Happy Jab Harry Met Sejal day! Shahrukh may not have a Diwali release this year, but that just means we get to keep up the celebration for his last film. I’ll be reposting some of my reviews, and the index of coverage, and of course the tweetalong starts at 2pm.
You ready for new discussion questions???? They aren’t that deep, just fun little things for us:
- List the songs in order of most favorite to least favorite
For me, “Radha” by a mile is my most favorite. Just so complex and perfectly filmed and perfectly lyriced (if that’s a word). After that, hmmm. I think “Butterfly”. And then “Yaadon Main”. Then “Raula”. Then “Safar” and then “Ghar”. And then “Beech Beech Mein”. So, I guess I really love the ones with Anushka and Shahrukh together more than the ones with him alone, and I don’t much like Disco.
2. What is your favorite scene for Anushka’s character?
I think the scene the morning after “Yaadon Mein” when she has efficiently taken charge of everything and is so happy and proud of herself.
3. What is your favorite scene for Shahrukh’s character?
I think the scene in the coffee shop with Klara. It’s his reactions to what the women are saying which really make it work.
4. What is your favorite scene between Shahrukh and Anushka?
Hmm. That’s tricky. They are all so good. Maybe their first real scene together? In the restaurant when she is happily describing her engagement and he is rolling his eyes.
dontcallitbollywood 
I didn’t have the time to rewatch the whole thing with you, but I did just go and watch the final scene again. It does grow on me every time I see it. Anushka and SRK have such an interesting chemistry. It’s so platonic but not and I know that makes no sense. One of my minor criticisms of SRK performances and Hindi film actors/heroes in general is that you so rarely get to see them truly behave like they are actually truly in lust with their love interest. It’s usually such an idealized form of infatuation or way too playfully innocent or glossed over because of some of the lingering censorship issues. In JHMS, there are definite moments where you believe they want to tear each other’s clothes off and SRK hasn’t been allowed to show that kind of physical chemistry in his films or maybe he’s just not that comfortable with doing it on screen (and we’ve discussed the whys of that before here and that’s certainly valid), but I also see that with Hrithik and a whole host of other Indian actors. One of the few examples of an adult sexual relationship I’ve seen in Hindi films is weirdly in Inkaar and that is weird since it’s a movie about sexual harassment, so that’s problematic! Let’s be honest, part of believing in a romance on screen is believing that the couple is going to have a passionate sex life.
On a related note, I watched Kaun Kitne Paani Mein last night (just ok), with Kunal Kapoor and Radhika Apte. I hadn’t seen it and wanted to see that pairing. It’s not really a romantic film, it’s a social satire that happens to have a bit of a romance. Kunal is gorgeous and Radhika is sexy as always even in the small-town girl role. They have a great kiss scene (or at least by Indian film standards). It’s the kind where the guy kisses the girl out of anger and frustration and then she’s angry and then she’s not and they kiss again. Nicely done here, but still a little clunky because I still think many Indian actors are still a little worried about these scenes. This is definitely before Parched for Apte, but you can sense that she’s a little more comfortable with a scene like this than him. So good for her and the “new age” of realistic actors and actresses.
Back to JHMS, that kiss at the end and even the almost kiss earlier are two of the best sexy “clinch” scenes in Indian film for me. Though all of them have something about their blocking or execution that bother me. Here are some of my issues…I have clearly thought about this too much…1) Band Baaja Baarat: pretty good in general, but that first kiss seems to be in slow motion and it’s a little weird 2) ZNMD: Hrithik tongue makes a brief appearance and it’s a little high school looking 3) Jab We Met: pretty good actually, but there’s a piece of Kareena’s hair in the shot that looks like spit when they pull apart 4) the famous Dhoom 2 kiss was pretty good, but Aishwarya was a little wooden.
But I guess it’s getting better as screen kisses become more commonplace. Arjun Kapoor seems like one of the most natural on-screen kissers (and he seems to do it a lot compared to other actors even of his generation…Aurangzeb, 2 States, Ki & Ka, Ishaqzaade, Finding Fanny…), Farhan and Priyanka’s kiss worked for me in DDD, as did Imran and Anushka’s in Matru Ki Bijile Ka Mandola, and even Sid and Parineeti’s in HTP wasn’t that bad so I have high hopes for a sequel in their new film.
As a romantic comedy/drama connoisseur this topic is very important to me!
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Sorry, I didn’t actually answer your questions!
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I am holding firmly too “if you as an actor feel uncomfortable about the kiss, DON’T DO IT!” the audience can tell you aren’t happy and it just ends up not looking right. Meanwhile, the gazebo scene in KKHH is still dead sexy, with no kissing at all. Also the morning after conversation in Paheli. And of course Hrithik has never been sexier than on J-A when they are just looking at each other.
On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 4:08 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Kiss scenes make me cringe in BW most of the time. It’s so obvious most of the actors are not comfortable doing them and they end up looking so weird on screen.
Either it’s just disgusting the way Emraan Hashmi kisses are or painfully uncomfortable and chemistry-free the way SRK/Kat were in JTHJ. The kiss in the zero trailer was a lot better but I think it’s because it’s not really meant to be romantic or sexy. Sorry but I still don’t think Kat and SRK have any chemistry together. I’m shocked about it because there is no actress SRK doesn’t have chemistry with except Katrina.
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I agree, don’t do it unless you can make it work. I also agree that the lack of kissing in Indian films has led to other ways of portraying lust. The KKHH gazebo scene definitely works as do many of the scenes in Jodhaa Akbar. But sometimes you just want an actual breathtaking kiss or the literal tearing off of clothes. Befikre came close in that opening sequence now that I think about it.
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1. List the songs in order of most favorite to least favorite
Raula, Hawayein, Radha, Safar, Beech Beech Mein, Ghar, Yaadon Main, Butterfly, Parinda, Jee ve sohneya for me. I like all the songs, but the first five are the ones I listen to most outside the context of the movie.
2. What is your favorite scene for Anushka’s character?
Tied between the hotel room “indemnity bond” scene and the Clara scene. I love it when she gets all lawyer-y.
3. What is your favorite scene for Shahrukh’s character?
Tied between the opening montage during Safar (is that cheating?), and the conversation with Mayank after Sejal has gone. The way he says “badtameez, and stupid” so bewildered and lovingly, just kills me. I love the look on his face before he says “Patha nahi.” Also I just really like scenes where Shah Rukh eats and drinks because I’m shallow.
4. What is your favorite scene between Shahrukh and Anushka?
Tied between the hiding on the houseboat scene and just after, fight scene after the engagement party, and the whole scene in the garden, from Shah Rukh walking out straightening his tie to the fantastic hug at the end.
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How can you put Radha last?!?!? Although, when I am just listening, I tend to go to HAwayein more than that one.
Good scene choices, I forgot how good Anushka is in that first scene, so confident in herself. And agree about Shahrukh in that Mayank conversation, he manages to convey the entire reasoning he is going through in his head just through tone of voice and expressions.
I think the fight scene after the engagement party might be the best acted, but it is so painful to watch!
On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 5:46 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Wait, Radha is third!
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1) Yaadon mein, especially the female part in the cafe.
2) Hawayein
Are my two favorites hands down.
I feel like musical and sonically, 1 is precoital and 2 is postcoital.
But I like all the songs, I like phrr the least, but there is none I fast forward through.
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It’s a remarkably strong soundtrack. And if we are doing coital comparisons, I vote for Radha and Butterfly as during-coital. Not beech beech mein, that feels lighter, but those other two are as strong a burst of shared joy as you can imagine.
On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 5:51 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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1. List the songs in order of most favorite to least favorite
Raula, Safar, Radha, Hawayein, Jee Ve Sohaneya, Ghar, Yaadon Mein, Parinda, Butterfly, Beech Beech Mein, Phurr – going purely by music, not video or context in the film.
I love this version of the Nooran Sisters singing Jee Ve Sohaneya, it sounds like pure flamenco to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPI8imfY3C4
2. What is your favorite scene for Anushka’s character?
Many options but I’ll go with the scene at Gaz’s hideout. She goes from damsel in distress to avenging ballbuster to stricken after she finds the ring and realizes she’s holding the end to her time with Harry. We get all of Anushka, her strong, lanky action side and her elegance and lingering close-ups of her expressive face and eyes.
3. What is your favorite scene for Shahrukh’s character?
This is hard! Hm. The doorway scene after the wedding party might be top for Harry. Subtle, but so many aspects of the character come through. The teasing back and forth with Mayank and Jacqueline at the beginning, which is also Harry warning Mayank off because he knows that he and Sejal are living in a dreamworld that will disappear if they open their eyes. The tenderness when Sejal admits she’s happier than she’s ever been. The resignation and dissembled pain when she says she’s going back anyway. That line “we know vacations always come to an end,” which is all of Harry’s loneliness, experience, and social charm in one.
Close runners up would be the train scene that ends in the hug, and, weirdly, the confrontation on the bridge early in the first half where he grabs Sejal’s wrists. He flashes so quickly between annoyed, seductive but dominating and out of control, back into submissive tour guide, and that last flash of irritation (with himself, her, and the situation he’s stuck in) as she brushes past him.
4. What is your favorite scene between Shahrukh and Anushka?
The garden scene, no question – could have been my answer for either one of them individually too.
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That scene for Anushka is amazing, you are right! And subtle, she doesn’t take away from shahrukh in the first part, doesn’t showboat, but also stays in character the whole time he is talking and talking. And then explodes into emotion as soon as she has lines.
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I skip the songs because I can’t seperate them from the visuals and it also depends on my mood…
Anushka has so many very good scenes (I think even more than ShahRukh). I would also choose the scene at Gas’ hideout because of the range of what she is allowed to express of her character. But I also like her entry-scene very much which shows her vulnerability, her determination, her arrogance, her pride and more.
ShahRukh…that is always, always difficult to answer for me because even in small scenes he can show an astonishing range of expressions…I will go with the airport scene (almost unperceptible facial movements, small gestures, not many words, a touching monologue, last hope and deep love…and the language of his eyes….sigh)
both: definitely Raula, the highlight of their understanding and loving interconnection…they are just a couple in love with no thought about what was before or what may come afterwards…just in the middle of Raula and Butterfly 🙂
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The Anushka intro scene is fascinating now that you have me thinking about it, because for once she is taking the lead and Shahrukh is reacting. Not “for once” in this film, where it is fairly common, but “for once” in an Indian movie and in a Shahrukh movie. Usually he is the lead actor, meaning he takes the lead in scenes. He gets the more complicated monologues and emotions to play and stuff. But in this moment, Anushka has the long complicated monologue and shifting emotions and he is just reacting to her.
On Mon, Nov 5, 2018 at 4:11 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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