A decade of fun, love, free birds, unlimited craziness and timelessness can make you feel old as you look back suddenly realizing how time has flitted to soar in the sky. Like the brush of windy winter, Geet seeped into our lives and her innocence captured our hearts and imagination. Hard to believe that it’s been a decade when Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met (JWB) gave us so much unadulterated joy and happiness.
A carefree soul and longing to explore life as a student in Mumbai when the magic of Jab We Met hit me in places and like many, I was head over heels in love with Geet. One of my favorite if not the one, the ‘mein apni favourite hatke girl made us dream of love, dating or being in a relationship with someone like her who is like the Mumbai local trains, bak bak, and dhak dhak.
At that time, I was in a relationship with someone that was going nowhere and it almost hit my head on the wall since we were in a switch on and off mode. I so wanted Geet to be like her. She was in a way my ‘Geet’. It was a Saturday evening lazing around in the hostel at Churchgate when I suddenly decided to catch Jab We Met at Eros, the typical theatre that brought so much joy sitting in the balcony seat for 60 bucks and munching samosas at a time when the virus of multiplexes just started.
Thanks to the small mercies of life that it was just the start of the plex era which didn’t go into the destructive spree of killing the small joy and fun of watching movies in a typical theatre during those days.
The audience laughed at the crazy jokes and Geet’s innocence mouthing, ‘Bachpan se hi naa mujhe shaadi karne ke bahat craze hai’. The taalis and seethis made the memory of JWB a resonating affair, captured by the mind, soul and heart. There is so much that Geet has taught us in life. Live with wild abandon and indulge in things in a very innocent manner to explore your inner side. You are never too late or old to have fun, be it plunging in deep water, pursuing the passion left midway or never say no to love. I always say it, Life deserves another chance. We don’t owe it to anyone but to ourselves. Close the eyes, fall in love again and get into a brand new relationship for it doesn’t matter how much you suffered in the previous one.
Be stupid. Yes, I love Geet’s philosophy and approach to life where she slowly takes Aditya’s hand to teach him the basic lessons that he has either forgotten or the ruthless society imposed to harden him like a stone. There are many Adityas in this world and we need just one Geet to remind us about the simple and basic facts of not taking load, de-clutter or free ourselves. Life is too short for us not to make the most of every moment, right.
Bury the past with a smile or flush this picture that hurts you the most. That’s Geet and you cannot stop yourself from being smitten with her. The smile, attitude and innocence that Kareena injects into the character make her breath Geet in every single frame of the movie. Of course, the vision of Imtiaz Ali makes us relate to the characters that have carved a special place in our hearts.
As a character, Aditya is underrated and it’s fine that many find him boring but there is no denying the fact that he is endearing. He is humble, gentle, brooding but genuine. Shahid Kapoor injected his personal touch in constructing Aditya Kashyap, perhaps his boy next door image made the character believable and the vulnerability quotient lent a unique charm in fleshing it. What I love about Aditya is that he hides his emotions and there is a certain jealousy that makes him hate his mother for leaving her Dad. But, hey! That’s what love is all about. Geet tells him that his Mom was in love and teaches us that all is well when we are in love. There is no justification of good or bad. It’s the only thing that should matter to us. ‘Jab koi pyar mein hota hai toh koi sahi galat nahin hota.’
The scene at Hotel Decent-how can we forget it-‘train mein mila...item’ and what expression of the hotel owner. In the film, Geet undergoes a transformation where she almost converted into a nun but then love has its own way of finding you. The new and changed Aditya comes to rescue her at the right moment plus the icing on cake, the gaali to Anshuman that makes it epic.
Love yourself first. There is nothing wrong with that. Geet says it unabashedly and yet it doesn’t make her selfish for she is a totally free, kickass and independent woman who goes out of her way to help a random stranger in the train. ‘Mein Khud ki favorite hoon’ is all about taking care of the self and about having a huge self-esteem. It’s pure love and not vanity. Always follow your heart and the crowd doesn’t define you as echoed by Geet’s multi-faceted personality for she never lived a life of lies and leaves everything in the pursuit of love. Do not let the world define who we are and what we become or else, it means living someone’s else life.
Jab We Met redefined urban relationships on the silver screen and sashayed in our lives by portraying the down-to-earth characters. It was not just a film but a journey, not shying away from narrating the philosophy of life. Imtiaz Ali taught us how to live life to the fullest and of course, Geet is the dream girlfriend that we would all love to have. The movie has brought back so many fresh memories where it explored the various shades of relationships that make it a timeless affair to cherish.
Love
Vishal
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