All audience reviews of Jazbaa

Just another kidnap cum ransom story with a surprise twist in the end. The film will particularly liked by fans of Director Sanjay Gupta since it has his stamp in just about everything including script, photography, editing, sound in fact the whole presentation. The camera lingers over the Mumbai landscape, the waterfront below the bridge and the large abandoned buildings so effectively as the troubled characters try to find a solution to their problems. Along with this slick cinematography we have a moderately engaging courtroom drama with a couple of surprising twists.

Aishwarya plays a lawyer whose 10 year old daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper asks for an unusual ransom. He asks her to fight the court case in favour of a criminal who is to be hanged and get him acquitted. Aishwarya deals with this predicament with the help of old time schoolmate Irfan, a suspended corrupt cop who has a soft corner for her and her daughter. After a number of action scenes and some courtroom drama the film reaches an exciting climax.

Director Sanjay Gupta with the help of his cinematographer and editor does give the movie a fine pace and the scenes move fast. His trademark framing of scenes and the use of many dissolves in the editing are a treat to watch. The action scenes are also well done. Aishwarya is convincing as the distressed lawyer mother who will do anything to rescue her daughter. She is loud and melodramatic at times but then maybe its not her fault. Irfan is good as usual in a role in which he is on familiar ground. He gives a decent interpretation of a combination of anger,frustration and cynicism.Shabana Azmi impresses in an important role. Jacky Shroff tries to be menacing as usual and suceeds. less

Setting the context first:

1. I read good reviews about the movie and hence expected it to be good
2. I am not a big Aishwarya Rai fan, but the genre interests me hence I saw it in the first place

With the context set, lets go to my review about the movie:

Aishwarya Rai is a super successful lawyer-single mother. Within the first 30 mins, her daughter is kidnapped and the ransom to get the kid free is that Rai sets a person convicted of a rape and murder free.

Then begins a long chase, with its twists and turns, and a lot of running and screaming as done by Rai. Khan plays a defamed police officer who helps Rai however disappearing for a straight 20-30 mins in the final hour of the movie. One feels bad for Khan cos his talent is restricted by the dramatic dialogues and the furniture kicking he is expected to do in the movie.
The director seems to believe that the only way to depict that you are frustrated is by running and screaming and kicking things around, which both the lead actors do in tons!
Now coming back to the plot, it is interesting but has gaps. Wide gaps
For starts, the crime scene is played over and over, in multiple versions, and that along with Rai's convoluted theory leaves audience in doubt about who exactly did the crime?
Then a criminal, in order to return a favor, suddenly develops a golden heart and walks out on a powerful rich personality
An addict, claimed to be a stage 8, who cannot talk sense for 2 mins straight suddenly becomes all normal in the climax.
And the defendant lawyer never NEVER cross questions any witnesses! like seriously!

Well these are the major gaps, there are others, but unimportant ones, like what was the relevance of 'aapki beti ke sare painting aadhure kyun hai'. Lets not get there

The last bit which erks you most is when Rai, who defends criminals as long as they can pay her fees, steals important evidence from police stations to win cases, lies to the next of kin to get information and is ready to let a guy committed of 5 other rapes and murder walk free cos of her own restrictions, later says to someone " tumhe meri beti ke sath aisa karne ke hak kisne diya" #Hypocrisy much?

Summarizing, the plot has gaps but it holds your attention and keeps you guessing. Mostly you won't see the twists coming. Rai tries hard but it is not effortless. Khan tries to fit the box the director creates for him. And the melodrama does most damage. The movie has a very 'shootout @ xyz' feel to it and both the movie and Rai could have done soo much better with a different director

Must see for Rai's fans. Fans of the genre go ahead and see, if a thriller with loose ends does not frustrate you. If it does and you still see the movie (like me), lets kick some things around us. That's after all the way we express frustration,right director? ;)

- SJ less

Nice movie. Irrfan Khan is the best actor India has got. Someone teach AIshwarya Rai Bachchan to act...she cannot act and looks dumb! Brilliant story and wonderful climax. Chalo Bye less

The trailer of Jazbaa showed 3 things. First, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's come back. Second, Irrfan's brilliant dialogues. And finally, weird jaundice-ish colors throughout the trailer. I was happy with Irrfan Khan's dialogues & the power packed trailer. I didn't care much about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's come back since in the trailer itself, she acted so loud. But the strangest thing was the kind of colors shown in the trailer. I mean, I haven't seen Mumbai like that at any evening. Sanjay Gupta has used some strange filter throughout the film for sure.

Anyway, Jazbaa is a story of Anuradha Verma (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) who is a prominent lawyer notoriously famous for handling cases of criminals & freeing them. Inspector Yohaan (Irrfan Khan) is a corrupt police officer who is suspended from his duty & who is also a childhood friend of Anuradha. One day, Anuradha's daughter gets kidnapped by someone & to see her again, Anuradha needs to take up a case of a convicted felon & free him as soon as possible. To everyone's surprise, Anuradha takes up the case without revealing the real reason to anyone. Yohaan gets to know & helps her in finding her daughter. Corrupt politician, old rowdy client, suspended inspector, victim's mother, all are sprinkled around Anuradha. Will she see her daughter alive?

The writing is the film is tight yet filled with many loopholes. There are so many strange scenes where explanations aren't given hence they confuse the audience. Sanjay Gupta's direction is brilliant & there is no doubt about that. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has overacted & someone else could've been a better fit for her role. Irrfan Khan is the man who hold the film together with his witty dialogues, funny responses & Irrfan Khan Brand antiques. He has got the best dialogues & Jazbaa's dialogue writers deserve a standing ovation. The only weird thing about the whole film is that filter which is used during the making. Like why? less

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has come back to the silver screen after five years with Sanjay Gupta's Jazbaa.

She plays the role of a successful lawyer, Anuradha Verma, who has to defend a dreaded criminal in order to protect her own daughter. Irrfan Khan is a suspended cop and Anuraddha's close friend, who helps free the criminal he got arrested and save Sanaya (Aishwaya's daughter.) In the battle of saving her own daughter and freeing a rapist, she upsets the victim's mother, played by Shabana Azmi. Shabana's daughter (Sia) was raped and killed by the Niyaz (the man Aishwarya is defending.) There is another character, Jackie Shroff who plays a politician's role and is also related to the rape-murder mystery.

The story revolves around unfolding the murder mystery to save Sanaya. So, it is more of a rape case being solved on screen but the only question that comes to your mind is - instead of having an emotional impact why is the rape sequence played 3-4 times with different effects?

Aishwarya Rai looks beautiful and she in her usual sense is stunning. However at a few intenses, she shouts her guts out to show her pain which doesn't create an impact but makes it dramatic. Shabana Azmi is flawless, Irrfan Khan suits the role with all his filmy dialogues and Jackie Shroff's tiny role is kept subtle.

The film ends with the unsaid love story between Irrfan Khan and Aishwarya Rai. The only trouble with Jazbaa is that it should have but still doesn't effect or bother you. less