Samantha and Sharwanand recreate magic
Jaanu is the remake of the Tamil hit 96 and is helmed by C. Premkumar, who directed the original film. The presence of Samantha and the backing of top producer Dil Raju has created a buzz for the film. The film stars Sharwanand in the lead role. Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha played the lead in the Tamil film.
K. Ramachandra aka Ram (Sharwanand) and Janaki Devi aka Jaanu (Samantha), lovers in high school in
2004, meet after 17 years at a school reunion. Jaanu is married and living in Singapore with her family. Ram has become a travel photographer and remained single. At the reunion, Ram and Jaanu relive their memories. They are still in love but respect their new boundaries.
Premkumar does not spoil the remake of his own creation. The story is rich in emotion — a boy and a girl in love in school, going their separate ways and meeting after years in different circumstances — and the director catches every nuance. The screenplay plays an important role as the story moves between the past and the present. Till the interval, the film deals with the high school romance but the second half is touching as the lead pair go down the memory lane.
The narration may be a bit slow but the director needs the time to show their emotions.
In the original, the lovers are separated in 1996 — hence the title of the Tamil film — when there were no mobile phones. Jaanu is set in
2004, by which time mobile phones had become popular. So, it looks odd when the boy sends a small piece of paper to the girl or when the girl cannot find the boy.
When it comes to performances, Samantha once again steals the show with a stunner. She has proved her worth with her earlier films and Jaanu will definitely rank among her best. From the moment she appears on screen, she takes control with her mature and controlled acting. In the second half, she is on top.
Sharwanand gives his best performance and competes with Samantha. Jaanu is one of Sharawanand’s best in recent times, acting wise. Vennela Kishore and Sarnaya Pradeep support well. Sai Kiran and Gouri G. Kishan who play the younger Sharwanand and Samantha do a marvellous job.
The music and background score by Govind Vasantha are a big asset. Govind provides wonderful music throughout, which elevates the happenings on the screen. The cinematography is pleasant. Mirchi Kiran helps with the dialogues which are very effective.
Jaanu, then, is a faithful remake of C. Premkumar that retains the magic of the Tamil 96. If you have not seen the original, Samantha and Sharwanand give their best performance. The narration is a bit slow, but sit back and feel the nostalgia wash over you.