Release Date: September 21, 2023
Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, Vijay Varma, Saurabh Sachdeva, Naisha Khanna
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
passportandstilettos rating: 3/5
Today marks the straight release of Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor’s latest flick Jaane Jaan on Netflix. The Hindi film is an official version of the Japanese novel “The Devotion of Suspect X,” authored by Keigo Higashino. Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Verma were instrumental. The film, directed by Sujoy Ghosh, is available in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Let’s see how things go.
Story of the Hindi Film Jaane Jaan:
This Hindi film revolves around a single mother, Maya D’souza, a.k.a. Soniya D’souza (Kareena Kapoor), who lives in Kalimpong. Tara D’souza (Naisha Khanna), her daughter, requires her to work in a cafe. Maya dislikes her spouse, Ajit Mhatre (Saurabh Sachdeva), and hence divorces him before Tara is born. Maya’s next-door neighbor, high school teacher Naren Vyas (Jaideep Ahlwahat), secretly adores her.
Ajit Mhatre appears out of nowhere in Kalimpong and pays a visit to Maya’s house. Maya believes Ajit has come for money, but Ajit has other plans. Maya murders Ajit with the help of her daughter Tara. Naren assists Maya in covering up the murder. What drove Maya to murder her husband? Did the cops apprehend Maya, Tara, and Naren? This is the essence of the Hindi film “Jaane Jaan”.
Plus Points:
With Hindi film Jaane Jaan, Jaideep Ahlawat of Paatal Lok fame demonstrated his utter talent. He delivered a powerful and subtle portrayal as a math prodigy. Jaideep’s subtle acting is the film’s most valuable asset, and he takes the cake in this murder thriller.
Kareena Kapoor is a fantastic performer who brought all of her expertise to the table. She emoted beautifully in important scenes. The final 40 minutes of the film are handled nicely, and there are some thrilling moments.
The little town location is wonderful, and the art production team succeeds in creating the necessary tone for a crime drama. As a police officer, Vijay Varma delivered a strong performance. Vijay has recently played bad roles, therefore it was pleasant to watch him in a new position this time.
Minus Points:
Unfortunately, this hindi film is an official remake of the Japanese novel “The Devotion of Suspect X,” which inspired the Malayalam hit Drishyam. One cannot help but notice parallels between Drishyam and Jaane Jaan. The way the alibies are established to cover up the murder is strikingly similar to the Malayalam film.
As a result, the similarities become unavoidable, and one wishes they could watch Drishyam again in the first hour. Drishyam has been remade in a number of Indian languages, including Hindi. This goes against the film, but happily, the primary cast’s outstanding performances and the concluding scenes save it.
The first half is tedious, and the team responsible for editing could have done a better job. This Hindi film also ends abruptly, without answering the few points raised. Ajit Mhatre’s character should have been depicted in greater detail.
Technical Aspects:
Shor Police provided an amazing background score. Avik Mukhopadhyay’s camera work is excellent. The production qualities are high, and the dialogue is excellent. The editing isn’t up to par.
Sujoy Ghosh, the filmmaker, did an adequate job with this Hindi film Jaane Jaan. He elicited strong performances from the key actors, and the concluding scenes were riveting. Because Drishyam is a big franchise in India and is based on the same Japanese novel, comparisons are unavoidable. As a result, Sujoy Ghosh should have tweaked the screenplay for the better.
Verdict:
Overall, the Hindi film Jaane Jaan is a decent criminal thriller with some tense moments in the final forty minutes. The film is based on a Japanese novel that served as the inspiration for the Drishyam series. As a result, comparisons will undoubtedly enter the picture. Because Drishyam is viewed by the bulk of the public, the producers should have come up with some fresh ideas. Kareena Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma shine in familiar territory. Aside from their outstanding acting, a few well-executed moments elevate this film to a watchable level.
Also Read:
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“Hindi Thriller Movies on Netflix: Unmasking the Best Suspenseful Gems”
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Written by: Anshika Patra
