Jab Harry Met Sejal Review

In the recent times, Bollywood has seen some of its most accomplished filmmakers failing to live upto expectations; Dilwale, Tubelight, Befikre are examples of big-name directors failing to excite the audience. With ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali known for classics like ‘Jab We Met’, returns with two of the biggest names in the industry; Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma. Will the director deliver a romantic classic that lives upto the hype? Does Shah Rukh Khan still have something new to offer in the romantic genre? Let’s find out!

Story: The story of ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ is about Harry and Sejal’s journey across Europe. Harry (Shah Rukh Khan) takes visitors on a tour across different European countries. He’s a bit aloof, rude and finds it difficult to maintain long lasting relationships. Sejal (Anushka Sharma) is a tourist who has taken the services of Harry along with her entire family. She gets engaged during the trip to Rupen. Her engagement ring goes missing and she refuses to go back to Mumbai until she finds it. She compels Harry to help her find the ring and he agrees to do so.

Jab Harry Met Sejal Still - Shahrukh, Anushka

Jab Harry Met Sejal Review – Shahrukh, Anushka

Review: ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ starts well with some good interactive fun between the lead pair, which does remind you of some of Imtiaz’s earlier films. The proceedings in the first hour are fairly well-paced with some ear-pleasing songs like Safar, Radha and Parinda. A special mention to the episode leading upto the Hawaayein song as it brings Shah Rukh Khan back to his romantic roots.

However, the film fails to move with its storyline and the plot related to the ‘lost ring’ is stretched beyond its elasticity. The second hour begins on a very average note and it is through these portions that the film begins to drag. The writing lets the film down big-time, which is surprising because most Imtiaz Ali films – Tamasha, Highway and Rockstar in particular – have improved in the latter half. The climax is the weakest link of the film, which also ends pretty abruptly.

The only silver lining in this otherwise disappointing tale of Harry and Sejal are the performances. Shah Rukh Khan delivers a likeable performance, but is let down by a film with a wafer-thin plot line. Harinder Singh Nehra had the potential to be Ved Vardhan Sahni of Tamasha, but unfortunately the same hasn’t been explored by Imtiaz Ali during the last hour. With all due respect to the legend and the evergreen ‘King of Romance’, after having achieved everything and more in the romantic genre, it’s time to do roles with more substance at this stage of his career. His legacy and stardom deserve better films than this.

Anushka Sharma is excellent as Sejal, she plays the role of a Gujarati girl to perfection. The supporting cast comprising of actors like Chandan Roy Sanyal takes the graph of the film down. In fact, the movie would’ve probably worked better without the whole ‘Illegal immigration’ angle involving him which fails to raise any laugh and ends up making the film feel longer.

The music is pleasing with good cinematography thrown in even when the screenplay doesn’t require songs. Radha, Hawaayein and Raula (the unreleased Diljit Dosanjh Punjabi track) are the songs that stands out. But too many songs, as many as eleven, can test the viewer’s patience.

On the whole, even though Jab Harry Met Sejal travels through 6 countries in those 145 minutes, the film fails to take you on an emotional ride that you expect from an Imtiaz Ali – Shah Rukh Khan film. The charisma and acting prowess of the lead pair make the film watchable, but ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ is a romantic film that lacks soul. When you don’t feel for the characters or want the lead couple to fall in love and be together, it makes the whole film pointless.

‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ is one of the biggest disappointments so far this year.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

What works in Jab Harry Met Sejal:

  • Performances by the lead pair
  • Some good songs
  • Visually beautiful

What doesn’t work for Jab Harry Met Sejal:

  • Lacks soul, all style with little or no substance.
  • Imtiaz Ali’s direction
  • Poor second half
  • Some dialogues and scenes that can make you cringe
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199 Comments

  • So the Bad Phase continues!!….

    RCE, Dnt think u r the genius in Film Marketing but u r the Worst.
    U Dnt knw the vein of audience.
    Keep irritating the audience in theatre

  • Gayi bhains paani main..
    Bt im hapy ppl r rjctng insipid stories nd mindless movies…tym to wake up bollywood…til wen wahi ghise peete cliched luv storys yaar!! Duniya kaha se kaha chali gayi hain nd v indians r stil stuck in dat luv zone mode nly..pheww!!

  • I have never seen any SRK movies getting so much negativity like JHMS. Even so called bad movies Ra.one was getting some appreciation. He disappointed his fan again & again. Is there anyone who can suggest him what kind of scripts is working these days?
    No surprise in his script sense, In #askSRK sessions, a guy asked him what he supposed to do while script reading or listening? SRK’s replied was ” I play with Abram while listening script”. How on earth can a person focus while his mind is fuck up with something?
    I will always be srk fan but giving up expectation from his movies.

      • Yes, I don’t have kids but i love kids & they also love me too. I also love to play with my niece & nephew. But, we should respect professionalism & should manage time for both kids & work separately. You cannot bring your kids in office as you love them very much. By the way, Planning to getting married asap. ):-

  • Harinder Singh Nehra had the potentials of Ved Vardhan Sahni from Tamasha, but unfortunately…..
    This one liner is awesome…

  • This film is getting negative from almost 80% critics. It means it will be another flop of SRK and this movie may even fail to cross 100 cr because next week TEPK is releasing. Feeling sad for SRK. He is a brilliant actors. He should sign sensible movies rather than these types of crap.

  • ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ is one of the biggest disappointments so far this year.

    Direct attach???

  • expected … jab tak critics bad reviews denge bollywood ka kuch nai hogaa… all critics says bollywood is in downfull.. but i ask who are responsible for it ?? its non other than critics who give bad reviews to almost every movies and dont allow people to comeout and watch the movie… ! just stop doing this stuffs otherwise noone can stop downfall of bollywood…. plzzz critics let people decide to watch it or not…!

  • This is JHMS for you. Didn’t expect anything from it anyways. Lifetime will remain below 100 cr. It’s a FLOP already.

  • ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ is one of the biggest disappointments so far this year.

    PRESENTLY SURPRISED…….

    WAIT till XMAS

  • the way indicine is giving excuse rofl ..
    indicine bhakt of Hr and srk..

    Now again akki will save this trade people the way he saves every time
    and this trade people do asslicking of khans but still akki saves this fucking theatre owners distributer exhibitors ..
    I don’t have a hate for khans but atleast give credit to akki what he deserves. releasing 3/4 movies per year is not a joke..
    khans also tried this but failed .

  • The old man is nothing without chopras and johars . He has poor script sense. He should be thankful to johars and chopra s that bcoz of them he is still surviving and dominated the industry for some years. Without them he is as big as saif ali khan.

      • Beta, Filhaal to Tere Criminal Khan ke favourite Director ke baawzud aur Apni AUQAAT Eid ke baawzud biggest disaster de di Usne…
        Itna uchhal mat, Beta…
        Khud ki jhhank pahle, Eid Made Star ke chamche…

  • Watched it and I whole heartedly agree it wasn’t a great film – but you rated a thrash movie like ‘Half Girlfriend’ 3/5 – after that any rating given by Indicine seems pointless.

  • its really frustrating and disgusting movie.I walked out of the theatre in the middle of second half. I bet u will not watch it completely even on ur tv sets or online. its ridiculously so BOARING.

  • Absolutely spot on. Anushka overacts to the point of numbness. Post interval starts with a pointless song, followed by another pointless wedding song. Her character is a confusing mess. She keeps teasing srk with cheesy and corny lines, even does a covered booty tease but in the next scene says i m not that kind of girl who leaves fer fiance and elopes with a guide.

    There is no depth, meaning, conviction of a single character.

    One word for this movie is absolute disaster

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