Jhootha Hi Sahi Review By Komal Nahta

Star cast: John Abraham, Pakhi.

Plot: John falls in love with Pakhi for whom he is also a faceless voice on a helpline for people on the verge of committing suicide.

What’s Good: John’s acting; the story.

What’s Bad: The slow pace; the music; Pakhi, because she doesn’t look like a heroine of a romantic film.

Verdict: Jhootha Hi Sahi will prove to be a hit – and that’s the biggest jhooth.

Loo break: Several, because the pace is so slow.

Saregama and Cinergy’s Jhootha HiSahi is a love story of Siddharth (John Abraham) and Mishka (Pakhi), both Indians living in London. Although Siddharth is not in any way connected with a helpline for people on the verge of committing suicide, he gets calls from such people as his telephone number has been erroneously given out  as one of the helpline numbers. One such person with suicidal tendencies, who calls up Siddharth repeatedly, is Mishka. Mishka’s boyfriend, Kabir (R. Madhavan), has ditched her and so she is heartbroken. She confides in her telephone friend, Siddharth (whom she has named Fidato), and he gets her out of her depression. Siddharth also meets Mishka but he doesn’t tell her that he is the Fidato whom she has been confiding in.

Siddharth and Mishka fall in love – and Mishka thanks Fidato for this. Siddharth’s girlfriend, Krutika (Manasi Scott), revolts at the romance between Siddharth and Mishka but then, gives up. Omar (Raghu Ram), a Pakistani friend of Siddharth, gets close to Krutika even though he used to hate her earlier. Anyway, even as Siddharth and Mishka are enjoying their romance, her jealous ex-boyfriend comes back into her life and forces her to leave Siddharth. Does Mishka settle down in life with Kabir? Or does Siddharth woo her back? Or does she herself return to Siddharth?

There is a parallel track of Aliya (Alishka Varde), who is Omar’s sister. She is being pressurised by Nick (George Young) to marry him but she holds herself back. Why? Does she give in finally?

The film has an unusual love story, written by Pakhi. The first half is very boring as the screenplay (Pakhi) gets repetitive and rather dull. The post-interval portion is slightly better as there is a little more drama then. However, Mishka being so undecisive gets on the audience’s nerves. The climax, too, is hardly exciting as the urgency for the lovers to meet is contrived and created rather than natural.

The jokes between Siddharth and his friends are sometimes too class-appealing. Even the drama holds appeal for the city audience only. Although this is a love story, the romance hardly gladdens the heart. Likewise, emotions are completely missing because of which the audience doesn’t feel the pangs of separation whenSiddharth and Mishka break off. For a love story of the kind the film is, hit music was a pre-requisite but, unfortunately, there is no song which is very hummable. Dialogues (Pakhi) are good.