Hindi
Jaana Pehchana: A sequel that has come too late
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Producer: Aditya Chopra. |
Mumbai : Jaana Pehchana was one genuine idea for a sequel; the film is a sequel to the Rajshri‘s 1978 musical hit, Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se, inspired in no mean measure by Erich Segal‘s novel Love Story, made into a successful Hollywood film starring Ryan O‘Neal and Ali MacGraw. Alas, the sequel comes 32 years after the original, about 20-25 years too late.
Sachin, the lead actor of Akhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se, has prospered and become a business tycoon; he uses his wealth in philanthropy. A part of that is Lily Cancer Hospital, which he started in memory of his love, Ranjeeta, where poor are given free treatment. Having stated that, Sachin goes into a long flashback where the footage of the original film is used extensively and is a pleasure to watch because of great songs that it had.
The story for the sequel starts when a successful woman writer, Ranjeeta, approaches him to write his biography. A media shy Sachin agrees because she resembles his love, Lily, in whose memories he has lived a bachelor‘s life. Ranjeeta too has remained single after being ditched by someone she loved. In the process of numerous meetings to work on the biography, Sachin and Ranjeeta come closer and eventually feel the need for companionship for the rest of their lives.
The film holds interest while Ranjeeta does not know why everybody around Sachin, including him, is stunned when seeing her for the first time. The reason is given away too casually and a bit too early in the film. Proceedings after that sag as the film turns into a love story of two elderly people, who for viewers hold no star value. Though the film does link the past and present story fairly, 32 years is too long as quite a few generations would find it difficult to identify with the original; also the treatment given to the new story is that of the old era.
While Sachin manages to look presentable in his present age, the intermittent years have not been so generous with Ranjeeta who, despite heavy layers of make-up, looks harsh.
The Rajshris have given the film a very limited release with just one screen, Liberty Cinema, Mumbai, and expect it to grow with word of mouth before planning to exploit it on a wider scale.
Hindi
Rashmika Mandanna, Shanaya Kapoor and Naila Grrewal climb IMDb’s Indian celebrity rankings
Upcoming films and returning shows are driving fan interest across Bollywood and streaming
MUMBAI: Bollywood’s popularity contest has a new weekly scorecard, and the numbers are telling. IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities list for this week places Shanaya Kapoor at number six, buoyed by buzz around her film Tu Yaa Main. Naila Grrewal slots in at seven on the back of the returning comedy series Maamla Legal Hai, while Rashmika Mandanna climbs to eighth, riding mounting anticipation for Cocktail 2.
The list, available exclusively on the IMDb app for Android and iOS, tracks trending Indian entertainers and filmmakers each week, drawing on data from more than 200m monthly visits to the platform worldwide.
Further down the rankings, Raaka is keeping two of its biggest names in the spotlight. Deepika Padukone holds 11th position, with Allu Arjun close behind at 13th, as the film continues to find traction with audiences.
The list offers fans a weekly pulse on who is breaking through, who is holding steady, and who is fading. It is a barometer as unsparing as the box office itself.
