Planet Bollywood
Jhankaar Beats
 
Producer: Rangita Pritish Nandy
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Starring: Juhi Chawla (Shanti), Sanjay Suri (Deep), Rahul Bose (Rishi), Rinkie Khanna (Nicki), intr. Shayan Munshi (Neel), and Riya Sen (Preeti)
Music: Vishal Shekhar
Lyrics: Vishal Dadlani
Genre: Comedy
Recommended Audience: Parental Guidance
Approximate Running Time: 2 Hrs 30 Mins
Film Released on: 20 June 2003
Reviewed by: Avinash Ramchandani  - Rating: 9.0 / 10
 
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Public Rating Average: 5.11 / 10 (rated by 410 viewers)
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With all the horrible flicks releasing of late, including ones expected to do well, like Chalte Chalte, I didn’t expect much out of Jhankaar Beats. Not many people did. With first time director Sujoy Ghosh and a cast of mainly newcomers (except Juhi of course), who would have expected such a well done and fast moving movie.

The freshness of Sujoy Ghosh’s directing comes through throughout the movie. One, the unique idea of having a condom advertising campaign and the use of sex in a very mature way, rather than in the way that usual directors use it as a marketing ploy makes this film more on the line of a Hollywood film than a Bollywood film.

Furthermore, the songs are very well placed, and don’t drag. Vishal-Shekhar’s music sounds better in the movie than on CD. But, the music sounded really nice on the CD also. In fact, the songs are so well integrated into the movie, that rather than having an oddly placed song here and there, there are songs throughout the movie.

The acting, for the most part, is excellent. Juhi Chawla lights up the screen. She is fantastic. Her expressions and actions as Shanti are well timed and just perfect. Although her role isn’t long in the movie, she has a good role, and she really is pregnant during the film, so you can’t expect any more out of a pregnant woman! Sanjay Suri, as Shanti’s husband, Deep, is brilliant. His acting is excellent also. Rahul Bose has great timing as the comedian, Rishi. Rinkie Khanna is average in her role as Nicki. She should continue speaking English, though. Shayan Munshi does a good job as Neel. His performance is adequately refined and his dancing is above average. He is not Hrithik Roshan, but he still does a good job. The additional actors, including Archana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi, both have strong but short roles.

But, of course, every movie has its drawbacks. Riya Sen’s acting is mediocre, but is comparable to Aishwarya Rai’s acting in Aur Pyar Ho Gaya. Thank God she has a small role.

Using flashbacks in a unique way really shows the quality of a good editor. Suresh Pai, the editor, really deserves some acclimation for his work in this movie. The dialogues are also done very well, with the flashbacks integrated.

The storyline is a strong point of the film also. Although very simple, Sujoy Ghosh has tried to show the realities of life. The realities of each storyline (three couples in the film) are shown with a classic style. The freshness of the story shows through; almost to the lines of freshness we witnessed in Dil Chahta Hai.

Jhankaar Beats is an excellent film with a lot of plusses. It will make you laugh for three hours. The bad news is that you probably don’t want to take your kids to it. The adult humor about condoms is not intended for children. But, hey, not everything is supposed to be for kids. I still don’t understand why the new album Ek Haseena Thi video is all over Indian television. These items should be completely banned. In relativity, the humor in the movie and the condom campaign is tame; your kids won't understand the humor-it isn't so blatantly sexual.

If you want to enjoy a film for three hours of unique fun, go see this film. The story, the acting, the dialogues and the editing are all something to enjoy.

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