Jab Khuli Kitaab Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Pankaj Kapur, Dimple Kapadia
Director: Saurabh Shukla
Jab Khuli Kitaab Movie Review Synopsis:
JAB KHULI KITAAB is the story of an old couple. 74-year-old Gopal Chandra Nautiyal (Pankaj Kapur) lives in Ranikhet. His 70-year-old wife, Ansuya (Dimple Kapadia), has been in a comatose state for two years and Gopal takes care of her dutifully every day. Their whole family has come down to Ranikhet after Ansuya's health deteriorates, leading to fears that she might pass away. However, one day, Ansuya comes out of the coma. Everyone is overjoyed, especially Gopal. But his happiness is shortlived as Ansuya reveals a shocking secret. Gopal's world comes crashing down and he asks for a divorce. He finds an enthusiastic lawyer, R K Negi (Aparshakti Khurana), who decides to take up the case despite the complexities. Meanwhile, their family members have no idea that Gopal and Ansuya are about to get separated. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Jab Khuli Kitaab Movie Story Review:
Saurabh Shukla's story is promising and gives a déjà vu of PIKU [2015], KAPOOR & SONS [2016], GOODBYE [2022], etc. Saurabh Shukla’s screenplay oscillates between being very engaging and downright silly. Saurabh Shukla's dialogues are lovely.
Saurabh Shukla's direction is decent. He packs in a lot in 115 minutes and peppers the narrative with heartfelt and funny moments. The film begins on a moving note where we see Gopal taking care of a comatose Ansuya. The conflict arises soon and it adds an interesting twist. The entry of the lawyer further adds to the entertainment. However, the fractured bond shared by the old couple remains the USP of the film.
On the flipside, the developments often seem superficial and also bewildering. At the very beginning, we see Gopal going out of the way while tending to Ansuya. Less than 10 minutes later, he can be seen reacting violently to Ansuya's confession. Agreed that Gopal got a jolt, but it's difficult to digest that someone who is so sweet and endearing to behave in such a manner. The film then gets better, but the finale is when the storytelling again disappoints. The developments towards the end could have made for a touching watch but the makers depict these developments in the form of a voiceover. This would have worked fine in the play the film is adapted from. But cinematically, it fails to work. The reunion of the father and son is another scene which deserved to be depicted.
Jab Khuli Kitaab Movie Review Performances:
Pankaj Kapur plays his part with panache, lending it considerable gravitas. Dimple Kapadia gets to play a very challenging and layered character. But she performs it with ease, as expected. Aparshakti Khurana is adorable as always. Manasi Parekh (Asha; judge) plays a half-baked character, but performance-wise, she is first rate. Nauheed Cyrusi (Farnaaz) is impressive in a small role and it's a pleasure to see her in a film after a hiatus. Samir Soni (Param) has a crucial role and he leaves a mark. Sunil Palwal (Jignesh) and Devyani Ratanpal (Sujata) are decent. Abuli Mamaji (Dholu) and Natasha (Gulcher) do well.
Jab Khuli Kitaab movie music and other technical aspects:
Songs fail to entice, but 'Ishq Ki Bijli' is catchy. The title track, 'Aaj Humne', 'Kuch Sawalon Ke Jawaab' and 'Beraaz' are forgettable. Protijyoti Ghosh's background score is functional.
Adri Thakur's cinematography is breathtaking, especially the locales of Ranikhet and Almora. Veera Kapur Ee's costumes are realistic, while Vikram Singh and Parul Rai's production design is classy. Kunal Walve's editing is satisfactory.
Jab Khuli Kitaab Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, JAB KHULI KITAAB is a heartwarming tale that rests on the performances of Pankaj Kapur and Dimple Kapadia. However, the inconsistent script and underwhelming climax dilute the impact to a great extent.
