There is a reason why Yash Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan are called the Kings of Romance, they have managed to weave one unforgettable love story after the other that remains etched in our memories. 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', Yash Chopra's last directorial venture had created ample pre-release buzz and the anticipation in the theatre was palpable. 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' is yet another impossible love story made believable by the conviction of the makers.
Samar Anand (Shah Rukh) does odd jobs in London for sustenance, needless to say our quintessential Bollywood hero is multi-faceted; he croons, he grooves, he has a heart of gold and he is charmer all the way. On a cold London night, while cleaning snow from the sidewalks, Samar falls for the beautiful Meera (Katrina Kaif), Indian billionaire's daughter who is always negotiating with God and cutting deals to accomplish her unfulfilled wishes. Quite obviously their love for each other is mired by impossibilities.
Yash Chopra romances are historically high on sacrifices and the two besotted lovers are driven apart by circumstances. Our suave odd-job man is now Major Samar Anand, nicknamed 'The man who cannot die' because of his daredevil acts of courage. Rookie documentary filmmaker, Akira (Anushka Sharma) wants to film the fearless bomb squad head and needless to say, the feisty kudi soon finds herself falling hook, line and sinker for our intense army man.
Unrequited love and loyalty, pangs of separation and characters with a propensity for sacrifice; these are all familiar tropes in Bollywood but Yash Chopra has his way of creating the perfect mise-en-scène and converting you into a believer. For die hard romantics, philosophies like 'There is a time for every love story' is sure to become a mantra, much like, 'Someone somewhere is made for you'.
At 47, Shah Rukh, still strikes the right notes as the typical romantic hero. Anushka essays her part with ease but Katrina still needs to work on getting the emotional parts right. Rahman's music too doesn't really grow on you after you have watched the film.
JTHJ doesn't quite stand out like some of Yash Chopra's previous works and the pace of the second half seems to drag a bit. It's just that when you watch the film, the canvas is picturesque, the characters are gorgeous and the story restores your faith in good, in love and in impossible relationships.