Nearly a decade later, this Imtiaz Ali misfire remains a cautionary tale about Bollywood's script desperation.
VoxSpace Verdict
Jab Harry Met Sejal is a textbook example of how even a celebrated director like Imtiaz Ali can falter with a weak script. Despite the European locations and lead chemistry, the film fails to deliver meaningful storytelling, making it a frustrating watch for cinema enthusiasts.
Rating: 2/5
The Desperate Times For Harry To Meet A Good Script!
When Imtiaz Ali sat to write for his films probably he ran short of inspiration and script. Clearly, the result of his experiment is Harry met Sejal. Jab Harry Met Sejal is one movie which shows how Bollywood is desperate in search of a good script. When the world cinema is progressing with alarming stories we are still making the same old clichés without any regrets. The film lacks meaning, attention and music. Imtiyaz Ali is known for all these three but he fails at it, miserably.
The movie stars Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma in lead. Shahrukh aka Harry is a tour guide which meets Anushka Sharma aka Sejal and her family. This movie revolves around Europe. Anushka loses her engagement ring and fights with her fiancé. She decides to stay back and search for the ring instead of going back to India. Anushka’s character is a typical stereotyped modern Gujju girl with a weird accent, which the only Bollywood can digest. Throughout the movie, Anushka has called Harry as ‘hairy’ which will even put Daniel Radcliffe to shame.
The Plot (Like There’s A Plot..You’ll Find It Somewhere):
Whereas, Shahrukh Khan is a stud loner (who could’ve guessed right)which is reputed for the complaints from her female clients for all the good reasons. This movie will remind you of “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, “Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani” and all the other Ranbir Kapoor’s film. You can picture Ranbir Kapoor in every frame but you will be duped by the Shahrukh’s face instead. If you can survive the movie till interval and continue to watch, by the end of the movie you will question your own existence. The movie fails to make logic, sagacity and everything else which you will expect from a Shahrukh Khan.
Like all other Bollywood clichés, this movie has also got a happy ending unprejudiced like Cocktail. In the end, Shahrukh returns to India to attend Sejal’s wedding only to find out that she has cancelled her wedding. Surprisingly, she waits for him at the same wedding venue knowing that Harry will return to her. At last, they kiss and hug, and the movie ends for all the good reasons.
If you are too happy in life and looking for some nonsensical drama, this movie is made exclusively for you. This movie takes you through good tourist spots like Prague, Amsterdam, Vienna, Lisbon and Budapest. By the end of this movie, you will realize perhaps this is the sole reason why Shahrukh khan has signed this movie.
“Buss itna hi bolna tha malik..!!”..”Video daal raha hoon dekhlo..like jo bhi”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Jab Harry Met Sejal fail at the box office?
The film suffered from a weak, meandering script that lacked depth and emotional resonance. Despite Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma’s star power and exotic European locations, audiences found the storyline repetitive and uninspiring, ultimately leading to poor word-of-mouth.
Is Jab Harry Met Sejal worth watching in 2025?
Unless you’re a completist of Imtiaz Ali’s filmography or Shah Rukh Khan’s career, this film offers little value. The outdated narrative tropes and lacking execution make it largely skippable for modern viewers seeking quality cinema.
What went wrong with Imtiaz Ali’s direction in this film?
Imtiaz Ali, known for meaningful storytelling and great music, delivered a rare misfire. The film lacks the director’s characteristic depth, compelling narrative, and melodic strength. It feels like a director running short on ideas, relying on clichés rather than originality.
How does Jab Harry Met Sejal compare to other Imtiaz Ali films?
This film pales in comparison to Ali’s earlier works like ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Love Aaj Kal’. While those films explored meaningful themes with beautiful cinematography and music, Jab Harry Met Sejal relies on repetitive tropes and lacks the emotional depth audiences expected from him.
Does Shah Rukh Khan’s performance salvage the film?
Despite Shah Rukh Khan’s charm and screen presence, even his acting prowess cannot rescue a fundamentally weak script. The film requires a strong narrative foundation, which Jab Harry Met Sejal unfortunately lacks, making it a rare misfire in his filmography.
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