Ok Jaanu Hindi Movie Review

The lead pair can make a film. They can lift the narrative and give it that texture that makes up for the lack of punch and focus. This Mani Ratnam – Shaad Ali combo does exactly that. The creative back up fails to take off. The glossy urbane film that deals with emotions denominated largely by contemporaneity has two people who are focused about tomorrow and would not want to be stalled by a relationship. They however cannot resist the temptation.
Adi (Aditya) and Tara (Shardaha) have globally different milestones. She is the sales and marketing person looking for a career in Europe, he the dollar chaser. He comes to stay with an ageing couple Gopi (Naseerudin Shah) and his Alzheimer suffering wife Charulata (Leela Samson). The young couple decide to stay together and have a live-in relationship. While both steadily hypnotise themselves into the belief that it is only a relationship and not a budding romance they predictably get attracted and cannot live without one another. Interestingly the I World problem of career choices and richness of life does not ring a familiar bell and the audience can hardly empathise with the cultural space the protagonists etch for themselves. The ageing couple are the inspiration and the climax is more about them than the young couple who suddenly cannot live without one another and when they career dreams seem happening they have to choose between career and personal life.
While Leela Samson gives the film grace, and does not go wrong at any given point of time. Naseer is vintage and can remind you yet again what even a few minutes can do when the actor is Naseer. Shraddha started off in compare with Aliya and will continue the paradigm. She sure gives the film its moments but you do feel there are times when she lacks the exuberance that Alia has or Anushaka. In terms of acting the film belongs and surely to Aditya. He is a heady mix of the vulnerability of Akshay, the grace of Farhaan the magic of Ranbhir and the fizz of Shahid. He is so genuine and warm in the film. Remember in Aashiqui he was lost and dazed. This time is oozing charm and his sense of timing in the lighter scenes warrants special mention.
Yet another highlight of the film is the awesome music of AR Rahman. In a combo with Gulzar he presents some winsome classical backdrop. Do not miss the Sri ragam and the Sudha Dhanyasi. He then picks Raag Behag (Sun Bhavra) and Darbari Kanada (Saaja Aiyo) and tells you that there is more to contemporary music than the Sufi school. He does not go overboard and sticks to basics and ensures that melody is not lost to rhythm.
Predictably from the Karan Johar stable this feel-good film is exactly that. The lead pair add to the credibility quotient and if for nothing watch the film for some subtle moments that are trademark Naseer and for the endearing loveable presence and performance of the new and under rated Kapoor – Aditya.

Rating: 3 Stars
+ Aditya Roy Kapoor
– Lacks punch.

L. Ravichander.