Review of movie Jalebi

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Rating:2.5/5

Unrequited love is the strongest kind of love, is what debutant filmmaker Pushpdeep Bhardwaj is trying to tell the viewers through this love story. A remake of a hit Bengali film, 'Jalebi' tells the story of Aisha (Rhea Chakraborty) and Dev (Varun Mitra). A carefree student, Aisha ends up marrying a local guide-type boy next door, Dev. Turns out Aisha is not really cut out for marriage or for living with Dev and his family in their haveli in Old Delhi. 

The film is told in flashbacks which happen over a train journey from Mumbai to Delhi where the two protagonists meet and reflect over their lives. The problem is that Dev is with his current wife (Digangna Suryavanshi and daughter on the train. Because a train has other passengers, we get to see other characters, none of whom contribute in any way to the film’s story or to the stories of the central characters. 

Unlike Vishesh films’other projects, the songs in 'Jalebi' are not the strongest part of the film. The chemistry between Dev and Aisha lacks the spark, so the multiple flashbacks don’t seem to hold your attention. While the story is interesting and the end almost salvages the film, the bland performances and the uninspiring screenplay have done the harm already. 

What could have been an interesting and quirky train ride turns into a sappy, emotional tear-filled journey that seems like it will go on forever. With so many things working against it, this is definitely one dessert we’d recommend you taste with caution.