Jazbaa

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

Warped and not in a good way. After a decent start, completely warps logic and the associated human element.

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Director: Sanjay Gupta
Running time: 120 minutes
Genres: Family, Thriller
More Movie Info

Jazbaa - Preview

You see the Jazbaa trailer and of course, the overwhelming thought that stays back is Aishwarya Rai's return to films. Next come her wide eyes. Then you wonder if she will be over-the-top with her shrill outbursts or whether it will fit in with the context of the film.

And that directs you to the content of the film, which is interesting by itself too! The dilemma between professional principles and motherhood is a real tough one. In fact, most working mothers face this dilemma some time in their careers. Put into the equation prioritizing between values that define you and your child – the choice seems easy, but might just not be easy when you are in the situation.

I am sold by the premise, let's hope the film lives up to the curiosity its trailer creates. Oh and of course, Shabana Azmi's sinister act and Irrfan Khan.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Jazbaa is superficial. The mother aches for her daughter, but it is the glycerin in those pretty wide eyes that tells you so. All characters are grey which is pretty rare in Hindi films but they don't come together to make the film interesting. The motivations are unclear which builds an air of mystery but the conclusion so convoluted that the only reaction can be a resounding facepalm.

The dilemma setup and the whodunit aspects of the story create intrigue. You wonder how even a successful advocate like Anuradha Verma (Aishwarya Rai) will get out of the soup that she has been pulled into. But two things come in the way of this decent start, a muddled middle and an flummoxing end.

Who goes after whom for what makes little sense, even after you know how it all ends. In fact, more so after you know who's done it after all. Its a shame because the plot is not entirely nonsensical until about three-fourths of the length of the film. Meanwhile, you also have the swag-infused philosophies that Yohaan (Irrfan Khan) spouts.

Here the superficiality begins to show through the cracks. The cracks that Irrfan's straight-faced dialogue delivery tries hard to keep under cover. An act we are soon getting used to. Yet, give me a always poker-faced, subtle Irrfan any time and over and over again, over a stereotypical over-the-top “top” star. The lines given to him are actually not bad, but they are overdone. A line that has been worked upon too hard loses charm.

Exactly like our lead lady's performance Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film opens with showing her fit, in fine form, pretty as ever with a lovely, slightly chubby face that which comes with aging gracefully and being a mommy. The hard work on both her fitness and performance show. Unfortunately, they are both distracting. She is so fit, her back so straight that even the drooping shoulders of a mother whose daughter has been kidnapped looks like a forced slouch – for effect. Her over-powering screen presencedoesn't cover up for the hard-to-lose model-like gait. As far as those bewildered, supposedly pain-stricken eyes go - no amount of shrieking over one's lungs can cover the fact that they have been artificially dampened.

Even so I am excited about her return. Her performances have rarely inspired a word other than “plastic” from me. Irrespective of the success of this film, I am glad she is back. It is symbolic because she hasn't come back to where she left off. Looks like she has left the Dhoom 2s and the Robots behind her. She has come back to roles that mean something even if they don't make for great films. She has come back to some causes, like girl-child fetocide and drug abuse, even if they aren't well-placed in the context of the story. It is a good restart.

And I would say that even if it were a film-made far worse. So starved are we for roles that mean something, more so for the lead lady.

- meeta, a part of the audience

30 reviewers(?) - 8 yays 12 so-so 10 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Tushar P. Joshi, Bollywood Life : ...An edge of the seat thriller that delivers because of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Irrfan Khan’s able performances, Jazbaa won’t disappoint. Book your ticket today. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Sarita A Tanwar, DNA : ...What to do: If you enjoy whodunits, watch it. You won't see the suspense coming. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...The suspense is taut as Gupta keeps oscillating from the courtroom to the crime scene to establish the motives and alibis of the different characters. What is jarring though is Jackie Shroff's character as a powerful politician. That aspect is a weak link in this whodunit. Overall, JAZBAA is a well-made film true to its genre. It has a message and it has a motive!... full review

Thumbs up, by Rohit Vats, Hindustan Times : ...Jazbaa is a film which thrives on style and Gupta knows how to present a thriller. Aishwarya Rai and Irrfan will take you to a new territory and then keep you there for most of its 130-minute duration. Jazbaa is a good watch this weekend. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Minu Mishra, MoviezADDA : ...Sameer Arya's cinematography shows Mumbai in a gritty avatar. I think the only weak spot is the film's music. Unlike other Sanjay Gupta movies, this one lacks a chartbuster. But all said and done, Sanjay Gupta's Jazbaa will leave a mark on you. It is 'just' the thriller the fans were waiting for because murder mysteries and investigative procedurals are enthralling in the darkened theatre. You won't find a well-crafted thriller that's more fun to feminists out there than Jazbaa. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Despite the story being highly far-fetched, the film is still arresting for its pacy storytelling, actors who perform with conviction, and a few interesting surprises in the finale. Whether it's the performances, the characters, the motive, or the storytelling-there are traces of jazbaa everywhere. Worth a watch! ... full review

Thumbs up, by Jyothi Venkatesh, Star Blockbuster : ...Last Word: The film is riveting and for a change Sanjay Gupta succeeds in making a film which eschews unnecessary melodrama. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Meena Iyer, Times of India : ...Gupta, known to be sounder with technique than story-telling (many of his films have been foreign inspirations), has got it right this time. ... full review

So-So, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, JAZBAA is a captivating thriller with good performances that make it a decent one-time watch. ... full review

So-So, by Smita Vyas Kumar, Desi Martini : ...Verdict - Jazbaa is a fairly entertaining thriller. Ash makes a decent comeback with this one. ... full review

So-So, by Kritika Goel , Desi Martini : ...Verdict - Behind the pile of evidence files, lies an emotionally drained and wrecked mother. But the pain still doesn’t reach the audience. ... full review

So-So, by Aneela Zeb Babar, Desi Martini : ...Verdict - No Jazbaa, only Jazbaat! ... full review

So-So, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...Good actors in a not so good film, is a scenario all too common in Hindi cinema. Jazbaa is another addition. Sanjay Gupta has brought in all his trademark moves, the green tinge, the slow motion shots and the jumpy editing. But while the visuals look slick, the story is really all too old and the presentation feels jaded. Watch this if you must for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who’s still in top form. Pity her comeback film doesn’t measure up to her efforts. ... full review

So-So, by Zehra Abbas , fullhyd.com : ...he second half is stronger and more interesting. The music is average, and used in the strangest way in the film - the soulful "Jaane Tere Shehar Ka" is immediately followed by the item number "Aaaj Raat Ka Scene". Jarring, yes, but that seems to be the general trend in this movie.... full review

So-So, by RAJEEV MASAND, IBN Live : ...My heart wept for poor Shabana Azmi who tries - and occasionally succeeds - in infusing some genuine emotion into the proceedings. Others like Chandan Roy Sanyal (playing the accused), Atul Kulkarni (as a public prosecutor), and Jackie Shroff (as an influential politician) are largely wasted in a script that's focused single-mindedly on reminding us that Aishwarya Rai looks great when she's running in heels - in slo-mo. Hurrah! ... full review

So-So, by Surabhi Redkar, koimoi : ...More than Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, this film is laced with unmissable performances of Irrfan Khan and Shabana Azmi. I am going with a 2.5/5 for the film. ... full review

So-So, by Shubha Shetty-Saha, MiD DAY : ...If only Sanjay Gupta had gone a little easy on the unnecessary and intrusive melodrama. Even then, it's a good one time watch for sure.... full review

So-So, by Jaidev Hemmady, Movie Talkies : ...The background score complements the story and though there are quite some flaws in the screenplay, it's not a major disappointment as such. The suspense element in the story is quite thrilling and will keep you on the edge of your seat as you keep guessing who the kidnapper is. ... full review

So-So, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...But it has just enough for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan fans to justify a trip to the multiplexes. Jazbaa, however, is just as much, if not more, Irrfan Khan’s film. ... full review

So-So, by Rummana, yahoo! India : ...Post interval ‘Jazbaa’ becomes immensely watchable as the investigation proceeds and you try to wrap your mind around the various findings of the seemingly open-and-shut case. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Anna MM Vetticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...All the megawatt casting, stylish camerawork and blue-gray tints in the world cannot alter the fact that when it comes down to brass tacks and a scrutiny of the climax, Jazbaa is a hollow film. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Githa Vanan, Bolly Spice : ...Remakes are not something new in our industry and this too is a remake of a Korean film. Yet Sanjay Gupta’s everlasting love to extenuate and exacerbate the melodrama is once again at the forefront of this movie. The end result is watching for the sake of watching but not actually connecting with anyone. Jazbaa proves to be emotionless. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Kusumita Das, Deccan Chronicle : ...A film like Jazbaa needs a constant tension in the story and in its characters given the straitjacketed situation they are in. The pace needed to transcend inane car chase sequences and seep into the restlessness of the characters. Gupta had a good story to work with and he lifts up the second half by several notches. But sadly, he gets too caught up in pandering to his Korean cinema fetishes to polish the story. He lands on a punch line every now and then, uses one slide of text in the end to make the film seem like one that is fighting the cause of rape, thereby completely stripping it of any character. He told us how to hold a coffee mug. If only he could hold on to a script as tight. But we guess handle se pakadne se faasla reh hi gaya. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Ameet Bhuvan, Desi Martini : ...Verdict - Melodramatic comeback leaves lot to be desired ... full review

Thumbs down, by Deepanjana Pal, FirstPost : ...The only thing that tops the number of questions Gupta fails to answer is the amount of glycerine Bachchan and Azmi use in Jazbaa. Or maybe they spent all of their non-shooting hours weeping over the decision to do this film and therefore appear red-eyed in every other scene. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Gayatri Gauri, FirstPost : ...Several new characters emerge, one of whom is a politician, played by Jackie Shroff. Mercifully, he plays it subtle. By the time, certain twists unfold; you don’t really care if mom and daughter will unite. All you care about is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who shows so much sincerity that you wish she had worked with another Sanjay who brought out the best in her in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.... full review

Thumbs down, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...Aishwarya Rai Bachchan spends ample time screaming, shedding tears and looking perturbed but her pathos rarely resonates thanks to a script which is more occupied to give its leading star a comeback than present a poignant, compelling drama. Irrfan is left to deliver Gupta's wisecracks which become tiring as the film progresses. When Khan accuses a character of watching far too many Bollywood films, the irony is not lost. Jazbaa is a ham-fisted drama which is loud and never hits the right notes. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Raja Sen, Rediff : ...Earlier, Khan offers a fellow policeman a bribe of the very purest Shilajit, but that might have come in handier for Gupta’s flaccid film. You can give us red eyes in a green film, Mr Gupta, but that doesn’t make it Christmas.... full review

Thumbs down, by ANUJ KUMAR, The Hindu : ...Things do improve in the second half and the big reveal is nicely wrapped deep into the narrative but by then one has little Jazbaa left to back this lacklustre exercise. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Karan Bali, Upper Stall : ...All in all, Jazbaa is not quite the right comeback vehicle for Asihwarya Rai Bachchan. For one, she needed a better director to guide her as her limitations as an actress too show up rather more than she would have hoped. ... full review

104 tweeters(?) - 74 yays 9 so-so 21 nays

yogigade: #Jazbaa aishwarya has chosen the perfect script for a comeback.@_SanjayGupta jazbaa only coz of you.you stayed positive & it paid off ..

yasminshah82: Strong come back by Aishwariya Rai, Irfan Khan does it again and Shabana Azmi has nailed it. Jazbaa highly recommended.

YahooIndia: Why Jazbaa is a must-watch movie. https://in.movies.yahoo.com/post/130745603459/5-reasons-to-watch-aishwarya-rai-bachchan-and?linkId=17845590

XREALLIFE1: Jazbaa r very great movie. So nice. Best of luck jazbaa movie http://twitter.com/XREALLIFE1/status/652879746347372544/photo/1

Wazza_k007: Jazbaa was a great movie *ing aish rai n irrfan khan @juniorbachchan great thriller, acting and casting was great too

vineet_koul: Sir awesome movie jazbaa https://t.co/3jcuPIVD00

vidhi_vids: Jazbaa Is Full Entertainment.It binds you with it into the story & characters,keeps you at the edge.Story is good & with lotsa emotions.

VatsaSanjeev: Good Movie: Jazbaa. Iran Khan rocks. Aishwarya also done very beautiful acting. "Mohabbat hai esliye Jane diya zid hoti to baho mein hoti."

thisIsShiva_17: Full marks to @TheRealPriya for her excellent performance that she presents on #Jazbaa and entertained everyone,what a great Bollywood debut

tamiwadhwa: JAZBAA mindblowng awsssmmmmmm film icredible..superb acting nd minblowing u AISHSARYA RAI BACHCHAN double RESPECT @juniorbachchan @irrfan_k

syedniyamath2: And guys not to forget to tell the response of #Jazbaa by others all were so much engaged with film also were laughing on dialogues of irfan

surenmehta: Sunday outing with son after long time, movie Jazbaa, edge of seat movie, enjoyed , lunch at @creamcentre and then shopping

SunilSinghBJP: #Jazbaa Worth Watch .... Good Movie .. Good Suspence

stuti_jhalani: It is always pleasure to watch @irrfan_k #jazbaa

SRKkiSoni: Aish u r so beautiful & as always best as mom n lawyer in #Jazba movie . my rating 3.5/5 . watch it guys .

somkritya: Another power packed movie #Jazbaa Deliciously crisp storyline. Irfan rocks but this one is an @AzmiShabana & Aishwarya Rai bachchan movie.

SMSHADABKALAM: Superb one #Jazbaa @aish marvelous come back.

sliceofreallife: Jazbaa is a Must Watch for Gripping Story & Strong Performance Despite Some Faults in the... https://t.co/OM0foO3VDZ

sivatejat20: #Jazbaa Grand re entry of #AishwaryaRaiBachchan Awesome acting as usual. http://twitter.com/sivatejat20/status/653090528569876480/photo/1

shubham7368: Awesome movie #jazbaa..must watch guys..!!!

shubhakb: As usual @actorirfankhan is brilliant! Last week #Talvar this week #Jazbaa .. Ek se badkar ek!!

shavaiz1988: Jazbaa standing ovation here in karachi ash life best performance, irfan 1 liners people were mad, uff @Vishal_FilmBuff. @_SanjayGupta

shabnamafi: Wowwww.....JAZBA...perfect acting by every1...Aishwarya ji, Irfan sir and our dear beloved Shabana azmi ji....

sarafareed5: Jazbaa is a super duper hit,GO And watch it, Jazbaa a Must Watch Movie

SanDhirParShFC: #Jazbaa #Epic #MovieOfTheYear , via http://www.pizap.com http://twitter.com/SanDhirParShFC/status/652858499899101184/photo/1

Sajjali3: Just seen jazbaa movie was good

Sai_Enreddy: Saw #Jazbaa yesterday...liked @irrfan_k dialogues...gud comeback by #AishwaryaRaiBachchan...

rohandhakras: #Jazbaa #Jazbaa #Jazbaa just loved the movie ,aish & irfan .

Robinsi93347861: #Jazbaa paisa vasool movie Superb acting by @irrfan_k sir, @AzmiShabana mam and aishwarya rai bachchan mam Superb story @_SanjayGuptasir

rblvineet: #Jazbaa wow what a amazing movie by director @_SanjayGupta sir head's off to you . fabulous Story it's a super hit movie. best of luck sir

RaHul_71144: Jazbaa a must watch :-) http://twitter.com/RaHul_71144/status/653077103961841664/photo/1

PriteshShetty87: #Jazbaa movie is a good watch. Good acting by #AishwaryaRai @irrfan_k & @AzmiShabana Amazing #screenplay & #JazbaaOneLiners

prernakshk903: Jazba.. A nice movie

PoojaKumarNY: Watch the movie #jazbaa. It's a good attempt on having #women in pivotal roles! We are on the right track.

Parslee_143: Watch Jazbaa today.

nripendutta10: Tomorrow is Sunday,,this is Aishwarya rai Bachchan day jazbaa,,don't miss

mybravetweet: #Jazbaa is a must watch just to see the brilliant acting and wonderful dialogues of @irrfan_k

mibrahim7850: #Jazbaa Aishwarya rai and Irrfan khan rocked it

MeeraKhan2o: Watched #Jazbaa , liked it even though not a fan of this genre. Best part is Ash looked as stunning as she was 5 years ago and the way she

Meenu_Ahluwalia: #Jazbaa --bit of a nail-biter. @AzmiShabana & @irrfan_k so excellent. Good return to film for Aish. So glad I don't work in crim law!

MadhuriS11: Must watch & Feel the thrill.. #Jazbaa Great reviews by public all over the world.. I'm like

lwelu56_: Jazbaa - ❤️

LoggedinAmaad: Watched #Jazbaa and thrilled with expressions of Ash and @AzmiShabana @irrfan_k is absolutely Awesome.

lavishkryan: I really don't care. What I only know is,, Aishwarya acted brilliantly,, and essayed her character very beautifully nd justified it #Jazbaa

LadyDP61: I think #Jazbaa was one of the best thriller movies I've ever seen! Aishwarya Rai at her very besttttt! http://twitter.com/LadyDP61/status/652874758153854976/photo/1

La6oof123: Aishwarya totally killed it! #Jazbaa lovely movie!

Kelisha_k: Jazbaa is such a good movie. Aishwarya Rai looks so good Definitely recommend it

jkpriyasays: #Jazbaa is worth a watch. Brilliant performance by Aishwarya Rai, @AzmiShabana @actorirfankhan sunday 7.45 pm show was houseful #London

jha_siddhus94: #Jazbaa is an out-and-out Aishwarya Rai film. She dominates the screen most of the time, making it her ideal comeback movie.

jagibaby: What a great movie!...Stunning performance by Aishwarya, Irrfan and wow, Shabana!...Great story, loved it! #Jazbaa

iNIMISH: After a long time watched a good movie. Brilliant work by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, @irrfan_k and Sanjay Gupta #Jazbaa

iArpanPatel: #Jazbaa starts superbly . .audiance Appreciated . . Irfan & Aish perfomance Superb.

Honey_Aishu: #Jazbaa .... Amazing movie, love it Aishwarya and @irrfan_k with their best performance & Not to forget baby sara

h1rakAnath: #Jazbaa is a suspense thriller with emotions. Aesthetically shot. Loved the film. @_SanjayGupta @Jazbaa

girishjohar: Really enjoyed #Jazbaa ....an entertaining thriller ...see it to believe it ...

FuschiaScribe: The story of #Jazbaa doesn't have much of a logic but I liked the movie. The story is good, the plot isn't too gripping.

djakki91: Jazba... A good movie... Irfan and Aishwarya, complimemt each other by performance. Direction could have been better..@irrfan_k

DeeKiran1: #Jazbaa is v good, ending was totally unexpected & #AishwaryaRaiBachchan played a natural mother's role but 4 me @actorirfankhan stole show

DaveshD: #jazbaa what an awesome movie...superbb...

daAbomb5: Just saw Jazbaa, amazing film, edge of the seat stuff. Worth every penny spent

ChinmayiBali: I toh LOVED Jazbaa, objectivity ko maro goli. It's comfort bolly at its best. Aish is such a beautiful crier and Irrfannnnn <3 <3 #GupsRoxxx

chayadutt19: Jazbaa.. A must to watch movie. @AishwaryaRaiWeb @ifrankhan... U guys nailed it

CHAR4N: Done with #Rudramadevi and #Jazbaa well impressed by the both films...

cadence99: Second Jazbaa show in 15 minutes!! :) :) :)

bollywoodbom: More power to @irrfan_k . Awesome performances in both #JAZBAA and #Talvar movies. You cannot miss these movies if fan of #IrrfanKhan.

ashforeverno1: Aishwarya, Irfaan and Shabana Azmi all rocked. Great movie to watch #Jazbaa

AnkitaRFTennis: #Jazbaa Nice thriller.... Great comeback by #Aishwarya and #Irrfankhan u r jst amazingggggg......

amitlkumar: Watched #Jazbaa.Gr8 actrs.perfect acting.Aish is bck n she looks stunning.A gud grippin stories and 1 liners by Irrfan keeps u awestruck

amit_AishGang: Just watched #Jazbaa again

aman2603suri: #jazbaa #sanjaygupta juzzz a perfect comeback dude @_SanjayGupta @aishwaryaraibachann

akhiljain33: What a Great Film #Jazbaa was! I Absolutely Loved it! Brilliant performances from aishwarya and @irrfan_k loved the movie more than anyone!

AbraamAditya: Jazbaa a must watch let's go

16EktaSinha: The Best of the year ♥ #Jazbaa Beyond Perfection ! killer script !!! faduu dailogs

_RahulB: Jazbaa A Must Watch because it's a taut thriller which will keep you on the edge of your seat.

ya5hw4nthl: #Jazbaa starring Aishwarya Rai is an average one, but the core element is the one that should be taken into account. Rapists = Death.

tanqeed: Sanket’s Review: Jazbaa is fairly watchable film but letdown by its overtly melodramatic tone #Jazbaa http://tanqeed.com/sankets-review-jazbaa/

swanakshatra: #Jazbaa simply watch for #IrfanKhan and dialogues!! #AishwaryaRaiBachchan looks super slim and pretty but acting is gone for a toss!!

supreeth1110: #watched #jazbaa #yesterday #amazing #story but #cinematography #direction #acting is not as expected… https://t.co/zhDYT2L8Uv

nkumar_: #Jazbaa seems interesting one. Till half time movies keeps you confused and engaged both

Neera_26: Saw #Jazbaa....ok...ok...one time watch but spoilt the end....Aish looks as beautiful...Irfan Khan is as effortless & convincing as ever..

Granger_Gab: Jazbaa is epic hamming! Also Bollywood should watch more US Legal dramas! Wasted Atul Kulkarni, Irfan Khan & Shabana Azmi!

Elfishskull: #Jazbaa avg movie 2nd half better than the first. Irfan has done a good job, sanjay gupta has not used his acting abilities to d fullest

BikBanTheory: Misbah: Promises but does not deliver Jazbaa: Ditto Don't miss the end Rating: 2.5/5

thebhokalibong: Even seasoned actors like Shabana Azmi seemed unbearable. Such poor screenplay. #Jazbaa

TazzzArtist: #Jazbaa was very disappointing

SushilSarwadnya: Sanjay Gupta is poor director. His old fashioned direction made Jazbaa bad copy of Seven days. Sit at home N watch Seven Days again.

rohinee: Saw #Jazbaa - the only redeeming feature about the movie was @irrfan_k - awesome as always.

RanjanPant: #Jazbaa Movie | जज़्बा - 50% @RottenTomatoes would have been 20% w/o controlled #IrrfanKhan .Story porous, hysterical overacting, sloppy Dir

rajathkumar: The reeling question is, what are established, renowned actors like Irrfan Khan and Shabana Azmi doing in this mess of a film? #Jazbaa

RachitVats: Jazbaa - 1.5, Sicario - 4.5. Inspiring enough for Sanjay Gupta's future remake.

Princy_Aish: #Jazbaa i ws wtchng it fr irfan n they kept showing faltu acting of aishwarya. crap movie. only thing good is irfan's dialogues

prakalprathi: #Jazbaa saw the movie. Though movie is gripping but lacking in depthness. Ppl comparing to dhrishyam. No where near it...

Namitranjan1: A bad movie makes a good actor look ordinary #irrfan A bad movie makes a bad actor look pedestrian #ashwariya #jazbaa is not worth a paise

lameyak: Not enough JAZBA in its making. Stuck in the age old ruckus of bad story telling. Skip it I say. http://twitter.com/lameyak/status/652692501535428608/photo/1

KNVaidy: My track record of one great movie followed by one trashy stuff stays intact. Saw #Talvar last week. Great one. Saw #Jazbaa just now. Phew!

jborocz: #Jazbaa is really not a good film. Nearly unbearable, righteous Kitsch, in fact. Plot doesn't work. Aishwariya: naah. You have been warned.

isaifpatel: Had gone for Jazbaa on last day in India. Aishwarya has overacted, same old story, typically (crappy) Sanjay Gupta movie. Don't go for it.

HuffPostIndia: 'Jazbaa' is a screechy, unsubtle copy of an already flawed film, writes @SupraMario http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/10/09/jazbaa-movie-review_n_8267402.html?ncid=tweetlnkinhpmg00000001 http://twitter.com/HuffPostIndia/status/653261312953348097/photo/1

gujjuchokkra: #movie #Jazbaa big flop waste of time money and energy....

Febin_John: Jus watched #Jazbaa . Bad direction. Ok Ok acting. End scene was cliched. Coukd have been better.

baradwajrangan: Irrfan joins Nawazuddin in being able to channel, amazingly, the spirit of masala . But Jazbaa is barely watchable https://t.co/HA4ABAg2k4

AmbarChatterjee: too loud, too melodramatic and makes a caricature of court proceedings... Jazbaa fails to impress! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfVghJeJC8E&feature=youtu.be

abhishekson2014: Don't know wat happened to me, I went for Jazbaa & slept in the theatre. Biggest regret of my life, though I have to admit I loved my nap:-)

AAKulkarni: #Jazbaa typical monotonous bollywood movie.. #bored #overacting

2 readers - 1 yays 1 so-so 0 nays

Not Interested in Watching, by Abhinav

Not Interested in Watching, by Anuj

Not Interested in Watching, by Fan

Want to Watch, by TimELiebe : We Support Mothers Returning to Work!

Yay! Thumbs Up, by prafful : u=if ur irfan khan fan - must watch

So-So, by Ajay Singh

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: Lots of fist fights and a murder.
  • Language: A couple of abusive words.
  • Nudity & Sexual content: No nudity. A rape scene repeated a few times.
  • Concept: A kidnapping the ransom for which is freeing a rapist-muderer.
  • General Look and Feel: Nothing out of the ordinary.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:
Story:
Lead Actors:
Character Artists:
Dialogues:
Screenplay:
Music Director:
Lyrics:

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Fan

Strange the Bachhan senior did not convince Miss World to stop from doing a hara kiri. Statistically Hindi film audiences have almost never accepted a "real-life married" lead actress, and even worse acceptance rate for "real-life married mom" lead actress.

And I don't think that with the times the Hindi film audience have evolved on the acceptance criteria for their lead actresses.

Regardless of how well the film might be made, this is doomed.

Instead of attempting to make a comeback post-marriage and post-pregnancy, the Bachhan-bahu should have settled into another role where the audiences are less choosy (like direction, or even non-filmi roles like Mrs. Akshay Kumar). By taking on this suicidal film, the Bachhan bahu will just succeed in ensuring that both Abhishek and Aishwarya are shunned by the industry.

@Fan - somebody has to break that glass ceiling (as actress-mothers had in other parts of the world decades ago!), and who's better positioned to than Amitabh Bachchan's daughter-in-law? I'll lay you odds Rani Mukerji has similar plans once she has a baby, and wants to come back from maternity leave....

Besides, it's not as if Grandpa has any intention of letting go of the kid! ;)

::pictures Big B coming on set for a harass cop movie - wearing a baby sling with his granddaughter, and daring anybody to laugh!::

Watched the trailer...doesn't seem like Irrfan has done a very good job here and Aishwarya also looked hysterical like she does in most of her acts. Director same as Kaante, Zinda, don't have any big hopes from this one :)

Fan

@TimELiebe: I think that Rani is well positioned as (almost) the head-honcho of YRF. She might still do films, but really on her terms and exceptionally.

The only exception (in Hindi films) in recent years to this rule is Kajol. Let's see how her Christmas outing is going to fare. And in the past the only exception that jumps to mind is Madhubala; otherwise it is sadly a downhill road for married moms (dream girl Hema Malini included). This situation should change, to give enough creative space to our lead actresses - but so far Hindi films has been a highly male dominated industry.

Coming to Jazbaa itself, I find the video song doing the rounds to be extremely annoying. Also, Sanjay Gupta does not have any decent track record. And to top it, Aishwarya over acted in most of her final films before taking a maternal break - only exception being Jodha Akbar where she was sufficiently restrained. So, overall the movie seems to be doomed unless there is a strong word of mouth after the movie is out.

ANUJ

Don't know about Aishwarya and nor do I care because imo she's an irritating over-rated actress who hams her way through. But will someone advise this brilliant showman Irfan Khan to get a little more choosy and a little less repetitive? Jazbaa seems to be a continuation from where he left off in Talvar. In fact, in the last half a decade he's been doing the same thing in every film except Paan Singh Tomar and Piku. And not surprisingly, these were 2 of his most outstanding performances in recent times.

Fan

Just read your review. Not a single mention of Shabana Azmi!! So it means that her role is even worse than the two that you describe?

Trailer failed to convience me atleast.

Okay, @Fan - I like Aish Rai better as an actress than you do. OTOH, I'm an American, so I might have a higher tolerance for her Beautiful Suffering Act and acting than people who've had to live though it for decades do.

As for Irrfan Khan - funny, I was having this discussion in the Comments board for The Martian! Apparently he was to play the Indian Scientist character now played by Chiewtel Ejifor (to the anger of Asian-American actors who feel underrepresented!), but dropped out due to "movie commitments in India". I wonder if this isn't the movie he dropped out of The Martian for...?

prafful

well .. once again irfan khat at his best. Aishwarya as usual over acting. even though director tried give all the lime light to Mrs.Bacchan , Very talented ifran khan impress the audience with his acting. Good to see shabana azmi after long time.

@Fan I don't like her as an actor much either and I think it is high time married-mommy-actors do the movies they like and let the audience take their time to accept them.

Also, keep in mind that sometimes, it is not the fact that the lady is married or a mom that comes in the way. The movie and/or performance is not to the mark.

By the way, Sri Devi did well in English Vinglish! :)

Fan

@Meeta: I am all in favour of woman oriented (regardless of age, marital status, etc.) films. I just quoted a factual statistic, that very few of them succeed to make a comeback as lead stars. At best, as you said, they make a one-time hit like English-Vinglish or a successful comeback in a non-lead role like Juhi Chawla in recent times. It is indeed a pity for the audience as such talent goes waste.

At the same time, if you look at recent attempts of such mother-stars, I would say that their choice of comeback films were quite horrible - cases in hand Karishma, Aishwarya, Madhuri, ... It is easy for arm-chair critic like me to say that, but I do understand that A-budget producers do not take the risk of signing such star-moms for a comeback film in a lead role - as they are guided by the same factual observation that I had made. So it is a vicious circle - past records means no big producer willing to give a break - star-mum forced to work with B-grade producers/directors with the risk that the movie would most likely be an average hit at best, meaning their star rating and comeback wish suffering further.

Yeah @Fan, here's my attempt at trying to break the circle in my small way. Appreciating that she has come back, even if I didn't like the movie or don't like her performances in general.

By the way, I did like 'Aaja Nachle' and I do like Madhuri Dixit :D

Fan

Well we can say that Kareena Kapoor is an exception. Married and still considered as an A-star lead actress. And regularly getting offers from A-star producers.

Although, looking at hits, apart from starring in Salman blockbusters as a prop, she hasn't had any real hit on her own merit since her marriage. But at least she is going strong after marriage. Although one can argue that she did not take a hiatus after her marriage, and so is not on a "comeback". Nevertheless the myth of married lead actresses unable to get leading roles is being bucked, probably not at the speed that we would like but at least it is going in the right direction.

@Fan, Kareena Kapoor "on her own merit" - before marriage can't think of any one other than 'Jab We Met'

Fan

:-)

Fan

BTW: no page started as yet for the Diwali blockbuster Prem Ratan Dhan Payo from Rajashree the kings of family oriented films?

@Fan in the works, should be up soon :D

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