Is Janaan Worth Watching?

Thursday, 15 September 2016
Sadiq Saleem tells you what works and what doesn’t in the new Lollywood film
It’s interesting to see how the medium of cinema serves different purposes to different groups of people. For some, watching movies could be a source of mere entertainment and for some it could well be a mode of connection to their homeland. Through films, cinegoers have relished a home away from home, finding homely solace in movies that bring sights and sounds of their homeland. And with this new age of Lollywood, there is finally a cinema that Pakistanis can relate to a little more; it’s cinema that reminds them of their home and their people. And Janaan, offers a tribute to one of the most beautiful regions of Pakistan, and its people.
But can the fate of a film solely rely on its cinematography?
Armeena Khan, who is the Pakistani version of Katrina Kaif (strictly referring to the accent only), returns to her ancestral Pakhtoon home in Swat Valley to attend her cousin’s wedding. There she comes across two of her cousins played by Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman Khan, who end up falling for her. Then there are preparations for the wedding which don’t start until the interval but the film up till then is Armeena enjoying ‘get to know sessions’ with her extended family and the Swat valley. The second half of the film has enough content to keep one engaged where the film touches on many sensitive topics such as child abuse, child labour, the importance of education and the overall schooling system.
The chemistry between Bilal and Ali Rehman will remind you of the famous jodi of Akshaye Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Bilal plays the serious no-nonsense type who has a clear purpose in life, which is to spread education whereas Ali Rehman plays the all cool and flirtatious brat who is obsessed with instagram and facebook. Between the duo, it is Ali who is the real star and he owns each frame that he is present in and manages more than a few laughs with his comic timing and mannerism. Bilal on the other hand may look the best of the lot but when it comes to acting, he is too stiff. It is a known fact by now that the new Pakistani cinema is actually riding on the success of Pakistani TV stars such as Mahira Khan, Fahad Mustafa, Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi etc., which is why their ease in front of the camera is evident. It is the same reason why Ali Rehman outshines Bilal because the former has many drama serials to his credit whereas Bilal has only appeared in some commercials. But those dimples and perfect looks are enough reasons to keep him afloat till he really gets his hands dirty in the acting business.
A special mention to Nayyar Ejaz, who, based on his acting abilities, shines brighter than the lead cast. He plays the dreadful villain with complete perfection. A character that could easily be counted in the league of Gabbars and Mogambos. The menace in his eyes sends chills down the spine.
The direction of the film just like its storytelling is not crisp and it takes unbearably long to reveal its real theme. The first half the film gives you no clue as to where it is heading. It is only until the second half that the film reaches a point where it begins to convey some serious messages which are well weaved into the story. What is unfortunate is that they arrive a tad too late in the film.
Besides the title track Janaan which is sung by Armaan Malik, and one Pashto song Reidi Gulm, the soundtrack of the film is ordinary.
Janaan will definitely face tough competition as there are many other Eid releases which may hinder its overall running time in the cinemas. Having said that, we still give you three reasons to watch Janaan:
·         The beauty of Northern Pakistan
·         The Pakistani fashion as shalwar kameez and waist coats have never been done as well in any other film.
·         To support the revival of the Pakistani film industry
Sadiq Saleem is a Dubai based entertainment writer. He can be contacted on his page fb/sidsaidso