Ali Rehman Khan is the only saving grace of Janaan

5 reasons why Janaan failed to deliver what it promised and why you should still watch it!

The premiere of the most-anticipated Pakistani film of the year, Janaan, was held on Saturday in Karachi and it was a star-stuffed affair.

Prominent celebrities came out to support the rising stars Bilal Ashraf, Armeena Rana Khan and the talented Ali Rehman Khan.



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The IRK film that was bound to break stereotypes came with it's fair share of highs and lows. And when all else failed, Ali's acting was the only saving grace. Ajab Gul, Mishi Khan and the newcomer Hania Amir also did justice to their roles.

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Here are the five reasons why Janaan failed to deliver what it promised.

1. Breaking stereotypes

The film began with Ghani Khan's enlightening words, "Pashtun is not merely a race but, in fact, a state of mind; there is a Pashtun lying inside every man, who at times wakes up and overpowers him."

All we saw was a hot-headed Pashtun boy, Asfandyar, who is willing to take someone's life in the name of honour. That's what Pashtuns are stereotyped as, aren't they?

Same goes for Ikramullah (played by Nayyar Ejaz) and his notorious gang who try to suppress the evil with their supreme authority. But yes, it did show an extremely modern Pashtun family based in Swat that left the audience wishing for it to exist in real.

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2. Vague story line

The whole film left us hanging in the middle of no where as we failed to understand the basic subject it revolved around. A multi-ethnic wedding, love triangle and the sensitive topic of child abuse made for an overstuffed script.

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3. Poor editing

Forget Ikramullah, poor editing was the real villain of Janaan. The transitions were so abrupt that it made the film feel disjointed. Even the scenic valley of Swat couldn't draw away our attention from the sloppy editing.

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4. Needless cameos

Hareem Farooq, why did you even feel the need to grace the screen for two seconds? We just waited and waited to see who she was and what was she there for but alas!

Same goes for Osman Khalid Butt. Such a talented actor that an extended screen time could have added more value to the comic element of the film.

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5. Disappointing music

All that glitters is not gold. With so much buzz around the music, Ghani Khan's Reidi Gul and cross-border names such as Salim-Sulaiman, Shreya Ghoshal and Armaan Malik failed to create a lasting impression.

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Written by Osman Khalid Butt, Janaan did give us many new faces and given that it's their first film, the whole effort is quite commendable.

Overall, if you've had a hangover after watching Baar Baar Dekho over the weekend, then you must go watch Janaan to cure your Bolly woes. The IRK film has an edge over the Sidharth Malhotra, Katrina Kaif starrer as Armeena's acting can give Kat a run for her money any day.

Disclaimer: This is not a critic review. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect general opinion.

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