Writer-director Ranjan Chandel makes a strong point in this clever and appealing short film.
Jaan Jigar review: Charming portrayal of young love by Ashutosh Sohan, Shivani Raghuvanshi
Cinestaan Rating
Release Date: 2017 / 18min
Sonal Pandya | Mumbai, 05 Oct 2018 14:00 IST
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap presents this enjoyable short, written and directed by Ranjan Chandel. Kashyap and Chandel collaborated for this year's Mukkabaaz (2018) which also explored a love story in the current soci-political scenario.
However, the treatment of this 18-minute short film is far different from Kashyap's hard-hitting feature. There are many moments of levity, mixed in with a great deal of charm, largely by the lead artistes Ashutosh Sohan and Shivani Raghuvanshi..
A young boy is chatting late at night with his sweetheart over the phone, promising to meet her the next day and make things official with a kiss. The next day, he sets off to meet her at a secluded area and the two youngsters shyly embark on their first romantic encounter.
When the young girl asks for more time due to her racing heart, the couple gets to know each more and their past. Their exchange is both insightful and refreshing.
As the moment of the first kiss builds up, there comes a rude awakening where this sweet romance takes a dark turn. Their moment is marred by those who think they know better. As the story is set in north India, one gets a sinking feeling as where its going to turn next. Thankfully, writer-director Chandel doesn’t resort to clichés and instead gives the tale of these two youngsters something more promising.
Besides, Mukkabaaz, Chandel has also written the award-winning short film, Juice, starring Shefali Shah and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan.
Jaan Jigar earlier won the Best Debut Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) this January and has travelled the festival circuit from New York to London. The film rests on the winning performances by the lead artistes.
Shivani Raghuvanshi made her debut in Kanu Behl’s Titli (2014), but Ashutosh Sohan is a real find. He is effortless as an impish Romeo wooing his Juliet. Raghuvanshi brings a real sweetness to her role as well.
Chandel’s well-written short film deftly handles the alarming and growing moral policing of strangers against the backdrop of a young couple in a small town in India. Instead of highlighting the helplessness of the situation, it shows quite simply that love cannot be curtailed.
Jaan Jigar is an utter delight, do catch it!
Jaan Jigar was screened at the 9th Jagran Film Festival on 30 September 2018 in Mumbai.