Movie Review: Jannat

Mahesh Bhatt remarked before the release of Jannat that this movie could be Emraan Hashmi's Naam. Here's an actor who can carry a movie on his own with such a natural performance and a terrific screen presence. The first half of the movie keeps you glued offering something new - cricket betting, match fixing and bookies in the backdrop of a blossoming love story with a powerful intermission point. However, the half-baked second half fails to keep the promise and drags so much that unfortunately Emraan will have to wait longer for his Naam. Emraan Hashmi does deliver showing wide range of expressions but the same cannot be said about the movie in totality.

Jannat takes you through the rise and the fall of Arjun Dixit (Emraan Hashmi), a man gifted with the sixth sense of predicting cricket who turns into a big bookie. It's a tale about how he has a tough time choosing between his sweetheart Zoya (Sonal Chauhan) and his addiction for making quick money.

Some of the scenes in the first half are well executed with well-written dialogs especially the ones where Arjun tries to convince the rollex loving captain with diamonds loving wife to throw away a winning match. Without taking names things are made so clear that audience just end up clapping. The first two songs "Zara se" and "Jannat jahan" are very melodious and well-shot. Good music is something which you would expect of a Bhatt-Hashmi movie and Jannat does not disappoint there.

What's missing is the under developed and seemingly forced Bob Woolmer's mysterious murder in the narration. And too much of preachy stuff from the heroine, who otherwise is a delight to watch reminding you of Sonali Bendre. Sonal Chauhan looks gorgeous and has got a meaty role in her debut.

The supporting cast is awful to say the least. The most irritating is Vishal Malhotra (Arjun's friend). It's tough to say if he's more confused or more constipated. Next in line is Samir Kochar (ACP) who must have been told by the Bhatts that his is a role similar to Jackie Shroff's in Khalnayak. I can't believe he took that seriously and over-acted to the hilt. Eating sandwich all the time does not make you a cool cop, not the least a good actor. Vipin Sharma (Arjun's dad) looks more like a drunkard - makes me wonder if he's the same guy who was so brilliant in TZP. Jawed Sheikh is good but has a very small role.

First time director Kunal Deshmukh does a decent job. If only he had a better script in the second half, it would have been more interesting. In the end I would say watch Jannat for Emraan Hashmi. He is one under-rated actor but when it comes to knock-out performance, he's better than the most.