A breezy offering of new age Indian cinema welcomes in the New Year as romantic drama, OK Jaanu, releases in cinemas on 13th January 2017, presented by Dharma Productions and Madras Talkies, distributed by Fox Star Studios.
Reflecting modern, urban India and its energy, aspirations and love stories, conveyed through the inimitable style of director Shaad Ali (Bunty Aur Babli, Saathiya), OK Jaanu revolves around a young couple in a live-in relationship in Mumbai. The juxtaposition of career, ambitions, playfulness and emotions are brought to life onscreen through tender humour and pathos. The film is inspired by the super hit Tamil film, OK Kadhal Kanmani, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam, who here lends his creative input as co-producer.
A wealth of acting talent takes ownership of the screen in OK Jaanu as new gen artists Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur join veterans Naseeruddin Shah and Leela Samson, respectively delivering performances that will resonate with cross-generational audiences. Academy, BAFTA, Grammy and Golden Globe award-winning musical genius, A.R. Rahman, has crafted another impeccable soundtrack, including a reworking of one of contemporary Indian cinema’s most iconic anthems, Rahman’s earlier Hamma Hamma (Bombay), redelivered in the form of The Humma Song that’s already championing the airwaves.
Synopsis:
OK Jaanu is a contemporary tale of 21st century, urban young romance mapped out in Mumbai, that weaves its lyrical tale through the fabric of the city’s drastically conflicting persona. Adi (Aditya Roy Kapur) is a young game designer from Lucknow who dreams of emigrating to the US and living the American dream. He comes to Mumbai to work at a start-up game development firm.
Adi plans to stay at an elderly couple’s home as a paying guest. Gopi (Naseeruddin Shah), an ex-High Court Judge, had previously worked with Adi’s brother, Ravi. He is a straight-laced, somewhat strict, elderly man. His wife, Charu (Leela Samson), an erstwhile, Hindustani classical singer is a cheerful, witty and quirky lady whose memory is fast fading due to Alzheimer’s. Adi gradually strikes a bond with them, integrating organically into their lives.
At a chance encounter during his friend’s wedding, Adi meets Tara (Shraddha Kapoor), a recent Architecture school graduate working with an architecture firm, who dreams of going to Paris to pursue higher education. Cheerful banter soon gives way to a conversation through which both Adi and Tara realise they strongly feel that marriage isn’t for them. They are happy to find a kindred soul in each other.
The pair starts spending time together and soon senses a palpable attraction, but they consciously try to keep a distance as they feel the constant proximity can only lead to one thing. Inescapably finding themselves drawn to each other and unable to stay apart, their relationship transcends into a physical one, despite their conservative backgrounds.
Tired of clandestine meetings in Tara’s hostel room, they decide to move in together until they go their respective ways to America and Paris. Adi brings Tara to meet Gopi, who dismisses the cohabitation proposal as absurd. As Tara strikes a chord with Charu over their shared love of music, the latter warms up to the young couple, which clears the way for Adi and Tara to live together in their house. Tara’s mother and Adi’s family eventually get to know they are living together and pressure mounts on them to get married. However, Adi and Tara steadfastly refuse to do so.
Tara’s admission to a university in Paris comes through, while Adi’s game pitch gets approved. With only ten days left and parting imminent, Adi and Tara are forced to confront some matters of the heart. Living together was always meant to be a stop gap arrangement but an incident involving the elderly couple forces them to relook at their lives and futures.
Watch the official trailer of OK Jaanu here:
