Imtiaz Ali's Jab We Met is one of the most refreshing love stories made in recent times. It is a very simple, interesting and charming film about a heart-broken and serious guy who meets an extremely vivacious and talkative girl who gradually manages to change his perception of life and love. And then, the story turns over in a rather interesting way. The film works better in the first half, as it is more alluring and funny. It later turns into a mini-drama but still in a natural way with a lot of comedy and fun. The music is great and each song contributes to the film's mood in its own way. The film stars Shahid Kapoor in a greatly restrained and impressive act as Aditya, but it is Kareena Kapoor's film all the way. Her comic timing is top-notch, and she is charming, convincing and full of life as the unforgettable Geet. Later on she also provides some superbly acted dramatic scenes, which she plays with unusual restraint and depth. Jab We Met is a very memorable picture, extremely entertaining and uplifting, and definitely a must-see for those who enjoy pleasant, comic and romantic flicks.
126 Reviews
My faith has been restored !
Fatume25 September 2009
I love everything about Indian movies. Even if they sometimes come as unrealistic, but this movie is something different. I've had the misfortune of watching many movies that were either too unrealistic or too westernised which made them lose that special magical Indian touch.
This movie had that touch. Kareena proved that she can indeed act without over-acting and the chemistry between her and Shaheed was incredible. Shaheed also proved that he can be taken as a serious actor.
I loved the songs and the simplicity of the sets. there were no over-budgeted scenes of Indians living abroad. This movie was all in all Indian in its essence and that's what made it a big hit.
This movie had that touch. Kareena proved that she can indeed act without over-acting and the chemistry between her and Shaheed was incredible. Shaheed also proved that he can be taken as a serious actor.
I loved the songs and the simplicity of the sets. there were no over-budgeted scenes of Indians living abroad. This movie was all in all Indian in its essence and that's what made it a big hit.
Now that's entertainment!
namashi_131 March 2009
Imtiaz Ali's 'Jab We Met' is cinema at its best! One of the finest Romanctic love stories to come out of Indian Cinema. A simple story told in the most interesting and enjoyable manner. The film's first hour is enjoyable, the second is exactly the same. 'Jab We Met' holds your attention from almost start to end, leaving the viewer completely satisfied. The film was a success at the box office, and has remained to be a fan favorite. Thumbs up!
Songs: The sound-track is a brownie point. Tum Se Hi and Mauja Hi Mauja are superb songs.
Performances: Kareena Kapoor is outstanding. She got all the awards in the best actress category and she, without a doubt deserved them. Shahid Kapur is fantastic. He's natural from start to end. Pawan Malhotra and Dara Singh are good in supporting role. Samuya Tandon looks cute. Tarun Arora is adequate.
On the whole, 'Jab We Met' is a pure example of entertaining cinema. As said before, its one the finest romantic films to come out of Indian Cinema in years.
Songs: The sound-track is a brownie point. Tum Se Hi and Mauja Hi Mauja are superb songs.
Performances: Kareena Kapoor is outstanding. She got all the awards in the best actress category and she, without a doubt deserved them. Shahid Kapur is fantastic. He's natural from start to end. Pawan Malhotra and Dara Singh are good in supporting role. Samuya Tandon looks cute. Tarun Arora is adequate.
On the whole, 'Jab We Met' is a pure example of entertaining cinema. As said before, its one the finest romantic films to come out of Indian Cinema in years.
Kareena Kapoor is incredible!
jco4018 January 2008
I am new to Indian movies. But I think I have just fallen in love with Kareena Kapoor. Honestly, I think this actress is more charismatic than any of the big Hollywood or European names I know right now. Wouldn't be surprised if the whole world will soon know about her. Tell me if you know any American or European actress who can even start to level with her in terms of style and beauty - and most of all - charm. None! Because of her, this movie is one of the most endearing love stories I have ever seen. It just makes you fall in love - what better can you say about a romance? And I am not usually interested in these kinds of movies, plus this is only about the 5th bollywood movie I have ever seen.
So Sweet!
anirudh_shivaswamy19 March 2008
I have grown up watching so many Hindi flicks, which invariably are love stories by the way. However, there is something different about this movie which sets it apart from the usual stuff. It is fresh and young - something which is missing these days. The songs too keep playing in your head long after you've listened to them. In short, it is not a drag.
Both Shahid Kapur and Kareena seem to be at their peak in this movie. I don't know how to compare their roles in this movie to ones in their previous flicks, but I must admit that they make a good pair. Kareena's excessively talkative personality matches very nicely with Shahid's reserved character. There are no villains too.
It is a pity that Shahid and Kareena will not be starring together in the foreseeable future...Enjoy! (8/10)
Both Shahid Kapur and Kareena seem to be at their peak in this movie. I don't know how to compare their roles in this movie to ones in their previous flicks, but I must admit that they make a good pair. Kareena's excessively talkative personality matches very nicely with Shahid's reserved character. There are no villains too.
It is a pity that Shahid and Kareena will not be starring together in the foreseeable future...Enjoy! (8/10)
Jab We Met is the BEST!
qi_lau1 March 2008
Jab We Met is definitely one of the best movies I've seen so far. Everything is very nice about this movie, totally perfect.
My Reviews: Kareena Kapoor - She really impressed me with this movie. I love how the way she portrayed the lovable & talkative Geet to the sensitive & sad Geet on the second half. She is the life of the movie, no doubt.
Shahid Kapoor - We all know that Shahid is a good actor, but in this movie, we saw something different. We are used to see Shahid in chocolate, college stories, but Jab We Met proved that he can do serious roles without any problems.
Music: Mauja Hi Mauja would definitely my favorite. They saved the best for the last. Mauja Hi Mauja is the best song for the film. But for some reason, it reminded me of "Macarena" (a popular Spanglish song) and "Simarik" (a famous Turkish song).
Story: It's really a very predictable story, but I can say it's refreshing. Why? Most Bollywood movies have heroines that are very "damsel-in-distress" and have no relevance in the story. Jab We Met, on the other hand, has a female for a lead. You can see a woman's pain when she's heartbroken, which I can say is very realistic and I can totally relate to it.
Overall, 9/10 is my rating. Good movie, good actors, good story, good music. Very good. :)
My Reviews: Kareena Kapoor - She really impressed me with this movie. I love how the way she portrayed the lovable & talkative Geet to the sensitive & sad Geet on the second half. She is the life of the movie, no doubt.
Shahid Kapoor - We all know that Shahid is a good actor, but in this movie, we saw something different. We are used to see Shahid in chocolate, college stories, but Jab We Met proved that he can do serious roles without any problems.
Music: Mauja Hi Mauja would definitely my favorite. They saved the best for the last. Mauja Hi Mauja is the best song for the film. But for some reason, it reminded me of "Macarena" (a popular Spanglish song) and "Simarik" (a famous Turkish song).
Story: It's really a very predictable story, but I can say it's refreshing. Why? Most Bollywood movies have heroines that are very "damsel-in-distress" and have no relevance in the story. Jab We Met, on the other hand, has a female for a lead. You can see a woman's pain when she's heartbroken, which I can say is very realistic and I can totally relate to it.
Overall, 9/10 is my rating. Good movie, good actors, good story, good music. Very good. :)
As fresh as it can be
sam9s28 October 2007
If a director has courage and the guts to take an outdated story line and execute it to a perfection that is altogether to a new height; new level, the director seriously has got some talent. If you ask me a good/talented director is all you need to get the best out of everything; be it a story line, situation or performers. Same situation same actors has brought such a new , absolute fresh piece of cinema, which probably would have been another needle in the hack had it been directed by any run of the mill director. The store line is the usual girl meets boy on a journey moving towards their own destinations and eventually fall in love but again the execution is so damn superb and realistic that no situation in the movie looks out of place. The dialogs are sparkling despite being mature. The funny moments are truly funny and emotions look absolute real. U immediately relate to them. Over all the chemistry Imtiaz Ali (who directed soocha na tha) manages to built between the lead characters is stunning, absolute real, natural and believable, I have not seen (and I am sure people would agree) such a sweet and heart warming chemistry in any romantic couple for a loooong time. Music is good as well with 2 absolutely amazing romantic songs........"Tum he se" and "Aaoge jab tum". People specially couples whose heart throb with a universal feeling called love go and watch the movie, you would come out mesmerized by the romantic extravaganza.......trust me.
A Funny Little Film
m_shankar2026 October 2007
I was at a Punjabi wedding of one of my dear friends early this week. The folks there danced away the whole 3 days like there is no tomorrow. Lot of Jab We Met brought back all that even before the week ended.
There is so much life in some people we meet, they infuse faith back in it for us with their sheer presence. Geet is happy-go-lucky girl living life on her terms. Aditya is at the lowest ebb of his life. They meet and life changes for both of them.
Imtiaz Ali knows how to make small, endearing films. His characters are next door, his settings are small towns or cities and his stories are simple. He did it well with Socha Na Tha and Ahista Ahista. He hits bang on again with Jab We Met.
The casting is precise. I was pleasantly surprised to see Shahid mature up to his role and Kareena bring alive the lively Punjabi girl that she plays. Both of them then slipped into their role reversals with equal ease. Rest of the cast is equally good. I'd like to see more of Pawan Malhotra. He is a very talented actor but hardly seen around.
The background score sets an intriguing tone within minutes of the film starting. But it does not maintain that high standard throughout and averages out. The music, otherwise, has some romantic and bhangra numbers which won't stay on charts for long.
Jab We Met is an entertaining romantic comedy. Go and enjoy it.
There is so much life in some people we meet, they infuse faith back in it for us with their sheer presence. Geet is happy-go-lucky girl living life on her terms. Aditya is at the lowest ebb of his life. They meet and life changes for both of them.
Imtiaz Ali knows how to make small, endearing films. His characters are next door, his settings are small towns or cities and his stories are simple. He did it well with Socha Na Tha and Ahista Ahista. He hits bang on again with Jab We Met.
The casting is precise. I was pleasantly surprised to see Shahid mature up to his role and Kareena bring alive the lively Punjabi girl that she plays. Both of them then slipped into their role reversals with equal ease. Rest of the cast is equally good. I'd like to see more of Pawan Malhotra. He is a very talented actor but hardly seen around.
The background score sets an intriguing tone within minutes of the film starting. But it does not maintain that high standard throughout and averages out. The music, otherwise, has some romantic and bhangra numbers which won't stay on charts for long.
Jab We Met is an entertaining romantic comedy. Go and enjoy it.
Excellent Movie, Great Plot, direction and songs.
mmkay04405 November 2007
So i basically made an IMDb account just because i wanted to comment on this movie. Its great, a very good mix of business and life (im a business student) and it teaches so much about life. I recommend this movie to everyone. The plot is excellent, a bit predictable just like any Hindi movie , but the way the story goes is great. The humor is great, although some of my friends complained of it being a bit dry, but you need an open mind to enjoy it and look beyond the obvious. The songs are beautiful, has an ending item song which is a great dance mix. Has soft songs (atif aslam style), a punjabi song (bhangra style) and pretty much its a complete movie for everyone.
A great Family Movie and A Great Date Movie.
A great Family Movie and A Great Date Movie.
A Cute Romantic-Comedy
Uriah4327 November 2021
Devasted by the news that his recently widowed mother has decided to remarry and that his fiancé has chosen another man to wed, a wealthy businessman by the name of "Aditya D. Kashyap" (Shahid Kapoor) boards a train in Mumbai to get away from it all. He doesn't know where the train is heading and doesn't really care. He just wants to be left alone and, in his misery, even contemplates suicide while on the train. It's during this time that he happens to meet a young woman by the name of "Geet Kaur Dhillon" (Kareena Kapoor) who is not only extremely talkative but also radiates a positive personality as well. To that extent, she even suggests that he travels with her to her small village in order to marry her younger sister "Roop Kaur Dhillon" (Saumya Tandon) at the same time she elopes with her secret boyfriend "Anshuman" (Pawan Malhotra) so that the two of them can be related by law. Needless to say, Aditya thinks she is completely insane but when the two of them temporarily disembark from the train-and subsequently become stranded in another village--he finds himself becoming more enmeshed in her crazy scheme. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I stumbled upon this film quite by accident and I didn't know whether I would like it or not. To my surprise, I found it to be a really cute romantic-comedy which passed the time extremely well. I especially liked the performances of both Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapooro who played their parts quite well and seemed to enjoy working with one another. That being said, I enjoyed this film and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.
.Imtaz Ali is Hrishikesh Mukherjee of modern times....
bollywoodplusplus11 November 2007
Remember Hrishida's movies? We laughed with it, loved it, because he created the characters who we could relate. You look around, these characters are in one of your friends. Imtiaz Ali is in the same league. The characters, the shots, the sets, the train, the bus - we have been there! We have lived them.
And he creates a gem incorporating these elements. It is humour in pure form! It will brighten you up, no matter how grumpy you may be feeling! I think this is one of the loveliest movie of the year. Pure, unadulterated fun! The strength of the movie is in its script, and in its characters, esp that of Kreena Kpoor (try saying that, you know what I mean) - yeah - Ms Kapoor is in her elements. She plays the role of sikhni convincingly! The lingo, the body language, the attitude, she is 100%! Kareena Kapoor 2.0 (that's what I call post Chameli) rocks! Every movie, she surprises with histrionics, that is very few in current Bollywood can match! And what a transformation from Omkara's Dolly? That's real actress right there! Shahid Kapoor... mmmm, could improve in the acting dept. If I were to choose, I would choose someone like Shreyas Talpade for this role. Shahid has definitely matured as an actor from his chocolate-boy image, but still leaves something to be desired.
In my opinion, the comedy is one of the most difficult of the genres. To execute it well without sounding cheap, or going overboard, or cheesy, is not really easy. Imtiaz Ali, in this case does justice to two most important depts, Writing & Direction! A word about music: Pritam brings a fresh set of music, some of it grows on you after listening few times. Definitely I am not talking of the radio-friendly Mauja Hi Mauja, which is tailor-made for music video channels. Songs like Aao Milo Chalo, Tum Se Hi are real nice pop or soft-rockish tunes. Sandesh Shandilya shares the burden on Aaoge Jab Tum, and Rashid Khan does a fine job on the vocals. On Tum Se Hi, watch out for Ustad Sultan Khan's ever soulful crooning.
I still give it a 8/10 because Shahid Kapoor's acting has rooms for improvement, the second half has rooms for editing and making it more compact. But the movie is worth watching just for Kareena Kapoor's acting! Way to go Imtiaz Ali!
And he creates a gem incorporating these elements. It is humour in pure form! It will brighten you up, no matter how grumpy you may be feeling! I think this is one of the loveliest movie of the year. Pure, unadulterated fun! The strength of the movie is in its script, and in its characters, esp that of Kreena Kpoor (try saying that, you know what I mean) - yeah - Ms Kapoor is in her elements. She plays the role of sikhni convincingly! The lingo, the body language, the attitude, she is 100%! Kareena Kapoor 2.0 (that's what I call post Chameli) rocks! Every movie, she surprises with histrionics, that is very few in current Bollywood can match! And what a transformation from Omkara's Dolly? That's real actress right there! Shahid Kapoor... mmmm, could improve in the acting dept. If I were to choose, I would choose someone like Shreyas Talpade for this role. Shahid has definitely matured as an actor from his chocolate-boy image, but still leaves something to be desired.
In my opinion, the comedy is one of the most difficult of the genres. To execute it well without sounding cheap, or going overboard, or cheesy, is not really easy. Imtiaz Ali, in this case does justice to two most important depts, Writing & Direction! A word about music: Pritam brings a fresh set of music, some of it grows on you after listening few times. Definitely I am not talking of the radio-friendly Mauja Hi Mauja, which is tailor-made for music video channels. Songs like Aao Milo Chalo, Tum Se Hi are real nice pop or soft-rockish tunes. Sandesh Shandilya shares the burden on Aaoge Jab Tum, and Rashid Khan does a fine job on the vocals. On Tum Se Hi, watch out for Ustad Sultan Khan's ever soulful crooning.
I still give it a 8/10 because Shahid Kapoor's acting has rooms for improvement, the second half has rooms for editing and making it more compact. But the movie is worth watching just for Kareena Kapoor's acting! Way to go Imtiaz Ali!
Surprisingly good, unlike most of the love stories
sashank_kini-15 November 2007
None from my family were that keen about this film. I myself preferred watching a movie directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali instead of this and didn't pay much heed to this film. 'Another love story' I thought because, even though Sanjay's film too are love stories, they have a delightful charm in them which make them stupendous.
I was taken aback after the critics gave this film a 4 out of 5 stars and then, my family decided to watch this movie on the big screen. I yet was ambivalent whether it would live up to my expectations, after watching preposterously bad films like Dhol, Muskaan etc.
I myself admit that I am harsh as a critic and most of my reviews, whether bollywood or Hollywood, are somewhat criticizing the film in some or the other way. I never go with very high expectations, just as a 'normal person', without any feelings to review my feelings after watching the movie and after I left the theater, I was happy and that meant, that the movie was good.
I am afraid that I might give away some important details of the movie deliberately; therefore, I am not going into the story details. I will first mention the points that I liked in the movie:
1) The performances of both the lead characters were strong. Shahid as the 'jeevan see hara hua' man and Kareena as the 'sweet, bumbling but annoying chatterbox' are at top notch in this movie and their chemistry is clearly visible. Shahid, thank God, is portraying a much matured role in this film unlike his other movies and Kareena is just Kareena with great acting.
2) The humor was good in this film. Karrena has good comedy timing while Shahid's expressions just makes anyone laugh, especially in the first half. I even liked the character who plays Kareena's boy friend as he was really funny and it was humorous to watch him get agitated by you'll know when you watch the movie.
3) The first half was really good, witty and humorous as the audience didn't get bored or didn't feel to leave their seats.
4) The songs were a mixture of catchy and melodious. 'Mauja MAuja' and 'Yeh Ishq hai' were really good songs while the others too were decent.
Now, in one paragraph, I will explain the flaws in this movie. I coudn't understand Dara Singh's role at all nor was he funny. The camera effects were not amazing and I felt that the editing was somewhat odd and glitchy. I suddenly realized that the characters were in another place. One or two of the scenes looked as if they were taken from another movie and pasted into this movie. Some of the jokes too were childish and a bit loud. The second part was dragging and you felt as if it was monotonous, that is, if you compare it with the first part.
Overall, it was a relief to watch this movie as I was relieved from a state of shock after watching the abominable film Dhol. But I didn't feel that I could watch it for the second tome immediately after leaving the theater and even after a few days after watching the film. 7 out of 10.
I was taken aback after the critics gave this film a 4 out of 5 stars and then, my family decided to watch this movie on the big screen. I yet was ambivalent whether it would live up to my expectations, after watching preposterously bad films like Dhol, Muskaan etc.
I myself admit that I am harsh as a critic and most of my reviews, whether bollywood or Hollywood, are somewhat criticizing the film in some or the other way. I never go with very high expectations, just as a 'normal person', without any feelings to review my feelings after watching the movie and after I left the theater, I was happy and that meant, that the movie was good.
I am afraid that I might give away some important details of the movie deliberately; therefore, I am not going into the story details. I will first mention the points that I liked in the movie:
1) The performances of both the lead characters were strong. Shahid as the 'jeevan see hara hua' man and Kareena as the 'sweet, bumbling but annoying chatterbox' are at top notch in this movie and their chemistry is clearly visible. Shahid, thank God, is portraying a much matured role in this film unlike his other movies and Kareena is just Kareena with great acting.
2) The humor was good in this film. Karrena has good comedy timing while Shahid's expressions just makes anyone laugh, especially in the first half. I even liked the character who plays Kareena's boy friend as he was really funny and it was humorous to watch him get agitated by you'll know when you watch the movie.
3) The first half was really good, witty and humorous as the audience didn't get bored or didn't feel to leave their seats.
4) The songs were a mixture of catchy and melodious. 'Mauja MAuja' and 'Yeh Ishq hai' were really good songs while the others too were decent.
Now, in one paragraph, I will explain the flaws in this movie. I coudn't understand Dara Singh's role at all nor was he funny. The camera effects were not amazing and I felt that the editing was somewhat odd and glitchy. I suddenly realized that the characters were in another place. One or two of the scenes looked as if they were taken from another movie and pasted into this movie. Some of the jokes too were childish and a bit loud. The second part was dragging and you felt as if it was monotonous, that is, if you compare it with the first part.
Overall, it was a relief to watch this movie as I was relieved from a state of shock after watching the abominable film Dhol. But I didn't feel that I could watch it for the second tome immediately after leaving the theater and even after a few days after watching the film. 7 out of 10.
Hollywood "influence" once again
faltoomasti30 September 2021
'Jab We Watch' it , we are totally entertained
cybersupam26 October 2007
This is an interesting romantic and funny movie from Imtiaz Ali Khan once again after Socha Na Tha, and it fulfilled my long waiting desires to watch it. Imtiaz is going on in his improvement to produce every time a better movie. And it should inspire all the directors of his genre. The scenes have been mostly shot at outdoor spots like Chandigarh, Kulu, Manali and Shimla, and this entertains us as if we are experiencing ourselves a real tour. Again and again seeing daily studio scenes made the eyes wounded and fed up the mind. And thats why it's a nice pick up at nice time.
Although the storyline is not that new with the old movies as a boy meets girl and slowly fall in love but the way Imtiaz presented each and every scenes are worth to watch. From the beginning to the end I personally enjoyed the whole movie, and happy to spend some amount of bucks on it. After Shikhar this is second time in which Shahid has proved that he has all the required potentialities to become a genius actor one day. But I was damn irritated by Kareena's irritating and annoying much chatty and talkative role. But still then, beside this the whole story became a sweet and funny love story. For Shahid's lovers and fans, you must have got something relaxed after watching this unique love story (just like ME!!!).
Although the storyline is not that new with the old movies as a boy meets girl and slowly fall in love but the way Imtiaz presented each and every scenes are worth to watch. From the beginning to the end I personally enjoyed the whole movie, and happy to spend some amount of bucks on it. After Shikhar this is second time in which Shahid has proved that he has all the required potentialities to become a genius actor one day. But I was damn irritated by Kareena's irritating and annoying much chatty and talkative role. But still then, beside this the whole story became a sweet and funny love story. For Shahid's lovers and fans, you must have got something relaxed after watching this unique love story (just like ME!!!).
Shahid n Kareena are wonderful pair....
srivardhanms18 December 2007
Inspite of some frivolous mistakes the movie is worth watching once... Shahid has a decent look n more over the spectacle he wears throughout the movie suits him perfectly... coming to the story... Its an ordinary love story scripted differently... Aditya(Shahid kapoor) son of a successful industrialist is dumped by his girlfriend. Depressed aditya attempt suicide by jumping fro train... but Gita(kareena kapoor) stops him... later a series of events occurs resulting in landing of Aditya at Gita's house... Durin this period Aditya learns to take things easily n Gita teaches him to listen to his heart more often n do rather than what has to be done n not to think much bout result... Gita's marriage is fixed with her childhood friend... But Gita is hell bent upon not marrying him,so she tells aditya abt her plans of running away from the house uninformed.aditya initially opposes but later helps her in doing the act. .. Aditya leaves Gita at Manali where her Boyfriend lives... Aditya returning to his normal life achieves thunderous success having learnt the "art of living" from gita... ... But what happens to Gita? Is she happy with whatever decision she took?? watch the movie for answer... Climax is as expected... Music is wonderful... Cinematography is good... Shahid and Kareen are wonderful...
A movie thats much more than a movie
karmakar-rohini19 January 2014
Movies are as much a part of my life as Dal- chawal (rice and pulses) but I can't remember having been as insanely in love with any other bollywood/Hollywood/Tollywood movie as this one and if at all, this love affair has only intensified over the years. That doesn't mean, there haven't been better movies, or the actors in Jab We Met haven't given better performances elsewhere. It only means, somewhere in those 2.5 hours, Jab We Met metamorphoses into something far more substantial than just a movie. On the surface, its a simple story of a guy and a girl but if u dive deep enough, it is a heartwarming assortment of stories, about losing and finding love, about internal and external journeys, about forgetting and rediscovering oneself, about letting go with a smile and above all about finding hope in despair. I won't go into the details of the plot, screenplay, acting,direction or any such technical aspect. You will find plenty of people telling you about that. I can only tell you how i can speak every single dialog, having repeated them a million times in my head, or how I can hum those songs which cheer me every time I feel alone. One little thing though, I can't articulate is how Aditya and Geet stay in my heart permanently and keep telling me once in a while.... "Go listen to your heart, everything will be fine then."
Sweet fun
lastlooklove22 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Jab We Met is one of my favorite films! It promises a fresh, clean, and sweet experience.
Some flaws is how Kareena Kapoor was behaving in the first few scenes of the movie. I felt like slapping her, but she was playing her part as your typical Punjabi kuri. Thankfully she changed later on.
Kareena Kapoor has come a long way as an actress and this is coming from somebody who used to hate her! First she did teeny bopper type roles, but she is now moving to more intelligent, mature roles. This really was the perfect role and I'm very happy for her that she won so many awards because she deserved each and every award.
Overall, this is a clean movie I can watch with my family over and over again!
Some flaws is how Kareena Kapoor was behaving in the first few scenes of the movie. I felt like slapping her, but she was playing her part as your typical Punjabi kuri. Thankfully she changed later on.
Kareena Kapoor has come a long way as an actress and this is coming from somebody who used to hate her! First she did teeny bopper type roles, but she is now moving to more intelligent, mature roles. This really was the perfect role and I'm very happy for her that she won so many awards because she deserved each and every award.
Overall, this is a clean movie I can watch with my family over and over again!
BollySpice.com JWM Review by Prathna Tiwari
witlesswriter8 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Jab We Met is without a doubt the finest work of cinema that has hit the screens since Chak De India. Sure it doesn't have a Khan in the titles but it sure as heck has two very talented Kapoors. It is not often that you see a movie that is so real yet so extraordinary. JWM provides this rare moment.
Aditya Kashyap (Shahid Kapoor) is the most despondent person that one can encounter - a millionaire with a tumultuous life. Hailing from a broken family and after his father's death, he is running a failing business and the icing - he has just been jilted by the "love of hislife". Geet (Kareena Kapoor), 'Bhatinda's Sikhani' is the curious, playful and annoyingly upbeat and chatty chick. She is returning home to Bhatinda, after her doing her degree in Mumbai, to a very large, loving and protective Punjabi family. The two meet on an unexpectedly when a hopeless Adi is on a train, heading nowhere. Geet's fiery and cheery persona at first annoys Adi to the point of insanity but when he looks much closer he sees that there is a lot to be learnt from Geet. In her nosy yet helpful manner, Geet, stupidly misses her train back to Bhatinda. The blame goes to Adi and thus Geet swears that she will not let him escape until Aditya, himself, drops her home. Geet is going to meet her family before putting her genius plan into action - which is to elope with her non-Sikh boyfriend.
The story is not something out of the ordinary. Many such scripts have been subjects of experimentation but not until this film, has a director succeeded in finally capturing the essence of such a love story.
JWM stands for everything Indian cinema has long forgotten - simple story lines crafted with an Indian backdrop, soul and essence. It's a refreshing experience to take a journey with characters so Indian and most importantly a journey that's in India, which has decreased with the new flock of 'filmmakers'.
The script remains flawless with no 'out there' features. If you had to scrutinise the screenplay, the only flaw would be that the songs, "Aaoge Jab Tum" and "Yeh Ishq Hai" should have had less screen time.
Almost every scene has something outstanding about it - from cinematography to dialogue to performances. However if you had to pinpoint scenes then it would be two of Shahid's scenes. The first would be his introductory dialogue scene with Kareena on the train when they first meet and the second, where Shahid meets Kareena after nine months apart.
Usually it's the cast and director who receive all the accolades but there are two people who should be applauded for making JWM such a fantastic movie.
The first would be Imtiaz Ali, the multi-talented writer-director-screenwriter and second, Aarti Kashyap, the amazing editor. The two managed to make the impossible possible climax that is not a bore. Usually in such stories climaxes are full of tears, embraces, slow motion shots and prolonged melodramatic dialogues that when the actors finish delivering, audiences are fast asleep. As the story unfolds, one would think that this too will have an extended climax. But it doesn't. It's sweet, simple and you leave the cinema satisfied, if not on a high. NB: Despite being an appropriate climax, it isn't a rushed or a haphazard climax and answers any questions asked.
Cinematographer, S Natarajan Subramaniam, needs to be congratulated for creating a movie that is absolutely 'real'. The cinematography is a perfect combination of classy yet realistic. It doesn't look cheap or opulent. Not many movies are so perfectly captured. For JWM this style of cinematography was a necessity, as it worked conjunction with the style of storytelling and characters.
And at last we get to the performances. Where to begin? Let's start with the show-stealer - Shahid Kapoor. Saying that he has grown from strength-to-strength is an understatement. The actor simply blows you away. Dialogues delivered flawlessly, expressions that are priceless and with a fresh mature look that is to die for (especially in the 'Mauja Mauja' song sequence). It's hard to believe that such a knock-out performance was delivered by someone who is only 4 yrs old in the film industry. JWM is his best work to date. This is, hopefully, a reflection of what is to come.
Kareena Kapoor appears in an unseen persona. Sure, she has been the "crazy" girl in many of her previous films but never has she made transitions between a "crazy" and "normal" girl so beautifully. She just might be the saving grace of Bollywood at a time when there is a shortage of actresses, in the true sense of the word. The only flaw in her performance would be the slight overacting in one or two scene. However, like Shahid, Kareena has also performed one of her most memorable roles to date.
To sum up the fabulous film that is JWM, is that would this is a film that needs to be studied by the students of cinema and filmmakers of Bollywood. The movie teaches a valuable lesson which is that you don't need an "out of this world" script in order to make an "out of this world" movie. This one is without a doubt, one of the true gems of Indian cinema.
Aditya Kashyap (Shahid Kapoor) is the most despondent person that one can encounter - a millionaire with a tumultuous life. Hailing from a broken family and after his father's death, he is running a failing business and the icing - he has just been jilted by the "love of hislife". Geet (Kareena Kapoor), 'Bhatinda's Sikhani' is the curious, playful and annoyingly upbeat and chatty chick. She is returning home to Bhatinda, after her doing her degree in Mumbai, to a very large, loving and protective Punjabi family. The two meet on an unexpectedly when a hopeless Adi is on a train, heading nowhere. Geet's fiery and cheery persona at first annoys Adi to the point of insanity but when he looks much closer he sees that there is a lot to be learnt from Geet. In her nosy yet helpful manner, Geet, stupidly misses her train back to Bhatinda. The blame goes to Adi and thus Geet swears that she will not let him escape until Aditya, himself, drops her home. Geet is going to meet her family before putting her genius plan into action - which is to elope with her non-Sikh boyfriend.
The story is not something out of the ordinary. Many such scripts have been subjects of experimentation but not until this film, has a director succeeded in finally capturing the essence of such a love story.
JWM stands for everything Indian cinema has long forgotten - simple story lines crafted with an Indian backdrop, soul and essence. It's a refreshing experience to take a journey with characters so Indian and most importantly a journey that's in India, which has decreased with the new flock of 'filmmakers'.
The script remains flawless with no 'out there' features. If you had to scrutinise the screenplay, the only flaw would be that the songs, "Aaoge Jab Tum" and "Yeh Ishq Hai" should have had less screen time.
Almost every scene has something outstanding about it - from cinematography to dialogue to performances. However if you had to pinpoint scenes then it would be two of Shahid's scenes. The first would be his introductory dialogue scene with Kareena on the train when they first meet and the second, where Shahid meets Kareena after nine months apart.
Usually it's the cast and director who receive all the accolades but there are two people who should be applauded for making JWM such a fantastic movie.
The first would be Imtiaz Ali, the multi-talented writer-director-screenwriter and second, Aarti Kashyap, the amazing editor. The two managed to make the impossible possible climax that is not a bore. Usually in such stories climaxes are full of tears, embraces, slow motion shots and prolonged melodramatic dialogues that when the actors finish delivering, audiences are fast asleep. As the story unfolds, one would think that this too will have an extended climax. But it doesn't. It's sweet, simple and you leave the cinema satisfied, if not on a high. NB: Despite being an appropriate climax, it isn't a rushed or a haphazard climax and answers any questions asked.
Cinematographer, S Natarajan Subramaniam, needs to be congratulated for creating a movie that is absolutely 'real'. The cinematography is a perfect combination of classy yet realistic. It doesn't look cheap or opulent. Not many movies are so perfectly captured. For JWM this style of cinematography was a necessity, as it worked conjunction with the style of storytelling and characters.
And at last we get to the performances. Where to begin? Let's start with the show-stealer - Shahid Kapoor. Saying that he has grown from strength-to-strength is an understatement. The actor simply blows you away. Dialogues delivered flawlessly, expressions that are priceless and with a fresh mature look that is to die for (especially in the 'Mauja Mauja' song sequence). It's hard to believe that such a knock-out performance was delivered by someone who is only 4 yrs old in the film industry. JWM is his best work to date. This is, hopefully, a reflection of what is to come.
Kareena Kapoor appears in an unseen persona. Sure, she has been the "crazy" girl in many of her previous films but never has she made transitions between a "crazy" and "normal" girl so beautifully. She just might be the saving grace of Bollywood at a time when there is a shortage of actresses, in the true sense of the word. The only flaw in her performance would be the slight overacting in one or two scene. However, like Shahid, Kareena has also performed one of her most memorable roles to date.
To sum up the fabulous film that is JWM, is that would this is a film that needs to be studied by the students of cinema and filmmakers of Bollywood. The movie teaches a valuable lesson which is that you don't need an "out of this world" script in order to make an "out of this world" movie. This one is without a doubt, one of the true gems of Indian cinema.
Good I Saw....
kooleshwar15 December 2007
When this movie actually knocked off a few shows of the high profile Saawariya I knew I had to see it, the reviews were very good as well and i must confess i had unnecessarily high expectations from this movie.
The first thing that struck me about this movie was Kareena Kapoor, I've never really liked her, but the moment i saw her climb the train i was smitten, the non-bitchy look really works for her, and i must confess my opinion of her after this movie has completely changed, she looked superb and her acting was very good as well, HER LOUD TALKATIVE CHARACTER ENDEARED MOST OF THE TIMES BUT THERE WERE TIMES IT GOT ON THE NERVES AS WELL (may have been intentional).
THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS IS COMPLETELY HER MOVIE, shahid makes very good attempts at making this film his but there is no doubt who will walk away with all the kudos.
The movie starts quite well and at a good pace, the hotel decent sequence was particularly brilliant, as were most scenes with the family throughout the movie.
The entire cast including does very well with very good casting specially of the family, nobody really had much of a role except shahid and kareena but each and everyone does a good job in their limited roles.
The movie really loses out is towards the later part of the second half, the reconciliation scene between the 2, the useless song, and the extra long stretched out sequence before the light dawns on Kareena was particularly excruciating though surprisingly un-melodramatic, still this is clearly the weakest part of the movie and what brings down the ratings.
The humour and the 2 main protagonists are clearly the hallmarks of this movie, but what also endears is the lack of melodrama even the climax of the movie which is tailor made for tears had none of them, the kiss was unnecessary considering most of us have scene photos/mms of a much more passionate kiss between the two, hehahaha.
The cinematography of this movie was also very good, the filmmakers were equally adept at capturing the small town station, as they were with the haveli, and the mountains.THE LACK OF FOREIGN LOCALES WAS PARTICULARLY GOOD, AND THIS MOVIE CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF India IS MORE THAT ADEQUATE. Indeed the mountains and its people looked brilliant, im sure thats where im going for my next vacation.
I am an "in the closet" romantic comedy lover (obviously ill deny it later), and although i give it full marks for the lack of melodrama ((which is most undesirable for me), the over stretched ending was still very bad.
IF you keep the right expectations unlike me and maybe even pay lesser rates like me than this movie is a clear winner, watch it on TV or DVD and you cant go wrong.
-s the end and nothing but the end.
+/-s kareena did annoy sometimes.
+s Kareena Kapoor, less melodrama, good comedy, nice small movie feel, great acting all around.
total 7/'0 (just fell below expectations that may have been too high but don't want to spoil others experience by giving it a higher rating).
The first thing that struck me about this movie was Kareena Kapoor, I've never really liked her, but the moment i saw her climb the train i was smitten, the non-bitchy look really works for her, and i must confess my opinion of her after this movie has completely changed, she looked superb and her acting was very good as well, HER LOUD TALKATIVE CHARACTER ENDEARED MOST OF THE TIMES BUT THERE WERE TIMES IT GOT ON THE NERVES AS WELL (may have been intentional).
THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS IS COMPLETELY HER MOVIE, shahid makes very good attempts at making this film his but there is no doubt who will walk away with all the kudos.
The movie starts quite well and at a good pace, the hotel decent sequence was particularly brilliant, as were most scenes with the family throughout the movie.
The entire cast including does very well with very good casting specially of the family, nobody really had much of a role except shahid and kareena but each and everyone does a good job in their limited roles.
The movie really loses out is towards the later part of the second half, the reconciliation scene between the 2, the useless song, and the extra long stretched out sequence before the light dawns on Kareena was particularly excruciating though surprisingly un-melodramatic, still this is clearly the weakest part of the movie and what brings down the ratings.
The humour and the 2 main protagonists are clearly the hallmarks of this movie, but what also endears is the lack of melodrama even the climax of the movie which is tailor made for tears had none of them, the kiss was unnecessary considering most of us have scene photos/mms of a much more passionate kiss between the two, hehahaha.
The cinematography of this movie was also very good, the filmmakers were equally adept at capturing the small town station, as they were with the haveli, and the mountains.THE LACK OF FOREIGN LOCALES WAS PARTICULARLY GOOD, AND THIS MOVIE CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF India IS MORE THAT ADEQUATE. Indeed the mountains and its people looked brilliant, im sure thats where im going for my next vacation.
I am an "in the closet" romantic comedy lover (obviously ill deny it later), and although i give it full marks for the lack of melodrama ((which is most undesirable for me), the over stretched ending was still very bad.
IF you keep the right expectations unlike me and maybe even pay lesser rates like me than this movie is a clear winner, watch it on TV or DVD and you cant go wrong.
-s the end and nothing but the end.
+/-s kareena did annoy sometimes.
+s Kareena Kapoor, less melodrama, good comedy, nice small movie feel, great acting all around.
total 7/'0 (just fell below expectations that may have been too high but don't want to spoil others experience by giving it a higher rating).
Only Imtiaz can do it
rikuroy10 July 2019
In 2007 Shahid and Kareena were very much in love, and anyone can feel that sparkling chemistry between them in this movie. In case of Imtiaz Ali, he always love to experiment with this kind of real life romantic bonds. Along with that he will always show his deep affectation of mountains and road trips in his movies like he did with this one. It will remain a classic romantic movie in the decades to come for its unique comedy and musics also.
Sweet rom-com
shreya-904174 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Beginning is excellent as Kareena's superb dialogues literally will lead to a laughing riot. Her natural acting blended with perfect comic timing is a huge plus for the movie. Although Shahid Kapoor tried to emulate the depressed Aditya Kashyap's role well it becomes a bit too exaggerated in the later part of the movie.
The second half is too lengthy and has a lot of loopholes. Too much focus on Geet & Anshuman's relationship makes the story a tad boring. However, the liplock between Geet and Aditya in the end steals the show. I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent comedy that was portrayed by all the characters precisely.
Overall, a fine touch of romantic comedy feel is what you get after watching this movie.
entertaining Indian screwball comedy powered by Kareena Kapoor
cherold14 October 2019
In Jab We Met, a heartbroken guy meets a wacky, headstrong girl on a train who upends his life as she drags him into her adventures.
Kareena Kapoor is hilarious as the wacky girl. Her endless monologue to the guy is long-winded prattle that is both annoying and charming. She is the equivalent of characters like Katherine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby; a madcap who irritates and fascinates the guy she has swept into her tornado.
The movie bounces along effortlessly for the first couple of hours, with scenery, chemistry, and pleasant but generally forgettable musical interludes, but gets a little messy in the final third. Kapoor's actions go a little beyond wacky, a lot of very unlikely things happen, motivations seem arbitrary and it's all a reminder of why American screwball comedies stay well under 2 hours.
In spite of a shaky and somewhat peculiar (or just so Indian-specific that a westerner like me doesn't get it?) final hour, overall this is a charming, funny, and romantic movie well worth watching.
Kareena Kapoor is hilarious as the wacky girl. Her endless monologue to the guy is long-winded prattle that is both annoying and charming. She is the equivalent of characters like Katherine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby; a madcap who irritates and fascinates the guy she has swept into her tornado.
The movie bounces along effortlessly for the first couple of hours, with scenery, chemistry, and pleasant but generally forgettable musical interludes, but gets a little messy in the final third. Kapoor's actions go a little beyond wacky, a lot of very unlikely things happen, motivations seem arbitrary and it's all a reminder of why American screwball comedies stay well under 2 hours.
In spite of a shaky and somewhat peculiar (or just so Indian-specific that a westerner like me doesn't get it?) final hour, overall this is a charming, funny, and romantic movie well worth watching.
Nice entertainer
manoj-ransing13 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
'Jab we met' is one of the typical Bollywood entertainer, where first half is full of comedy while second half full of drama. But the good thing is that the movie makes the audience tickles. And it's really unfortunate that now when Karina and Shaheed chemistry looking good, they are separated.
The movie starts with the character of Aditya Kashyap (Shaheed Kapur) running away from his responsibilities giving away hopes in life. And the in the journey he met with Geet (Kareen Kapur), whose destination is Matinda. Geet is a jolly young girl who leaves in her own dream world, and follows her heart everywhere. The things happen in such a way that Aditya gives company to Geet to her house, and also helps her to run away from her house and to find her true love Anshuman (Tarun Arora). All these situations changes the perception of Aditya to see the world, and he too started to follow his heart and face the challenges rather than avoiding those. He finds out that there is more to see in the world than just meet the eyes. But on other side, Anshuman refuses Geet and Geet gets shattered. Now it is for Aditya to bring back Geet in her life.
The second attempt of the director Imtiaz Ali 'Jab we met' in first half hour puts some expectation and at the end succeeds in meeting those. The scenes in first half are impressive, funny and achieve the desired effects. The second half though predictable and not so excite at least put the audience on chair. Even though some scenes are a bit stretched far from reality they do not break the speed of the movie. E.g. the second time Geet miss the train due to her stupidity, makes us think whether the girls are really these stupid? Music without any doubt has scored points in this movie. The songs are not only good to hear and see but also occurs at proper points in the movie, and do not give the feeling that they are bombarded on us. Acting wise, the lead actors Shaheed and Kareena had done a very good and admirable job. Shaheed looks good in serious roles than in jolly roles. And he now days he is improving fast. Kareena I guess by now is enough mature to understand the depth of the characters she does.
Over and all 'jab we met' is a good experience. Though the concept and theme is not new, the execution is sweet and cute. You won't regret watching this one.
The movie starts with the character of Aditya Kashyap (Shaheed Kapur) running away from his responsibilities giving away hopes in life. And the in the journey he met with Geet (Kareen Kapur), whose destination is Matinda. Geet is a jolly young girl who leaves in her own dream world, and follows her heart everywhere. The things happen in such a way that Aditya gives company to Geet to her house, and also helps her to run away from her house and to find her true love Anshuman (Tarun Arora). All these situations changes the perception of Aditya to see the world, and he too started to follow his heart and face the challenges rather than avoiding those. He finds out that there is more to see in the world than just meet the eyes. But on other side, Anshuman refuses Geet and Geet gets shattered. Now it is for Aditya to bring back Geet in her life.
The second attempt of the director Imtiaz Ali 'Jab we met' in first half hour puts some expectation and at the end succeeds in meeting those. The scenes in first half are impressive, funny and achieve the desired effects. The second half though predictable and not so excite at least put the audience on chair. Even though some scenes are a bit stretched far from reality they do not break the speed of the movie. E.g. the second time Geet miss the train due to her stupidity, makes us think whether the girls are really these stupid? Music without any doubt has scored points in this movie. The songs are not only good to hear and see but also occurs at proper points in the movie, and do not give the feeling that they are bombarded on us. Acting wise, the lead actors Shaheed and Kareena had done a very good and admirable job. Shaheed looks good in serious roles than in jolly roles. And he now days he is improving fast. Kareena I guess by now is enough mature to understand the depth of the characters she does.
Over and all 'jab we met' is a good experience. Though the concept and theme is not new, the execution is sweet and cute. You won't regret watching this one.
Jab we never should have met
Gloria_Maddox2 November 2007
This is one of the worst movies ever. I never thought Kareena could act so bad! Shahid will never be a man, he'll always remain a boy, no matter how often he tries to grow a beard. The boy has never acted. The leads lack chemistry. The supporting characters are annoying big time!
This is one sick waste of time and those pathetic critics who are praising it! Shame on them! It's as bad (if not worse) than Bull Bulaiyya. How could the director think that this will be called a good movie? The plot is obviously another Bollywood ripoff. Kareena should win worst actress for this. The songs are better forgotten. Why only the songs, the whole stupid film is better forgotten.
This is one sick waste of time and those pathetic critics who are praising it! Shame on them! It's as bad (if not worse) than Bull Bulaiyya. How could the director think that this will be called a good movie? The plot is obviously another Bollywood ripoff. Kareena should win worst actress for this. The songs are better forgotten. Why only the songs, the whole stupid film is better forgotten.
Go on this journey from Mumbai to Bhatinda!!
HeadleyLamarr2 December 2007
A good-looking and incredibly rich man (Shahid Kapor) is dumped by his girlfriend, and is down in the dumps. He leaves his Mercedes on the street and wanders about, then jumps on to the first train he sees. A good-looking fast talking Punjabi kudi (Kareena Kapoor) hops on to same train and talks non-stop, even in her sleep, driving the moping hero to brink of insanity. He hops off, she hops off to help him get back on, misses the train, and thus begins a madcap journey from Bombay to Bhatinda. Sound improbable? Hackneyed? Forget all that and go on this most enjoyable journey with Kareena and Shahid. Shahid has a long way to go before he can be an actor of any note, and his chocolate boy looks require much more than a pair of glasses to be toned down, but by the end of it you feel that it was not a bad effort. Kareena has finally come into her own as an actress, first as the very serious Dolly of Omkara, and now as the most frivolous and most convincingly garrulous Geet. She demonstrates her acting skills to the fullest and looks very good in the process.
The movie is a modern day Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge with chance meetings, missed trains, shared hotel rooms, partings, families, elopements and is bubbling with a youthful fun feel. Someone told me that in this film one misses the Shahrukh of the 90s! This was a role inspired by the quintessential lover-boy of our times and 10 years ago he would have run with it and turned Jab We Met into an outstanding film! But even so, the film still works has fun music, great chemistry between the lead pair and above all has a most real feel to it. And it is funny, "Akeli Ladki to Khuli Hui Tijori Hoti Hai"; the boyfriend telling Shahid "Now her brothers want to take me to the sugarcane fields. Why should I go to the sugarcane fields with them? I won't go!' Next shot shows him holding some sugar cane! The settings, the locales, the songs, the trains, automobiles, everything is imparted a never before seen ambiance by sophomore director Imtiaz Ali. The story is not new but the treatment is super fresh like a fresh glass of Nimbupani in baking heat! Jab We Met is one fine entertainer and worth a repeat watch. The film is ruled by Kareena; a new female star emerges, and is able to carry the film on her shoulders.
The movie is a modern day Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge with chance meetings, missed trains, shared hotel rooms, partings, families, elopements and is bubbling with a youthful fun feel. Someone told me that in this film one misses the Shahrukh of the 90s! This was a role inspired by the quintessential lover-boy of our times and 10 years ago he would have run with it and turned Jab We Met into an outstanding film! But even so, the film still works has fun music, great chemistry between the lead pair and above all has a most real feel to it. And it is funny, "Akeli Ladki to Khuli Hui Tijori Hoti Hai"; the boyfriend telling Shahid "Now her brothers want to take me to the sugarcane fields. Why should I go to the sugarcane fields with them? I won't go!' Next shot shows him holding some sugar cane! The settings, the locales, the songs, the trains, automobiles, everything is imparted a never before seen ambiance by sophomore director Imtiaz Ali. The story is not new but the treatment is super fresh like a fresh glass of Nimbupani in baking heat! Jab We Met is one fine entertainer and worth a repeat watch. The film is ruled by Kareena; a new female star emerges, and is able to carry the film on her shoulders.
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