After watching this movie, most of my friends’ responses have ranged from calling it ‘waste of time and money’ to ‘utterly ridiculous and unrealistic’ story. You know, that “aisa bhi hota he kya?” syndrome. Yes, it may be unrealistic, but so are movies like Inception, HP series and our own koi mil gaya and sallu bhai’s numerous movies. Aren’t they unrealistic? Still the same people love them. So, first of all, let’s throw the need (rather want) of ‘reality in a movie’ out of the window. Then comes inter alia screenplay, actors and their performances, music, dialogues and so on. And Jab Tak Hain Jaan scores high on all these. It does go overboard in one or two scenes, but well, exceptions are everywhere.
This is not a movie to be watched for intellectual satisfaction and I like the movie for its wonderful locations, beautiful people, melange of emotions shown and the complexity of love, how much unreal the story may be. Without further ado, let’s read the movie now.
I don’t know how much thought and time is given while deciding on names of characters in a movie, but I have not found such fitting naming of lead characters as in JTHJ. SRK’s name Samar means war in hindi, signifying the war that he fights with God every day to either make god take his life or give back his love. Katrina’s name Meera, as indian readers would be aware, is known for her sacrifices for love of Krishna, the god. And Anushka aka Akira, is a Japanese name meaning ‘bright’, ‘intelligent’, ‘cheerful. That’s what Anushka’s character is all about.
Central theme of the movie is waiting for one’s love to come to him/her, as in Veer Zaara (also by Yash chopra). It tries to make the point that time has to bow in front of true, selfless love. You just have to hang in there and wait for the right time.
“Har ishq ka ek waqt hotaa hain, wo hamara waqt nahi tha, iska ye matlab nahi ki wo ishq nahi tha”
And
“Pyaar ke saamne toh rab bhi jhuk jata hai, ye toh waqt tha, isey to badalna hi tha”
Katrina’s character Meera is one who keeps bargaining with god. She promises to leave things like chocolate, cigarette etc. if some of her wishes gets true. That seemed hard to digest for many people. But if that is unrealistic, what do we call our Mannats. Don’t we also bargain with god, promising to walk some miles, or donating some money in temple if we get something which we want badly? It was overdone a bit but she believed in it. That belief shows when she starts the bargain on the road itself on Samar’s first accident.
Anushka (Akira) is a winner. Unafraid, realistic, ambitious. Can do anything to get what she wants. Someone who has never lost in life, never failed. And life fails her by making her falltotally, completely, madly in love with a guy who loves someone else.
"Main hameshaa se hi topper rahi hoon, studies, sports, national level swimmer hoon."
"Mujhse rejection sehen nhi hota, koi mujhe chhode iske pehle me hi use chodd deti hoon."
It is difficult for us as well to tolerate rejection. These little things make her character most realistic. We generally like to see things as good or bad, white or black. Not thinking about numerous shades of grey. Right? That makes Akira uncomfortable as well, when she says to Samar:
"Itne complicated kyo ho yaar tum? Na toh koi tumse khul ke nafrat kar sakta hain, aur na hi pyaar"
Another key message the movie gives is having a passion, or fitoor for something in your life, holding onto it and doing anything to achieve it. Samar’s fitoor was Meera, for whom he fights with god every day. Akira’s fitoor was to make documentary on Samar to get the job and she did everything to do that, be it convincing her boss, or being alone girl staying with army men for 2 weeks. There is a nice dialogue when, after replacing her camera, Samar says to her:
“Jab kisi chiz ka fitoor ho aur wo nahi milti, toh banda life bhar uske piche paagal ho jata hain. Ek paagal tumhare saamne hain aur dusre paagal ki yaha jagah nahi hain.”
Such words.
I can go on and on, about the proposal scenes, or when Samar and Akira say goodbye and more. But would stop here. In short, I loved the movie and every time I watch it again, I watch it for the scenes, background music, and performances. And for dialogues? Of course.
Finishing with some meaningful and my favourite ones:
"Jo Dil Jeet te hain, wo kabhi Haarte Nahin."
"Yaaddasht bhi kitni ajeeb chiz hoti hain, kisi chiz ko puri jindagi bhulne ki koshish karo, wo bhulti nahi. Kabhi ek choti si chiz yaad karne ki koshish karo toh yaad nahi aati."
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