Jeans

Here is another movie from the 90’s that had Indian audience in awe with its sheer grandness at the time, covering major cities around the world and capturing their beauty. Most of all the coverage the makers have given to the United States in this film could be one of the reasons many moved to this continent to pursue their higher education and eventually settle there. I wouldn’t blame them, the locations were exquisite!         

I have recently re-watched this film for…I don’t know, I have lost the count! The twin’s concept was unique. I loved the aerial view of Los Angeles at the beginning and the theme song playing in the background just gives wings to the butterflies residing in your heart! This theme song was my ringtone for far too long than I would care to admit. A R Rahman worked his magic right from the starting credits and all the songs from the movie were a huge hit!

Stressing the point on the spending the weekends with family and friends was refreshing. Juno destroying all the gadgets throughout the song was just driving the point home.

Aishwarya’s introduction scene was a little concerning. Who can lose their American address while just having landed in America? It is probably for this reason parents don’t trust their 20 year old daughters and an elder brother with their parents and let alone send them off to a different country to get their parents treated. Anyway, Aishwarya’s costumes in the movie were awesome from the get go!

Lakshmi’s action was part funny and part naive, though spot on for an aged women with her inhibitions. Her fear of death even though it is melodramatic, is something every person put in that situation goes through. Obviously only option available to make her feel comfortable is changing her attire and sneaking her away from the hospital to eat Indian food like you have not eaten it before and going out on an excursion to the Universal studios (The makers went to a great deal of persuasion to get the permission to shoot within the Universal Studios, at that point in time, no foreign filmmakers were granted permission to do so.), sing and dance like you were not in pain just one day ago. And yes, these things happen only in a movie.

One other thing that happens only in movies? The hero talks in Indian regional language and the foreign doctors understand his concerns and replies in English!

Cut to the airport scene, not once in the 40 minutes duration of the movie did the makers try to work the romantic angle between Madhu and Visu, but as soon as they reach airport, both Madhu and Visu are desperately trying to profess they love for each other. I found their hesitance rather cute! But, why wait till the time you are leaving the country to tell someone that you love them? That’s how the story sells! And it did!

It was again very cute of Madhu for trying to get away with Visu’s keeps sake (although it was all garbage) but did not go unnoticed by Lakshmi and she tries to be the fairy godmother along with being the grandmother. Change of plans, quick confessions of being in love and a song that covers the New York City like nobody’s business, when we find trouble in the paradise in the form of Peddabbai wanting his twins to be married to twins only! And the flashback ensues.

We understand Peddabbai’s concerns over how his wife and her co-sister could not get along, which led to his wife death, essentially destroying both his and his twin’s lives forever and not wanting a repeat of the same. What he failed to understand at this point is no two situations are same and let alone the outcomes. Drawing conclusions from his experience and forcing his children into something they cannot control is plain cruel!

Radhika’s performance was really good as a perverse female character and her ultimatums about every small and big things in the flashback. And she pulled off the villager look like a pro!

Juno’s comedy was timed accurately and although all the questions he asked were valid, his question would put people on spot in a funny way, especially Lakshmi and how she struggles to keep up with her web of lies.

Have I already mentioned about how beautiful Aishwarya’s costumes were in the movie? If I have, it is worth the mention again. Her costumes in the song – “Priya priya” were just awesome and can be pulled off as wedding collection at any given point in time. And she was looking as beautiful as she was described in the song. This is the one duet song the makers did not go for exotic locations. At the same time they did not slum in the area of sets, they were beautiful too, befitting.

Moving on, it was extremely hilarious to watch the computerized Vaishnavi’s malfunctioned dance: turning into a roll, spring, bulging into a balloon and finally becoming a skeleton! The closing act by the skeleton was just a cherry on the top!

Peddabbai’s suggestion of going to their hometown as Chinnabbai is preposterous even for a movie! And Ramu’s desperation for Vaishnavi’s affection during the last train scene was a bit much to watch. Madhu’s conflicted feeling about cheating Visu, Visu discovering the truth of Vaishnavi’s existence, drama never seize to unfold in a well scripted movie.

Ramu, in spite of being shattered will be the first one to come to his sense and tries damage control. After some well deserved grovelling and the seven wonders song (apparently the crew explored all the beautiful cities across the globe and shortlisted the ones featured in the movie. Back then they were not officially announced as seven wonder of the world. Back to Aishwarya’s costumes: Did I already cover that part twice? Well, what can I say? It is worth the mention for the third time too. All the ball gowns she wore in this song are to die for! Absolutely, timeless!! As the song suggests, she can get away with being called the eight wonder!), they are back to being the happy couple.

Mardhesh, unbeknownst to the latest developments happening on the other side of the story, visits Chinnabbai to execute his own plan to make this work for his sister. But only invites trouble by spilling the proverbial beans to Peddabbai who is pretending to be Chinnabbai.

The drama that unfolds during the wedding scene and Peddabbai pulling the Villain card only to realize he walked right into the trap set by himself, unknowingly. I would like to call that instant karma served by Radhika!

Thellabbai throughout the movie goes around in circles with his conversations, for once makes a good argument point while talking some sense into Peddabbai. He scored a point right there for me.

And in the end my friends, the skeleton comes back again and dances to the end credits right along with the happy couple. Over all it is an entertaining watch, never throughout the movie you will feel bored. If you are looking for a 90’s feel good movie to kill time, Jeans is it!

 I would rate this movie a 4/5.