Review: Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Chopra's trademark expertise in keeping the drama at just the right pitch is only patchily evident. Not all the songs have emotional connect, another Chopra strong point, and the A R Rahman soundtrack doesn't quite overwhelm either. I loved the 'Challa' song, though : in its sweep and its lyrics, it encompasses the kind of romance that was completely Yash Chopra's. Of the two ladies, Kaif rises to the occasion only occasionally; the rest of the time, she's too pallid to leave any impact. Where's the spirited Kat? And Sharma's bubbliness, though nice, seems stretched, and much too familiar.

Finally, what keeps you with the film is Shah Rukh Khan, who is on the top of his game. He pulls every familiar trick of his, and he comes up with a couple we haven't seen before. This is the star in a lover boy avatar we haven't seen him in for a long time, and being able to stare intensely into his leading ladies' eyes lets him shed his clown-self, and allows them to swoon. Fittingly, Yash Chopra's final film will be remembered for the guy who gave the director a boost when he needed it, back then with 'Darr'. Watch this one for Shah Rukh, who can still do the dimpled boy wonder and the older lover with a wry smile and wounded wink and sexy nudge.

shubhra.gupta@expressindia.com

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