THT TAlkies : Jhoom’s glitzy package

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (Rom-Com)

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Bobby Deol, Lara Dutta and Amitabh Bachchan (special

appearance)

Director: Shaad Ali Shagal

Showing in theatres near you

Kathmandu:

Yashraj movies are all about style, glitz and glamour and Jhoom Barabar Jhooom is no exception. The songs sequences share almost equal time as the rest of the scenes making it as much director Shaad Ali’s baby as it is choreographer Vaibahvi Merchant’s.

Two strangers Rikki Thukral (Abhishek Bachchan) and Alvira Khan (Preity Zinta) meet at a railway station where they have come to receive their fianceé and fiance respectively. Rikki is a Bhatinda-born smart Alec, who is into business of pirated CDs, real state, antiques, and second-hand fridge with his partner Huffy Bhai, while Alvira is a suave Pakistani girl who considers herself a hardcore British.

The movie is weak in terms of story and the focus is more on the styling of the characters, which has been done perfectly. Abhishek fits into his character like a glove. From the clothes to his dialect, from his dancing to his expressions, he has portrayed a typical street-smart Punjabi guy very convincingly.

Preity has nothing new to offer. Bobby Deol, who has come back after a long hiatus, does a decent job as a nerd who is a momma’s boy. However, it is Lara Dutta who surprises everyone with her performance — both as a sophisticated French-bred Manager of Ritz as well as a prostitute who cannot speak a sentence without swearing. She even overshadows Preity at times.

Abhishek’s comic timing, both his one-liners and expressions, saves the movie from being boring. Huffy bhai is another character that brings life to the scenes, especially the way he is shown giving advice.

Though a few sequences are a bit unreal and boring, Jhoom... picks up in the second half. It is also a relief that Shaad Ali hasn’t made a long climax like his last movie Bunty and Babli, however, one can get glimpses of the earlier movie.

Gulzar’s lyrics are hardly noticeable in Shankar-Eshaan-Loy’s music, which is more of the foot tapping than melodious. The choreography is good done in lavish and ornate sets.

So, if you want to enjoy funny moments and groovy dances (just that), then you can give it a shot.