Ever wondered why is Shahrukh so popular with female
audiences; because the Chopras and Johars deftly created the ‘perfect fill’ for
the void in almost 99% of the females' life – the dream lover. So be it, DDLJ,
DTPH, KKHH, KHNH, RNBDJ and a few lesser known movies I have missed in the
list, Shahrukh, rather, the makers, keep selling this illusion to the ever buying
female frat.
JTHJ caters to this illusion where an already engaged Meera
(Katrina Kaif) is wooed by a ‘trying to make’ pounds, Samar (Shahrukh Khan).
The conflict in the plot is quite flimsy; the heroine has a
habit to offer something to Jesus if her wish is fulfilled! So when Samar meets
with his first accident, a wailing Meera promises God that she’ll never ever
meet him again if He makes him live. God fulfills her wish and hence the
break-up.
In such a scenario, the real heroics for a hero are to work towards winning back his
love; but the hero goes on to join the Indian army and heads the bomb-disposal
squad.
Enters a bright chirpy birdie, read heroine, Akira (Anushka
Sharma) who is a wannabe documentary film-maker in skimpiest of shorts!
To get her film on Samar going, there is a pre-requisite to
get Samar to London.
Samar gets hit the second time; amnesia, his
memory goes back to the time of his first accident.
Akira who is in love with Samar by now, wants Meera to help
Samar.
JTHJ has a breezy first half till the time a forced conflict
puts it off track.
The film has got some really regressive scenes. Sample this,
after their first night out, Samar asks Meera, "If I kiss you, will you
slap me?". Then before Meera could answer, he says with a smile, "I
don't think so" and proceeds to kiss her.
Or later in the film, when Meera asks him from abstaining
from sex, he refers to the female doctor as lesbian. Really? How is the
scriptwriter so sure lesbians are asexual!
Logically too, the film takes a lot of leeway. Are men
eligible to apply in army at 28? Or can an army major diffuse a bomb without
wearing the mandatory bomb-gear?
Shahrukh looks old in the first half, quite glaring in the
dance leading to Ishq Shava song, he simply can’t match the anime like energy of
Katrina; but as army major he is effective, as the character is closer to his
age.
Katrina looks fab, just see her toned up figure in Ishq
Shava number, if this is the teaser, watch the real thing in Dhoom 3.
However, it’s Anushka who steals the show, in spite of a
half-baked character. She is chirpy and effective in her small role.
Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh leave a mark in a one scene role.
Quite frankly, this is not one of the best from the king of
romance, but then, its much better a film to be remembered as Yash Chopra’s last
film, than the imminently forgettable Veer-Zaara.