Jhoota Hi Sahi : some thoughts

I'm not a big fan of John Abraham. Nor am I someone who would endorse his acting skills. Yet, the thing about actors is that sometimes, in the hands of the right director, they can even surpass their limitations as actors, and create a work that, even though not popular or famous, not bright like a neon light, glows like embers, emanating a quiet warmth.

I quite accidentally saw "Jhoota Hi Sahi", a really cool movie directed by Jaane Tu...director Abbas Tyrewala. I don't even recall when this movie was released. And most certainly, it never got the acclaim that Jaane Tu garnered. Of course, Jaane Tu....was itself a really well made movie, perhaps Imran's best yet, but what sets apart "Jhoota..." is the story, the superb cast , the almost effortless acting that everyone has put in, the excellent setting, and a general feeling of everything being nice and eventually turning out good. I wonder what made it not click with the audience.

In a way, it has many parallels with some of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's movies, wherein, even the most mundane character is well nuanced, and each one leaves a mark in the viewer's mind. And the narrative is the centerpiece, supplemented with ironic humour, reflective moments and understated form. Quite briefly, "Jhoota...." is the tale of a shy, stammering, and introverted guy, played with unassuming maturity by John, who accidentally becomes part of a phone service that provides suicidal people with hope and a desire to live. He befriends a girl, played by a very talented, natural actress, Pakhi Tyrewala, while convincing her not to take her life after her breakup with her boyfriend. In an attempt to cheer her up, he cooks up a false facade of his personality, and when she accidentally comes to his book shop one day and he meets her in person, to live up to his fabricated image, he pretends to be another guy and does not reveal that he is the same guy who talks to her everyday over the phone. The story is about how reality finally catches up with him, and how he finally wins her despite his shyness and diffidence.

What I like most about the movie is the characters that John hangs around with. We have this really really cute Pakistani sis-bro pair, played by the cute Alishka Varde( Jaane Tu fame) and a surprisingly good Raghu Ram( Roadies fame), who really support John in his misadventures and adventures alike. A lot of really amusing punchlines are delivered  by Raghu who weaves the Pakistani-Indian tiff very intelligently and comically into certain situations without being racial or fanatical in a single incident. Alishka's character has an added dimension to it coz she is 5months pregnant with her boyfriend's ( George Young) baby, yet refuses to get married to him in spite of his bizzare, theatrical and repeated attempts to convince her. Her dialogues are in Urdu and seem so poetic and lyrical. I must say she is fabulous to watch. And the character of John's already present girlfriend, played by Manasi Scott, adds another layer to the already complex situation.

In all, a very touching movie that gives a glimpse of these immigrants living in London and leading a life away from family but still enjoying each other's company and surviving on hope, joy and above all, love. I simply adore this movie......