Nanu Ki Jaanu

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Social messages in a ghost-romantic-comedy. Yes, that’s 4 genres in one sentence. And that’s not counting the many “Public Service Announcements” within those social messages. A bit much that alas adds to not much.

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Director: Faraz Haider
Running time: 135 minutes
Genres: Comedy, Social
More Movie Info

Nanu Ki Jaanu reminds you of all the films that are worse than it. So, through the film you are going, “oh well, at least they didn’t do this”, “thank you filmmakers, for not doing that.” and so on. Yep, not a good reason to like a film, whatever you like of it.

The performances are all perfunctory border-lining slapstick on many occasions.

So, what do you make of a film that is obviously comedy, intentionally horror-comedy, romantic in the weirdest of ways and spreads social messages across the film? And just in case you are wondering, those messages don’t come with subtlety. They spring at you towards the end, in what could pass off as public service announcements that play at the beginning of films these days.

It is ironically appalling that a film which seems to care so much about so many things that are wrong with society, starts off with making light of molestation and rape. While I hope that the film was attempting satire, it didn’t come across as that.

In that sense, the writing was also lacking in dialogue and the big reveal wasn’t really a big reveal. It was planted through the film with “whodunnit” questions by one too many characters. Also, the quest begins a little too late in the film – basically at the point where the audience is ready for the film to end. That makes the run-time seem longer, the film stretched. Also that part of the film comes across as an addendum, even an afterthought.

The performances are all perfunctory border-lining slapstick on many occasions. From Abhay Deol to Rajesh Sharma to Patralekha, all seem like they are doing their best without having too much hope. Manu Rishi Chadha’s dry humor act gets a couple of laugh out louds. But, that’s about it.

This one was a ‘Switch channels if it’s on cable’ that got bumped up to ‘Watch if you have nothing better to do’ because it tries to do something different within its genre of “ghost comedy” but sadly also because I have seen a lot worse.

- meeta, a part of the audience

25 reviewers(?) - 1 yays 3 so-so 21 nays

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

Thumbs up, by IANS, Sify Movies : ...This quirky film has its moments of brilliance which keeps you riveted... full review

So-So, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Patralekha makes a likeable spirit. But playing ghost also keeps her invisible for a large part of the film. You wish there was more of her. Come to think of it, you wish there were more of a lot of things in this ghostly satire. ... full review

So-So, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...All said and done, the film is definitely worth a few laughs. Watch it for some good clean fun spiked with a light dose of horror. ... full review

So-So, by Reza Noorani, Times of India : ...Neither the performances nor an ever changing storyline, where newer characters are introduced, help pick it up. An anticlimactic, emotional ending further seals the fate of this film.... full review

Thumbs down, by Anna MM Vertticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...The crux of this entire affair is that Nanu Ki Jaanu is unsure of what it wants to be, the team lacks the ability to make it everything they want it to be, and the film therefore ends up flailing its arms all over the place. It is scary in a few parts and funny in more, which is why it is so sad that in the overall assessment and especially in its finale, it turns out to be such a loosely handled, low-IQ mess. ... full review

Thumbs down, Bollywood Hungama : ...S R Sathish Kumar’s cinematography is nothing special. Boishali Sinha’s production design is passable. Sunil Rodrigues’s action and Manan Ajay Sagar’s editing are okay. ... full review

Thumbs down, by SUPARNA SHARMA, Deccan Chronicle : ...You have no reason to suffer it. So don’t.... full review

Thumbs down, by Rohit Bhatnagar, Deccan Chronicle : ...Nanu Ki Jaanu is simply a misconceived film which holds no fun, surprises and entertainment. The film seems to have no purpose. If you have your bets on a bad film, it is a clear winner! ... full review

Thumbs down, by Johnson Thomas, Free Press Journal : ...This film is contained chaos at best. It’s a harmless bit of fluff and partially enjoyable but for the over-extended second half where Nanu tries to flush out the one responsible for Siddhi’s accident. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Rohit Vats, Hindustan Times : ...Thankfully, there is a cameo by Manoj Pahwa. He shines and brings us some relief, but it’s probably too late by then. By then, there is hardly anything left to trick our minds into believing that this film can be saved. After all, there is Abhay Deol. Alas! ... full review

Thumbs down, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...Barring a few scenes involving Nanu's friend Dabbu (Manu Rishi Chadha, also credited as writer), there is little joy to be derived from Nanu ki Jaanu. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...The film may have been a larky idea, but practically nothing rises above the execution. Deol, who has been struggling for a while to get back in his groove, looking and sounding a lot like his cousin Sunny here, will have to wait. Patralekhaa, who showed such promise in City Lights, deserves better. The only one amongst its cast who manages to somewhat break free is Manu Rishi, with his ​very Dilli​ ‘tu jaanta nahin hai main kaun hoon’ schtick. But after two iterations, even that becomes tiresome. ... full review

Thumbs down, by NILESH RAMCHANDANI, Kia Gia : ...On the whole, 'Nanu Ki Jaanu' deserves a huge miss. With a few funny moments in the first half, Manu Rishi Chadha's decent performance and nothing memorable. This will find hard to sustain in theaters and might work with television watching. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Umesh Punwani, koimoi : ...All said and done, there are good films, there are bad films, there is MSG franchise and then there’s this. It hurts to see talent of such superior level going down the drain. Skip this, please! ... full review

Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY : ...Suffice it to say, by the end of it, pretty much everyone in my theatre (me included) were essentially laughing at the film, rather than with it, being treated to a series of sequences, thought up pretty much on-the-go, since the filmmakers had no clue what to do beyond a point, so they just keeping adding characters, while adding to the corniness.... full review

Thumbs down, by Joginder Tuteja, Movie Talkies : ...However the film turns out to be something else in this part. From being a comedy, the film turns into a whodunit as the focus moves towards what caused Patralekha’s accident. There is so much focus on this side of the story that you end up wondering why an accident is being seen as a killing. This isn’t all as several characters come into the fray, be it Rajesh Sharma, Manoj Pahwa, Himani Shivpuri, Brijendra Kala, a little girl, an abusive wife beater, an opportunist neighbor, and so on. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Kunal Guha, Mumbai Mirror : ...This film also features several unexplained mysteries: a young girl called ‘Phantom’ who is perennially lurking in the corridor, a wife-beater who pretends he’s not, a father who can’t quit smoking, a spook who has a fascination for home improvement and a dislike for beer. But the biggest mystery of all remains, did the person who invested in this excuse for celluloid do so out of free will? We’ll never know. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...Nanu Ki Jaanu is about a girl who becomes a ghost and disappears into a chimney, taking the film with her into the pits. We deserve better. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Sameeksha Dandriyal, News18.com : ...Overall the film is uneven, half-baked disappointment, which completely wrecks the talent of Abhay, Patralekha and even Chadha. They all deserve better than this. We all deserve better than this. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Manisha Lakhe, Now Running.com : ... If you thought the movie is over, Nanu now turns into a professional ghostbuster or maybe not... Let's just dump this film into the vault of ignominy where it belongs after asking this question, 'Why Abhay Deol, why?'... full review

Thumbs down, by ANISH MOHANTY, Planet Bollywood : ...'Nanu Ki Jaanu' is a poor show all the way. The only thing that saves the film from becoming a complete mess are the performances. It is sad to see so much talent getting wasted in an insipid film. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...Road rules aren't all -- swachh homes, no smoking, no beer, no beef -- Nanu Ki Jaanu hurls all kinds of gyaan at us. ... full review

Thumbs down, by SHILPA JAMKHANDIKAR, Reuters : ...At 132 minutes, the film is 132 minutes too long and time seems to stand still as it meanders along before finally reaching its predictable ending. This is one of those remakes that should never have seen the light of day. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...Suspense is thin in a movie with three major characters. The staggering incompetence on display ensures that the events are neither funny nor frightening, and the sight of Nanu romancing Siddhi’s ghost pushes Nanu Ki Jaanu towards the zone of tragedy for Abhay Deol’s fanbase. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Namrata Joshi, The Hindu : ...If all this wasn’t enough there is a casual, pointless reference to beef lynchings and moral science lessons on mobiles and helmets. Forget the ghost, the film will leave you spooked with the many hairy male bodies on display; under the shower, in the bed. And that’s all I am saying for now. ... full review

14 tweeters(?) - 12 yays 0 so-so 2 nays

VeejayChaudhary: Nanu Ki Jaanu movie Review: हॉरर-कॉमेडी की मजेदार कॉकटेल है फिल्म https://t.co/1NIBXq4jCN

varunaeron: Nanu ki janu....communicate the message in a very nice humour...indian should follow it

thevikashgaur: Here is my views on @NanuKiJaanu. The Film is full of Comedy and horror @AbhayDeol is stunning in his Nanu look.… https://t.co/QedkeoIVQ7

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imMehulDobaria: everyone must see the movie NANU KI JAANU.....NICE STORY....story hold you u till the end

funnyleone: Nanu ki jaanu is now in kitty of one of the fav films. Film genuinely makes you laugh.

DrMing918: Nanu Ki Jaanu is a movie like no other, a definite must watch! #NanuKiJaanuRelease @InboxPictures @AbhayDeol @Patralekhaa9

DanishKh4n: Nanu ki Janu is actually a good movie!

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ChinmayNakhwa: #NanuKiJaanu this one is neither scary nor romantic.. https://t.co/bAoano7nB6

13bookcovers: Nanu Ki Jaanu review: Run away from this horror tragedy https://t.co/6tAtXAOwce

1 readers - 1 yays 0 so-so 0 nays

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

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: Gun shots, an accident
  • Language: Clean
  • Nudity & Sexual content: Makes light of molestation
  • Concept: A ghost is out to teach a few lessons
  • General Look and Feel: Bright, borderline loud

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

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Nanu Ki Jaanu - Cast, crew, links

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Running time:
135 minutes
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