp. Shahid seems to have acted his real life.
amazin movie..simply gr8..shahid u rock man!so much maturity i him nw nt at all kidish sexy physique..i ws jumpin d whole movie in d theatre..keep up d spirit dat gs evn 2 the director n d whole teamspirit
i like movie jab we met. it`svery nice movie....................
hi
to me it was fantastic....the way kareena have made the scenes out of this world with their acting...i hope its rocks
The movie is just amazing.i had a great time. I have seen the movie 3 times in the theater Shahid n kareena r just super i just love their chemistry i am waiting 4 the cd 2 release ss
It sure is an amazing movie. Wonderful work done by both the stars..d chemistry b/w dem is
amazing and dey r d smartest couple in bollywood today(if d stories of dere break p r false ofcourse)..
d movie v captivating and cums wid amaizng dialogues which v speak so often inour daily life and v cn relate to dem. the stars r amazingly simply n smartly dressed. It sure is a superhit of 2007. Such movies r always welcome. Its such a sweet n light lovin luv story. A must see i will say .
[...] her Jab We Met review: Rating: Wait for video [...]
What a cute love story.. Uncurling bud Kareena is just perfect in her role n Shahid also justifies his character.. Fresh songs.. Nice dances .. Vibrant colours..
the movie was superb . . . cute romantic film . .
m a great fan of kareena . .her performance was amazing and i think she'll get
nominated for her role in this movie . ..
I yawned, something that I have never done before, during this film. And I seriously thought the film is over just before the interval.
its a wonderful movie.. Shahid is really adorable in the movie..... music is awesome... A must watch... it takes u into a diffrent world
shahid u rock man in the song mauja mauja with kareena
youll make a good couple!!!
RATINGS-THUMBS UP
THE MOVIE WAS REALLY ENJOYBLE! SHAHID AND KAREENA WERE SUPERB.I ENJOYED ALL THE SONGS [SPECIALLY THE TWO FAST SONGS].
hi i feel that their break up news was just fake one. It was a publicity stunt made by them.
just imagine a week before the release of the film they broke up with the news of that break up.
I don't think that kareena will pay a Prize like Shahid Kapoor just for that Nawab.
Soon we will know what actually was cooking.
It's a must see movie, very entertaining.Kareena has done an awesome job with her role. She justified her role superbly, we just loved it. She certainly deserves an award for this movie. Shahid's performance was as great as his partner. They both made this movie a worthwhile.
its a superb movie.
This movie is very good i do not having word for this loveable movie. This movie is a DIAMOND.
JAB WE MET IS VERY HEARTLY MOVIE.ITS TOO ROMANTIC AND FUNNY.I GOT THAT RITHEM OF LOVE.
the movie was supereb........
i like shahid in this movie
JAB WE MET IS VERY HEARTLY MOVIE.ITS TOO ROMANTIC AND FUNNY.I GOT THAT RITHEM OF LOVE.
Interesting chemistry between Shahid and Kareena.Shahid is really a nice actor ,but should go for nice scripts.HAs potential like his father Mr.Pankaj Kapoor.
This movie has really maintained to gain continous attention from the viewers.Its really not the easy task.
Congratualations to each and everybody whose efforts have been put,to make this movies an outstanding blockbuster hit.
The movie was totally imaginary and well directed. Kareena and Shahid had justified their roles really well. And I loved Kareena in this movie. It is too bad to see the young couple separated for a Nawab.
ther is no word for itthe movie was supereb
I absolutely loved it, simple romance...that's what I love. Oh yes, and I am officially in love with Shahid Kapoor.
itz a quiet impressive movie,,d way kareena z n dis movie z really awesum
Jab We Met is one of the best Flick that I have ever saw, in this movie Kareena was awesum and shahid was also good,in this movie Kareena perfomed a punjabi girl N after saw that I also want to live like that but when i heard that Kareena left Shahid alone I am very upset with that, Kareena u did wrong with Shahid,Shahid is so innnocent.
i saw the movie and i was moved.im from chennai and i know only a little hindi.though,i was moved by seeing the expressions of both kareena and sahid.their chemistry was perfect...
cool.de movie is perfect.i love sahid.kareena nd sahid really made a great pair.i want kareena 2 join wid sahid again.de punjabi kareena was tingling.a great movie indeed. -deepika sree(love de movie)
the movie was fantastic
just amazing
excellent movie... dont give false reviews this should atleast be a 4star film in all categories.
fuck the writer.
OVERRATED MOVIE
The movie is really superb and at the same time the characters played by Kareena and Shahid are so innocent - a very entertaining movie indeed with a number of beautiful songs, which plays a vital role towards the success of this movie.
There's no doubt that its been truly well casted..the film brings out the real complications of love/betrayal and society..!
Your Review on Jab We Met and Rab Ne tells me that Pappu can't Review. I'll better listen to my 6 years old sister which I believe can review better than you.
My most favourite movie of all time. Jab We Met is the best movie! Shahid - Kareena like never before. Imtiaz Ali rocks! Love the music..Tum Se Hi is the best track ever. No wonder, today it has gained the status of a 'cult classic' which even the biggest of hits fail to manage to.
Long live Jab We Met!
The All-American Bollywood Movie Night gang loved this one (well, the really obvious green-screen and miniature work aside - it's 2007, you can hire a teenager with a Macbook Pro to do better special effects for you!). I wasn't all that taken with Shahid Kapoor's arrogant British cricketeer in DIL BOL HADIPPA, but his portrayal of Aditya, the broken scion of industialist parents who just walks away from his responsibilities one day, onto a train...and right into the path of (then RL girlfriend) Kareena Kapoor's incessantly chatty and perky Punjabi buzzsaw named "Geet". (Not having lived in Central Asia, I'm not sure about this - but are the Punjabi people considered kind of like Southerners are in the US? They're considered a bit crude, old-fashioned and prone to violence - but essentially good-hearted and hospitable to a fault?) For all her education, Geet is clearly an innocent to many of the seedier aspects of Indian life,and just naturally expects the initially reluctant Aditya to help her out - and as he does, he finds he enjoys being with her, and she helps him feel alive and happy again.
Yeah, it's all pretty inevitable, but there are a few mildly surprising twists on the movie's way to its Happily Ever After, and both Kapoors have strong, well-written and believable character arcs once you accept the initial absurdities that get them together. I especially like watching Shahid Kapoor's journey from miserable, possibly suicidal young man to wryly amused caretaker for a manic young woman to warmly confident adult [comment edited because it gives the movie away - ok not the ending but moments that have pleasant surprise value :) Sorry, TimELiebe :)] (No, I didn't give the ending away by any means.)
meetu - I know you think the movie is about a half-hour too long, but I think the addition of Anshuman as an actual character was necessary, though I'll admit he could have been written with a lot more depth than he was. I'm thinking like Akshay Kumar's Ajay in DIL TO PAGAL HAI, Salman Khan's Aman in KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI...or even Denise Richards as some writer's fantasy of her in KAMBBAKKHT ISHQ! (Yes, I'm favorably comparing Denise Richards's performance to Tarun Arora's - that's just sad.)
But all told, JAB WE MET is a great fun romantic comedy, and the two major songs picturized on Shahid Kapoor here ("Nagada Nagada" and "Mauja Hi Mauja") are even on my iPod's gym mix, because they're great fun to listen to while I'm working out!
@TimELiebe Yep! that's the Punjabi stereotype.
That aside, my main issue was with Anshuman not being any competition to Aditya. That's just lazy writing.
The very first shot where Shahid walks away from everyone and everything, directionless, got me hooked. The subsequent shot transported me to a completely different world - it introduces Geet (Kareena), an idyllic. Her life is perfect. Her world is perfect. She is in love with everything around her. The people, the city (even though everyone around complains how crowded it is) the hills, the mountains (even though she doesn't quiet get the difference between the two) and herself (like she says - main apni favorite hun). The fun begins where the poles-apart characters meet for the first time. It's a joy ride, thereafter.
http://eatpraylovemovies.blogspot.com/2010/06/jab-we-met-we-had-to-fall-in-love.html
Meetu - apologies for not even responding for so long! I didn't know there was a response waiting for me - I'll check my e-mail's spam filter to see if it's getting rid of them by mistake.
It's funny - my doctor's Punjabi, and *she* certainly doesn't conform to the movie version! Mostly she nags me to lose weight, exercise more, watch my cholesterol and sodium intake - so I guess she conforms to the Doctor stereotype.... ;)
Yes, Asnhuman was about as bad as Sue's editor/fiance Richard was in CROCODILE DUNDEE. He's so blatantly Not Who She Should Be In Love With that it stacks the deck heavily in Mick's favor. It might have been better if Asnhuman had been a basically good guy who was taken aback by Geet, much as Aditya was originally - then there would be some suspense to who ultimately wins her heart.
@TimELiebe Exxxactly!
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