Writer/Director: Imtiaz Ali
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Anushkha Sharma and Evelyn Sharma
‘A Remarkable Romantic Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as beloved as Shah Rukh Khan. Ever since his rise toward recognition in the 1990’s, Khan has become one of the greatest actors in the Indian film industry. Whether it is star-crossed lovers, gangsters or doomed superheroes, Khan has proven he can portray many characters. Arguably, Khan’s finest strength as an actor has always been his charisma. He has often been of those rare actors with the abilities to use his charisma to attract audiences to the theatres. Through his abilities to play characters which prove to be compelling, Khan has created a legacy that’s lasting. Known as the Badshah of Bollywood, Khan has stood the test of time as a great icon in Indian Cinema. Despite reaching the ages of retirement, Khan hasn’t lost his passions for making engaging entertainment. An icon in India, Khan has become a bold actor whose movies commonly attract audiences to the Cinema. Throughout his long-lasting career, Khan has appeared in several unforgettable movies which are definitely without a doubt worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and adore all movies he has made in his career. However, “Jab Harry Met Sejal” stands out as being his most underrated movie. Released in 2017, Imtiaz Ali’s movie offered a powerful portrait of tourist guides. Packed with breathtaking musical sequences, engrossing storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a spellbinding romantic drama. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Shah Rukh Khan, who embodies a tourist guide that seeks a romantic relationship. Although “Jab Harry Met Sejal” is a captivating romantic drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing, building a predictable ending. That being said, it offers engaging entertainment for fans of SRK.
“Jab Harry Met Sejal” tells the story of a tourist guide that falls in love in doomed relationships that are painful. Shah Rukh Khan plays Harry Singh, a strong tourist guide with a talent for guiding individuals through his European location. Harry has always excelled at guiding tourists in his city. However, Harry’s life changes when he has suddenly fallen in love with a traveller Segal (Anushka Sharma) is a charismatic woman with a love for exploring countries shaping persona. Despite their huge age difference, Harry and Segal immediately form a strong relationship. As all the odds become stacked against his favour, Harry questions whether he can maintain strong bonds with a traveller.
Imtiaz Ali has always been fascinated with themes of doomed love. An extraordinary Indian filmmaker, Ali has often made great movies about romantic relationships that face disaster. His iconic film “Jab We Met” offered a strong portrait of travellers that fall in love in an Indian location where they met. With “Jab Harry Met Sejal”, however, Imtiaz Ali made his first tourism romance. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture tourist guides falling in love in relationships but he succeeded tremendously. Using bold cinematography, Ali captures the lives of a pair of travellers. Evoking Aditya Chopra’s “Dilwale Dulhania Ley Jayenge”, Ali uses montages to capture tourist guides that locate romance. For instance, montages elevate the tourist meeting scene. During this memorable scene, Harry meets Sejal for the first time sparking the beginning of their relationship. Montages are tricky techniques to use in movies. As Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” claimed, montages enhance Bollywood movies about broken families. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Through breathtaking visuals, Ali captures tensions that tourists guides are commonly facing.
Another strong aspect of “Jab Harry Met Sejal” that deserves appreciations is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood movies you will ever see. Evoking Kunal Kholi’s “Hum Tum”, Ali effectively uses cross-cutting to craft dance numbers which are engaging. For instance, cross-cutting enhances the Radha sequence. During this memorable scene, Harry and Sejal express feelings for each other by a dance number. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Pritam’s music contributes towards the success of the move. It gives the movie a captivating atmosphere capturing the burden tourists bear. Using breathtaking production, Ali captures tourist lovers which experience tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Jab Harry Met Sejal” is a romantic drama that’s engaging. The film is extremely well-written, and successfully uses monologues to capture lovers that face tension. Evoking Nikhil Advani’s “Kal Ho Naa Ho”, Ali deftly uses monologues to capture tensions that are endured by lovers experiencing sorrow. For instance, the monologues enhance the farewell scene. During this engaging scene, Harry bids an emotional farewell to Sejal by a dramatic monologue. Through effective monologues, Ali crafts a portrait of lovers audiences can relate to. Monologues are tricky techniques to use in movies. As Yash Chopra’s “Veer-Zaara” proved, dramatic monologues elevate Indian movies about doomed love. Nevertheless, it works well in this movie. Through a brilliant screenplay, Ali captures lovers that experience a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Shah Rukh Khan delivers one of his finest career performances as Harry. Khan first earned appreciation for playing romantic heroes in classic Bollywood movies. With “Jab Harry Met Sejal”, however, he took upon his most mature role. It isn’t easy to portray a tourist guide that engages in a romantic relationship but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and wise in his most unusual role. With bold expressions, he captures the angst, grief and curiosity of a tourist guide facing tensions. It’s a strong performance from one of the finest actors in Bollywood today.
Anushka Sharma is superb as a woman that falls in love with a tourist guide that causes a dilemma. Sharma has always excelled at playing women under stress, and “Jab Harry Met Sejal” showcased her finest strengths as an actress. Whether she is flirting with Harry on a vacation or showcasing her love for travelling with passion, Sharma uses her compelling body language to craft a strong woman. It’s a powerful performance by one of the most commemorated actresses that’s working in Bollywood today.
Although “Jab Harry Met Sejal” is a riveting romantic drama, it isn’t a flawless movie. If there’s a drawback to the movie, it suffers from uneven pacing. Ali’s choice to integrate subplots about engagement rings into the movie is bold but hinders the pacing. Due to this faulty technique, scenes focusing upon Sejal’s search for an engagement ring aren’t as engaging as her love journey. Moreover, the film suffers from a predictable ending. It’s a conventional conclusion that lacks a satisfying resolution. Therefore, “Jab Harry Met Sejal” can’t entirely capture romance that audiences adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Shah Rukh Khan will absolutely enjoy “Jab Harry Met Sejal” and so would movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment. A riveting romantic drama, it honours a legendary actor with charisma in India.
Nearly a decade following the release of a groundbreaking Bollywood film about the lives of tourist guides facing tension, it’s a remarkable reminder of a legendary Indian actor that has built a strong reputation by his abilities to portray strong characters in memorable films that are definitely worthy of celebration.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 