Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007) completed 18 on June 15. The film is memorable for its casting, the twist in the second half and of course, the chartbuster songs. Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to director Shaad Ali in May 2025 on the 20 years of his much-loved film, Bunty Aur Babli (2005). During the conversation, he also opened up on Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.
18 Years of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom EXCLUSIVE: Shaad Ali opens up why the film didn’t click as intended: “Nothing is wrong with it but it seemed like a very English film, a Woody Allen kind of cinema; its sur is not desi…I asked myself in the theatre, ‘Yeh main kya dekh raha hoon?’”
When asked how the reviews were for Bunty Aur Babli, Shaad Ali revealed, “I had no idea. I don’t read reviews. I have a habit – if my film releases on a Friday, I head to Kanpur the day before. I then watch the film with the audience in my hometown. I prefer doing that as a way of dealing with the ups and downs that happen when my film releases. Down hai toh wahaan chhup ke baith jao aur up hai toh un logon ke saath enjoy karo. I have learned cinema from Kanpur. I have seen films there in cinemas.”
He added, “I saw Jhoom Barabar Jhoom multiple times to figure out where people are losing interest and what’s happening.”
When asked what he concluded, Shaad Ali honestly confessed, “It seemed like a very English film, a Woody Allen kind of cinema. Though it has desi people and desi warmth, overall its format and DNA is akin to an English film. Nothing is wrong with the film. It’s just that I don’t think it’s a proper Hindi film. In our quest to push the boundaries with the songs, it ended up becoming like a Western musical and not a Hindi film musical.”
He continued, “The intention was to do a musical. Yash Chopra said, ‘Agar Hindi film mein pehli baar musical bani hai, toh yehi bani hai’. But it’s not our palette. I can’t say ki isme ek cheez on-off hai. That whole film’s sur is not desi. I was sitting in the theatre and I asked myself, ‘Yeh main kya dekh raha hoon?’! That’s when I realized ki yeh film nahin baith rahi hai.”
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom starts with Rikki (Abhishek Bachchan) and Alvira (Preity Zinta) meeting at London railway station. Both claim to be waiting to receive their respective partners, Anaida (Lara Dutta) and Steve (Bobby Deol). The first half deals with flashback tracks on how Rikki-Anaida fell in love and how Alvira-Steve began their relationship. In the second half, viewers learn that both cooked up stories and that they were single. The film also has a musical special appearance by mega star Amitabh Bachchan.
More Pages: Jhoom Barabar Jhoom Box Office Collection , Jhoom Barabar Jhoom Movie Review
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