Jaane Jaan looks distinctive thanks to Sujoy Ghosh's wicked sensibilities, observes Mayur Sanap.
Vijay Varma's edgy turn, Jaideep Ahlawat's never-before-seen look and Kareena Kapoor Khan's enigmatic avatar spruce up the elegant trailer of Director Sujoy Ghosh's new crime thriller, Jaane Jaan.
The trailer promises yet another twisty and suspenseful outing from the film-maker, who continues his quest for mother-on-a-mission stories after Kahaani, Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh and Badla (Amrita Singh's track).
The little over two minute-long trailer introduces us to the gloomy world of Jaane Jaan and its protagonist Maya D'Souza (Kareena). A single mother, who seemingly lives in the shadows of her abusive past relationship.
Jaideep portrays a middle-aged, partially bald man named Naren who keeps an eye on the whereabouts of his neighbour, Maya.
The trailer shows us shaky glimpses of Maya in a physical tussle with a man, presumably her estranged husband, who goes missing.
Enters Vijay's sharp-witted cop Karan, an old friend of Naren. Karan deems Maya as the 'prime suspect' in his investigation. Later in the trailer, the two men get into a romantic relationship with Maya, who may or may not be using both of them to get away from her crime of passion.
Does the premise look a bit familiar?
Yes, and that's because Jaane Jaan is based on Keigo Higashino's Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X, which triggered many loose adaptations in India, including the Mohanlal starrer Drishyam.
Ghosh seems to have tweaked the source material to blend the story into the Indian landscape. This concoction of drama, a bit of romance, some dry humour, and thriller elements looks promising.
The rendition of Lata Mangeshkar's iconic song Aa Jane Jaan featuring Helen from the 1969 film Intaqam builds up the intrigue which is well-attuned to the misty surroundings of Kalimpong, where the story is set. The fact that the makers shot this on real locations makes a big difference in the whole look and feel of the film.
In her streaming OTT debut, Kareena is definitely trying to attempt something out of her comfort zone.
Jaideep Ahalwat's transformation shows him in a different light. His mere exchange of glances with other characters shows that the actor is set to deliver a delightful performance.
Vijay Varma completes this terrific acting trio, and reunites with Ghosh after Lust Stories 2.
Despite the Drishyam-esque feeling about the story, Jaane Jaan looks distinctive thanks to Ghosh's wicked sensibilities. However, given his uneven track, one cautiously hopes that this is among his better films.
Jaane Jaan drops on Netflix on Kareena's 43rd birthday on September 21.
