jab i saw 'jab we met'

I’m not very proud of this but I have a chauvinist in me who comes alive once in a while, denies to slumber again but eventually does.

When the proud chauvinist in me dies, I search my identity in the weaker liberal in me. I seek refuge with the victor. More often than not, I convince myself that the liberal half of me has wittily won over the impulsive, stubborn chauvinist, and for good. But at times, I am left irked. Either because I feel the chauvinist was wronged or perhaps I’m not sure if he really died.

When I first saw a kareena kapoor film, I nearly pledged I wouldn’t watch another. The chauvinist didn’t like her. But out of curiosity whether he was right or plainly out of tremendous boredom, I started watching ‘jab we met’. In a bid to be true to my chauvinist self, I religiously wanted him to win. And being the optimist I am, I played unguarded.

I was convinced this would be another sisyphean attempt to produce admirable romance.
I watched for 47 minutes straight. It occurred to me I had come this far, when shahid kapoor remarked to kareena, “tu original piece hai. Maloom hai na tujhe aisa doosra nahin hai.” Amused by the unbeaten chirpiness in her character, I spoke out to myself “seriously. She is”. And that’s precisely when I realized the chauvinist was losing. And suddenly I felt no urge to be loyal to him. I sought refuge again.

Now the protagonists reach Punjab, the land of frivolling mystique. And fittingly enough pretty much all that happens in the next half hour is foolish- sweet n sour. While the character ‘Geet’ keeps me amused, kareena kapoor is bewitching me. I try to shrug myself off the enchanting lullaby but cease to be sure who I love more- kareena kapoor or ‘Geet’. The blend is perplexing. The chauvinist is irked but I deny identifying with him.

Again neatly into his character, what shahid kapoor does in the following half hour would have ordinarily made me either frown or laugh but it makes me smile. I have given in to the story. A witty soul would nominate him a gimmick. But that’s being parochial. A due share of credit has to be given to the effort previously made in enticing the viewer to clutch the wonder broom personified as ‘Geet’. Now I wish to fly along with the exhibited free spirit.

The last section sees the story winding through a series of gimps which only makes it more enthralling. Not losing the implicit humor which is to me, the trunk of the tale, the movie takes us to the predictably romantic end. I’m not complaining.

I no longer have the desire to cling on to the chauvinist, but I don’t quite know who won- Geet the character, kareena kapoor or my witty liberal self.