Theme
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Love is yet another passing emotion, when it crosses the social boundaries of age ...
“Na umr ki seema ho, na Janm ka ho bandhan,
Jab pyaar karey koyee, tho dekhey keval mann…”
Main Characters
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Victor Banerjee – Justice Chatterjee aka JC
A retired judge looks at the changing colors of his life , cocooned in the social weave. The metamorphosis of, a maladroit man first into a sprightly individual infatuated by bubbling youth and, finally into a suave dynamic person in love with life..
Perizaad Zorabian – Jenny Suratwala aka Jenny
A single young woman, who is a gregarious charmer with a happy-go-lucky attitude. The audacious lady maneuver’s her way into a haggard life with a promise of freshness and remains as a gift of youthful life..
Brief Synopsis – The Jog
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A loving family prods the retired JC into doing something with his life , and come up with ‘Jogging’ in Joggers Park as the best thing to do to fight boredom rather than take up some hobby or another job… Physical fitness is prime concern as also the fact that meeting with other joggers can only culminate in friendship and anything but love, after all he is old and gray with gawky mannerisms not a Casanova by any chance, being a high profile judge is a completely different facet altogether, which is only for public appearances and social pedestals…
So, off goes the weary-dreary JC to ‘Joggers Park’, trying the walk-jog to the peppy background score of Usha Uthup as to why people come to a park and why they jog .. jog jog jog..
The perspiring JC in need of a fan gets a timely one in the shapely form of Jenny, who knows all about jogging , right from what shoes to wear to the kind of T-Shirt which suits him and not to forget a jogging favor needs to be returned , well didn’t you know..
“A jogger in need is a jogger in deed”.. So the deed is returned and the need fulfilled .
where does that leave JC and Jenny in Joggers Park?? They are at a couple of places:
Jenny in JC’s car, one of their secret rendezvous at the various parking spots, what do they do – nothing, just talk, talk and pour their hearts out.. a mental compatibility , an intelligent conversation , opposites don’t attract!!
JC in his Govt. Bungalow which needs to be vacated in lieu of his retirement and Jenny in her home and ready to move to the new flat, how do they talk , SMS the hep voice of instant messaging, what do they talk ?? Nope, err.. they write remember!! , all about their whereabouts..
Jenny her world of modeling and youth , her mind forms a friendly attachment to JC bordering on some emotion which has no name yet.
JC in his world of wife and kids and the son-in-law, eating kheer prepared by his wife year after year, suddenly realizing ‘what’s in a kheer’!! my Jenny drinks beer but that’s whom I want! courtesy , the psychiatrist and his teenage niece..
What next?? Don’t you want to jog and watch this one…
My Heart is Beating…. err My Mind is Jogging..
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Joggers Park is a different movie and targets the matured audiences , however care has been taken not to offend the sensibilities of the social strata. The dialogues are plain and simple and there is a liberal usage of four letter words much to my dislike. There is no glamorization of the characters and emphasis is on their personality rather than the surroundings or locales.. A bold theme, a taboo subject in Indian cinema captured sensitively by the late director ‘Anant Balani’…
The actors have played their roles with perfection and ease.. Victor Banerjeewith a near flawless performance including the mannerisms and gait … Perizaad almost seems like herself, that’s how well she blended into the role of this vivacious young woman ..
Music is okay, considering that , ‘Ishq Hota Nahin ‘ sung by Adnan Sami and Jagjit Singh’s ghazal ‘Badi Nazuk Hai’ are good on the ear ..
Scenes which appealed to me are:
The character of JC’s wife, a trusting woman who too is bound by the social age, who encourages her hubby to go out and make friends, doesn’t question when he receives gifts from Jenny, who wants his attention in conversations which , seem futile..
The novice jogger JC, who comes home and shows off the ‘jogging shoes’ to his wife excitedly, imparting the knowledge of good running shoes.
The confident Jenny, who is sure of JC's feelings, as he stumbles for a way to express them.
The ‘kheer’ eating scene where JC accepts and relishes.
The hypocrisy of JC, wherein he orders his son to apologize for being out of line vis-à-vis social decorum and goes on to his infatuation.
The stand-off between JC and his daughter, about belonging to a society and accepting its norms.
Pondering:
Can one fall in love at their own whims and fancies and , let go at the same rate and frequency??
When one loves, isn’t love a compromise and a sacrifice??
If the future and present, are radiant as the youth, does the past have no meaning at all, didn’t it exist??
A touch of love , they say - makes a stone human, to be reborn. The human heart then needs to go through the test of love, walk through Fire and come out unscathed. Does it??
Finally,
Love knows no bounds and is that tiny ripple which engulfs the pond , just as laughter would a face.. Life and age are distinct , it’s more a mind jog. A happy , cheerful person looks younger and feels younger. A smile covers the wrinkle and Love gives Life.
‘Joggers Park’ is worth a watch at least once ..
:-))Riya
~~~~ Thanks for reading, Jogging comments welcome ~~
