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Movie Review: OK Jaanu

Love is in the air

Like Jaanu, the endearment that perhaps millions in India use for their loved ones effortlessly, Ok Jaanu is a simple, uncomplicated and uncluttered love story.

Love is in the air

A still from the film.



Nonika Singh

Like Jaanu, the endearment that perhaps millions in India use for their loved ones effortlessly, Ok Jaanu   is a simple, uncomplicated and uncluttered love story. Indeed, it moves into the territory where scores of new-age romantic films have - no strings attached live-in relationship.
 
Since the premise is not quite new, more recently Befikre too waded in the same waters, some parts especially those mirroring the feelings of commitment-phobic generation might seem repetitive.
 
But where the film, which is a remake of Mani Ratnam’s  Tamil film Ok Kanmani, truly scores is how it gives a traditional  twist  to a modern relationship . Or read it the other way, how it gives a modern tadka to time-tested idea of eternal love and romance.
 
 Juxtaposing two love stories, one featuring the perfect couple (Naseeruddin Shah and Leela Samson) and the other of modern-day couple, the underlying theme is apparent. Love is in the air.  Even though shaadi is for fools, might go one of the dialogues penned by indomitable Gulzar! But, it also shows why most succumb to it and its magic. 
 
For most parts, the love story that truly tugs at our heartstrings is of the older golden couple. And goodness, what a brilliant actor Naseer is! He shines in a part of caring husband and steals our heart right away, as the doting husband seen doing n number of things for his wife suffering from Alzheimer’s ; theirs is vintage love, the one to be cherished. 
 
In contrast, the love story of this animator Aadi (Aditya Roy Kapur) who wants to give competition to Mark Zuckerberg and aspiring architect (Shraddha Kapoor) could have been fraught with superficiality and artifice. But Shaad Ali’s direction, Ratnam’s screenplay and lead pair’s earnest naturalness prevent it from just being hi and bye kind of love.
 
The chemistry between Aditya and Shraddha is infectious, as are the songs with peppy beats. Of course, the film though only two hour and fifteen minutes long at times seems stretched and a tad too long. But fine performances, excellent cinematography and AR Rahman’s music keep it going. 
 
Without delving deep into the complications of live-in, it paints the emotional-scape of love and its many shades. From passion to its deep colours of care and affection… like good love stories it makes you believe in the power of love. It’s a feeling throbbing film that takes you on the journey of heart and its ways. 
 
Nothing about the film is tacky. In between Shaad throws in some highbrow touches such as classical music and even takes us to Ahmedvani gufa. The renowned architect BV Doshi who designed it appears as himself in a bit role. The world of animation games too unfurls, albeit fleetingly.
 
All this might seem a bit pretentious but end up adding character to the film whose lead characters anyway have substantial depth. Unlike other rom.coms though the lead actors have aspirations of moving abroad, it refrains from crossing overseas and showing us exotic locales. 
 
It’s India and the Indianness of relationships that Shaad focuses on without going overboard. Togetherness of 50 years or of six months....love cements it all. And that’s a heartwarming thought that you carry home from this heartwarming film. Enjoyable as long as you don’t expect any path-breaking revelations or in-depth analysis of the ways of gen Next. 

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