Purani Jeans Hindi Movie
It is a rather tempting thought to write a story on friendship and love. But once you manage to overcome the initial urge to write the story, you could probably put some head into figuring a new aspect to the male bonding and love stories that have so often crowded the theaters on Fridays. I wish the makers of Purani Jeans had used that restraint, sat back and analysed if they indeed had anything interesting to tell. That could have probably saved me the pains of watching a tedious fare so that I could bring to you reasons to avoid it!
Correction, you don't really need any more reason apart from the one I already stated to avoid Purani Jeans. But reasons there are a plenty; the biggest of all being a clumsy screenplay. The story does not move anywhere for almost entirety of the film. And the amateurish direction refuses to make things better.
Purani Jeans is essentially a story about two friends - Sid and Sam. They are best friends since the age of five and together with three others form the 'Kausali Cowboys'. As the name suggests, the story is set in the sleepy town of Kasauli. The group has its pledges that they renew every year, one including that they would marry only virgin girls. (really!) The celebrated friendship is established through montages, shots of which have been taken out of dozen other such films. And then enters the girl in their life. Nayantara is beautiful and both Sid and Sam fall for her. Story takes every possible cliched path there on. So much that you could almost laugh out at your predictions coming true. Yawn!
Like any other badly made film, inept direction means the film fails in every department. Even seasoned cinematographer Sunil Patel and hugely talented Ram Sampath come up with work they could do without adding to their repertoire. The same goes with performances. It remains a mystery why certain directors prefer foreign actress who fail to add any dimension to their character considering they have little knowledge of the Hindi language or Hindi films. Watching the Brazilian Izabelle Liete delivering Hindi lines is pitiful. Tanuj Virwani desperately needs acting classes. New guy Aditya Seal manages to add some freshness but is failed by the script.
I remember a wannabe female director once telling me how hard it becomes for the likes of her to make their debut film because of other female directors coming up with half baked projects. This film, directed by debutant Tanushri Chattrji Bassu, is not going to help the likes of her who are constantly trying to prove to the traditional producers that they are as good, if not better, as their male counterparts. Purani Jeans is too full of directorial goof ups, which is strange for someone who has made over 100 ad-films.
The story of Purani Jeans is at best 'purani' (old) and pretty stale. You could revisit Dil Chahta Hai and Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara if you are in a mood for male bonding films. Else there are definitely better films at the theaters this week.
