Published in: Bollywood Film Reviews

Bollywood Film Review “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai”

Author OneFilmFan

Published on: March 9, 2017

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

First, the Recap:

The depth of dreams, hopes, joys, sadness, personal triumphs, and heartbreaks. With the kaleidoscope of often intense and impacting emotions we experience as human beings, it often takes us encountering them all to make us who we are and as guides to where we ultimately end up. The success or failures of our ventures can truly be dictated by our resolve to either overcome the odds or break underneath them. Hailing from a small town in Rajasthan, one young woman named Alia (Manjari Fadnis) has many dreams, but lives with the internal pain of a not-so-endearing childhood filled with rejection, little real love, and being ignored, even by her own family. Purposing to make something of herself, Alia’s road brings her into contact with the charismatic Alex (Himansh Kohli) who makes her feel alive for the first time.

However, other circumstances then take her into the path of a wealthy and highly arrogant royal, Kunwar Vikram Pratap Singh (Ashutosh Rana), whom she enters into union with, despite his deplorable conduct, and much to her quietly hidden regret. Finding some comfort via her mother-in-law Rajmata (Rati Agnihotri), it is one of Singh’s servants, Laxmi (Supriya Pathak), whose iron-willed attitude and outlook on life that convinces Alia to seek escape.  Ending up in Mumbai to start fresh, Alia’s career as a writer begins to emerge thanks to the employ of Shaukat Ali Mirza ‘Karachiwale’ (Prem Chopra), an eccentric man whose love of life and poetry, inspires Alia’s creativity. Along this path, opportunity then arises in New York City, where she meets NRI businessman Aditya Kapoor (Arbaaz Khan), whose captures her heart.

Through the ups and downs of newfound success and genuine love, Alia’s realizations about herself, those around her, and her journey become more focused and clear.

Next, my Mind:

Forgoing the flash and glitz of the mainstream, director/editor Keshhav Panneriy delivers something this reviewer had yet to experience on the big screen since beginning to watch Indian films in late December 2015–a true Bollywood independent film. Maintaining the basic, fundamental elements of the genre via the always entertaining songs, wonderfully choreographed dance sequences, and 171-minute runtime, one then recognizes the excellently written ensemble drama this really is, but on a more grounded, character-based, completely story-driven level that’s executed in a real world way compared to most mainstream efforts. This purposeful focus on building each and every primary character we meet is greatly engaging, and honestly makes the viewer pay attention so as to catch all the nuances of each while also seeing how they all meld into the grander narrative and the journey Alia is taking. It emphasized for this reviewer why I love indie cinema so much, as it’s deep, inviting, and intelligent.

Fadnis is a beautiful, fiery, and truly fierce presence throughout, as she so deftly infuses Alia with totally believable amounts of raw and varying emotions as the character makes her way through the best and worst of times while trying to discover who she is and wants to be via mistakes and successes alike, all helping mold and shape her along the way to become the success she does. Kohli is very much adept is his role as Alex, a passionate, charming, and gentle first love that shows Alia she can indeed accept and experience a sincere relationship, even if she doesn’t stay with him in the end. Rana totally smolders with egotistic bravado and devilish hubris as Singh, a man of royal lineage who knows it and doesn’t mind stepping on others to show it. His treatment of Alia is maddening, being Rana plays it so very well here. Agnihotri and Pathak both shine as relevant examples of female empowerment via Rajmata and Laxmi respectively, effective in their individual integrity and poise.

Chopra is an absolute treasure as Shaukat Ali Mirza ‘Karachiwale’, a seasoned man of much intellect, reasoning, humor, and cleverness, and his influence on Alia is truly amazing and endearing, very much enacted in that manner by the veteran Chopra. Finally, Khan’s Aditya is the proto-typical picture of the American Dream, a successful businessman, but with a heart of gold, that presents what becomes Alia’s most challenging yet most fulfilling relationship. Khan’s suaveness and confident style plays extremely well here, and hence makes Aditya’s character one to support with ease.  It is actually sad to think many filmgoers might dismiss this effort being it isn’t necessarily the mega-star loaded, highly anticipated, mass appeal effort, and that will be a shame. Overall, “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai” is one unexpected, deeply crafted film that very much plumbs the ever-ebbing and flowing conditions found in this equally fluctuating passage we call life, and does so with affecting, emotive soul and sentiment.

As always, this is all for your consideration and comment.  Until next time, thank you for reading!