A mind-boggling brainteaser with a jaw-dropping climax
Bollywood’s transition from Indian Cinema to OTT has been long but entertaining nevertheless. The rise of the streaming culture has brought many megastars to the screen and Kareena Kapoor Khan is the newest addition to the list as she makes her much-awaited Netflix debut with the Sujoy Ghosh film Jaane Jaan (often translated as Love of Life).
Jaane Jaan also stars Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat in the main roles and narrates a simple tale of murder in a small town. The movie has a runtime of 139 minutes and follows the story of Maya D’Souza, a single mother who is raising her daughter Tara in the small town of Kalimpong, West Bengal. After a visitor from her past shows up in her life and threatens to hinder her peace and safety, Maya is forced to commit murder.
However, things get out of hand when her neighbour, Naren, who harbours a secret crush on Maya offers to get rid of the body to save her. With Inspector Karan on the lookout for the deceased, he comes in contact with Maya and Naren only to realise that the latter of the two is his childhood friend. Will Karan find out who the real killer is?
The film looks like a simple criminal investigation at first but as the story slowly unfolds into something much bigger than that. There are three central characters namely Maya played by Kareena who does a good job of playing the serious single mother who will go to any extent to protect her daughter.
Next, we have Naren, an odd but interesting character who is brilliantly portrayed by Jaideep Ahlawat. Actor Vijay Varma is another amazing actor on the project that is enjoying immense popularity after his recent performances and his portrayal of Inspector Karan proves that he is well deserving of this.
The film is mind-boggling to say it lightly as it keeps you thinking you know everything until the very final moments that will leave you with your haw dropped, trying to understand what exactly went down.
Jaane Jaan is an official Hindi adaptation of the 2005 Japanese novel, The Devotion of Suspect X which has already been adapted into films in various other languages.
While most fans of Kareena and Vijay would have started watching the movie for their respective performances, it is Jaideep Ahlawat who steals the show as Naren Vyas, a troubled mathematician and teacher who is the brain behind the ongoing menace.
The cinematography is intriguing too, as the monotone, damp vicinity of Kalimpong does a good job of amplifying the mystery around the film.
Ultimately, Jaane Jaan is a compelling thriller which keeps you glued to the screen, making it an absolute must-watch over the weekend.
Read More: Jaane Jaan (2023) — Ending Explained
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Verdict - 8.5/10
8.5/10