Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' has bits of many films, most notably 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' in the main idea of two friends who are in love with each other without being aware of their own feelings. But despite that, there was something extremely awakening and refreshing in this film. Today's generation's youth was brilliantly portrayed, and the film's biggest strength was its striking simplicity and everyday reality. The simple characters, the simple dialogue, along with the natural acting, the brilliant soundtrack by A.R Rahman, and the depiction of modern-day India made for a very fine and enjoyable movie.
The film does not only work because of its romantic nature, but also its striking portrayal of relationships, whether it's the one between Jai and Aditi, between Aditi and her brother, and particularly between Jai and his mother. Tyrewala skillfully captures the camaraderie of the group of friends, who are always there for each other. A.R.R brilliantly composes a soundtrack that effectively suits the film's youthful and rather melancholic mood. The songs are totally in sync with the situations and among the many good numbers, my favourite would be the title track, "Kabhi Kabhi Aditi". The background score is also quite good, with some nice tunes enhancing the narrative and the partly joyful, partly melancholic atmosphere of the film.
Imran Khan makes a very good debut. The guy is simple and acts quite naturally. Genelia just has the right amount of spunk and vivacity to suit the part, and although in some portions she is a bit unnatural, she grows on you as the film goes by. It might well be because the film itself catches your interest so much that at some point nothing else matters. Ratna Pathak is excellent as the caring and loving mother. Prateik Babbar does very well, and Manjari Fadnis does her part exceedingly well. Naseeruddin Shah does a fantastic cameo, as always never fearing the possibility of ridiculing himself. Paresh Rawal is as witty and funny as always.
Abbas Tyrewala's direction is fantastic and there is an impressive sensibility in the way he chooses to carry the narrative forward. The film is fast paced. Jaane Tu is not devoid of clichés. Towards the end it's far more evident because it gets dramatised, but then, Tyrewala gives it a nice touch of humour, effectively summing up this feature. JTYJN is a refreshing youthful film and it's really fun to watch. The story is nothing new, but it's injected with energy, realism and humour to create an entertaining picture that is worth revisiting.
