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Jannat – movie review

In search of heaven ...

  


Jannat, movie review

Jannat is the story of a reckless youngster trapped in sticky situation of crime and dreaming big as he struggles to find heaven on earth.

Arjun (Emran Hashmi) is a carefree young man, unhappy with his middle class environment and cherishes dreams to make big money in short time. Supplying fake merchandise to boutique stores is his profession.

Having luck at card games, and being a compulsive gambler, he then goes on to bigger form of gambling leading him to a syndicate of international betting on cricket matches. Also, this fearless gambler woos and romances his lady love in style.

At a shopping centre Arjun falls in love at first sight with Zoya (Sonal Chauhan) who is a call centre executive. While admiring a diamond ring, Zoya’s loses interest in the ring on seeing its price tag. She moves on. Arjun all the while watching her, smashes the glass to fetch the ring, in the process is caught by the security guard and handed over to the police.

This chance meeting with Zoya gives him the reasons he was looking for to move out of his ordinary life. He steps up from playing small-time card games to becoming a bookie. Stuck in a triangle of sorts between the woman he loves and his addiction to make a quick buck, Arjun starts making money betting on cricket matches. Using his instincts, he makes more money, pays off his debts to a ruthless local money lender. He is encouraged and pushed (willingly) into the world of match fixing, since he always craved to make big money.

From Mumbai to South Africa, Arjun switches on the limelight to bigger, better, faster, more, until his dizzying rise attracts the attention of the police. Arjun who still cannot control his obsession for gambling, now has to choose between the love of his life, Zoya, and this new found success and power.

As Arjun struggles to choose between the two, the Don of an international gambling syndicate offers a palatial house with huge garden and ample wealth in exchange of his services of setting the World Cup cricket matches.

Arjun and Zoya are expecting a child. Mumbai Police detectives land up in South Africa to bust the international betting racket. Arjun is in focus and kept on watch. Being an impulsive gambler, having dreams of creating a “Jannat” (heaven) for his lady love and the expected child, Arjun decides to take the last chance of his life…..

Music director Pritam is credited with two most memorable songs – Char Din ki lambi judai… and Jara si dil mein jagah de tu in Jannat.

Sonal Chauhan in her debut film is charming and acts well. The handsome boy next door Emraan Hashmi has come out with the first big solo hit in his career. The role suits him and he is appropriate as the compulsive gambler. Vipin Sharma is the typical middle class father with ethics. Vishal Malhotra is apt in his role as Arjun’s best friend, Samir Kochar as the Mumbai cop is another good discovery for Bollywood. Hope to see more of Samir Kochar. Jawed Sheikh appears as almost a real Don who is just remarkable in Jannat.

Cast of Jannat:
Arjun – Emran Hashmi
Zoya – Sonal Chauhan
Inspector – Sameer Kochchar
Arjun’s friend – Vishal Malhotra
Don – Javed Shaikh
Arjun’s father – Vipin Sharma

CREW & CREDITS of Jannat:
Banner – Vishesh Films
Presenter – Mahesh Bhatt
Producer – Mukesh Bhatt
Director – Kunal Deshmukh
Executive Producer – Kumkum Saigal
Creative Producer – Vishesh Bhatt
Music Director – Pritam Chakraborty, Kamran Ahmed
Lyricist – Sayeed Quadri
Cinematographer – Manoj Soni
Screenplay Writer – Vishesh Bhatt
Playback Singers – Kay Kay, Kamran Ahmed, Richa Sharma, Rupam Islam, Rana Majumdar
Music Company – Sony Music
Jannat, movie review