WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW:
First, the Recap:
A show of affection. Seems simple enough. As two people come into the advancing stages of growing connection between each other, it’s only logical that the first moment of physical manifestation indicating how deep the feelings and desire to be together goes has arrived, usually in the beauty of a first kiss. While it might be, granted, an awkwardly shy instance to initiate, one would still hope for a wonderful outcome and sensation to arise from it. Yet, what happens when it becomes much more than bargained for? Jaan (Shivani Raghuvanshi) and Jigar (Ashutosh Sohan) are very much infatuated with each other. Enjoying the innocent flirting the safety of talking via phone has offered, they decide it’s time to share that transitional experience that will elevate their relationship–the kiss. However, it would seem society in its current state may not look so favorably on their planned act.
Next, my Mind:
Another apropos effort that found its place and its Texas Premiere as part of the Love, Lost & Found Programming at the 2022 DFW SAFF sponsored by Toyota USA and hosted by Jingo Media Founder/Festival Director Jitin Hingorani and Artistic Director Ambica Dev, this 17-minute short from writer/director/producer Ranjan Chandel, producers Tanvi Gandhi and Ranjan Singh, and executive producer Ankur Tripathi injects a new level of contention and outright edginess into the atmosphere of its teenage love story, doing so with an effective intentionality that, at least in some form, elevates what could have been just your cute-but-average film about the awkwardness of first love. Leave it to indie filmmakers to always manage to discover ways to take a common subject which has been done countless times before across many entertainment platforms and, at minimum, breathe a little fresh life into it via melding fictional storytelling with societal realities, a facet of South Asian cinema in general I have noticed consistently over the years.
The narrative which follows these two teenagers as they navigate the decision to take a next foray into the building attraction they have desired to explore, the subsequent choice they make where to do so and the unexpectedly volatile ramifications set in motion because of it ends up taking events to a deeper place than one might anticipate, and this ends up being the strength of the film. Prior to the decisive catalyst that will define the core of this tale, thematic tangents cover a plethora of realistically portrayed elements that we can very much associate with this kind of situation including the natural uncertainty/shy nervousness felt vs. the more direct urge to move forward without hesitation, a sharing of pasts, the lengths (sometimes overt extremes!) we go to prove what we see as love, and facing reminders of things we have tried to forget (a humorous solution to that, though!) all get addressed and actually allow us to feel a little more in tune with these characters, at least expanding the scope of the narrative a little wider than it might have otherwise gone.
But, as hinted at above, what really does cause the effort to have its most impactful message comes via a truly out-of-the-blue incident depicted that harshly illustrates that an act which seems so irreproachable may not be seen as such through some people’s eyes, and it explodes into a third act here that carries such a blatant degree of surprise/disbelief in what it says about societal/cultural differences and accompanying perceptions about any form of intimacy that we take for granted. Despite this sudden shift, I will still say the ultimate ending, given all that is portrayed, is an even more engagingly unanticipated in its grander statement about the couple’s future, once more in view of the honestly faultless goal they had from the start while providing us a nice little ode to the notion of heroism and things that may have been meant for harm becoming a key tool for proverbial or literal salvation.
I had previously seen Raghuvanshi in two previous effort just last year via screening and reviewing both “Titli” and “Made In Heaven” Season 1, and was veritably impressed both times by the actress who can bring both an undeniable magnitude of sweetness and vulnerability as well as an impassioned degree of intensity and firmness to the characters she plays. For this effort, I felt she brought touches of both in her role as Jaan, a beautiful, charming teenage girl whose longing to experience a first kiss is tempered by the jitters of anticipation, the wringing of hands, the coy smile, and general fidgeting as she tries to convince herself it is time. But, when the circumstances take on directions both revealing then turbulent, will it allow this simple act of love’s growth to be hindered or usher in a closeness stronger than before? It is an uncomplicated yet deeply emotional and stormy place that is being explored through the character, and Raghuvanshi once again delivers it with that absolute poise and grounded believability that I appreciate in the actress’ performances.
This was the first time seeing Sohan on screen and, if what I researched was correct, this was his debut film in playing the role of Jigar, a young man whose own goal and excitement to finally kiss the girl he adores has been at the forefront of his mind thanks to their playfully frisky interactions over the phone. Convincing her this time is now, he arranges for them to meet at a clandestine location to carry out the moment but then encounters the hesitations and other factors from her that cause them to initially reassess things. But, even as they finally reach a juncture to go through with it, the atmosphere gets interrupted and takes events in a totally altered path, which will reveal both the acute actualities of traditionalism and convention but could also awake the fortitude found in the sincerity of commitment to another you love. Throughout, Sohan brings a fully earnest, fervent performance to bear, infusing Jigar’s character with that realistic combination of youthful impatience and absolute dedication that new love engenders.
Supporting roles arrive here first from Shailendra Kumar playing Jigar’s friend who may or may not have his own opinions about the “move” his pal is about to make with Jaan, and then Taran Bajaj, and Ankit Baghel make their presence more than know as a pair of men who will change the dynamic of the couple’s relationship in a decidedly pronounced manner. So, in total, “Jaan Jigar” ends up as a surprisingly relevant short film effort that takes its foundational concept and evolves it into a strong statement about the innocence of fundamental intimacy being longed for, misunderstood, misjudged, and the societal percipience that brings it about while still showcasing that equally keen amounts of chivalry can still exist in this world.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
