Jodi Breakers Review

For those wondering what really happened between the producers of the Belgian Heartbreaker and those of the Indian Jodi Breakers, here is the official version - the Indians offered to let the Belgians read their script, before making matters worse, provided a non-disclosure agreement was signed. The Belgians refused. Jodi Breakers was released, as planned, which makes you wonder if it was all something to do with publicity.

And for the curious - yes, there are traces of Heartbreaker in this movie. Let's just call it inspiration, and move on, since Jodi Breakers, is, after all, 'Indian' at heart.

Hell hath no fury like a man forced to pay alimony, and Sid (R Madhavan) has just decided to avenge himself by helping every couple in trouble to break up. He becomes what is known as the "break-up specialist" (of course, he could have always become a divorce lawyer, but where is the fun in that?). He knows his crusade is going to go places when he teams up with Sonali (Bipasha Basu), a single hot girl he meets at a pub.

The bitter Sid believes in his cause. He wants to wreak havoc in the lives of those unhappily committed. Sonali, on the other hand, is rather vague about her intentions. She seems to believe in true love and happy endings, but nevertheless wants to break couples up (because that is her job, see?). They have a mutual friend, Nano (Omi Vaidya), and life is all fun and games, till they come across a deal that can either make or break them.

If you're still trying to figure out where this rather predictable plot is headed, here's some trivia for distraction. Did you know that Dipannita Sharma and Bipasha Basu were room-mates, and that both were rumoured to have had an affair with the dishy Milind Soman? Looks like all of them have more than moved on, and they all look pretty comfortable with each other now.

As far as stories go, this one has not much going for it. It is an average story, the likes of which Hollywood and others have done to death, in variations. The taming of the male shrew, the midsummer days and nights of frolic, the ceaseless banter - you get the drift - and all's well that ends well. This banal saga of 2 do-gooders is anything but revolutionary, and an ideal watch for couples who prefer holding hands to actually watching a movie, in a dark theatre.

Did we forget to mention that the tale takes place mostly in Greece? Now this takes care of the visuals, you think, but be warned - beautiful though the country is, it only forms a backdrop for songs and a few scenes, and is not as well exploited as, say, Chalte Chalte. That is not to say that the cinematography is not excellent, but it all seems rather pointless.

There is nothing in the music that would make you want to jump up and cheer. The much-talked-about "Bipasha" song, which is supposedly a rip-off of a Beyonce number, turns out to be quite a disappointment. If only filmmakers understood looked beyond revealing clothes as a prerequisite to aesthetics! There is a lot of skin, mostly Bipasha Basu's, but none of the songs (more like independent, unrelated music videos) does anything for the movie.

R Madhavan stands out for his unconventional lead hero physique. In a movie filled with toned bodies (especially those of the above-mentioned ex-roomies and their mutual ex-boyfriend), he does seem a little clumsy and overbearing. Of course, he is irresistible to women who appear in songs, and the changing frames of his spectacles apparently add to the attraction. Madhavan is true to his character, and while his acting may not be flawless, his effort is definitely sincere.

Bipasha Basu does what she has to - look Hollywood-ish glamorous, and make disgusted faces. She is the only one who appears to be having a blast in the "Bipasha" song. Her approach to the art of acting has not altered much since the days of Jism, but then, nobody expects that from her anyway.

The best performances then, come from the supporting cast - Helen, Milind Soman and Dipannita Sharma, specifically. Omi Vaidya does a Chatur Lingam, again, and although he is very, very good at it, there is an unpleasant feeling of deja vu. He has to watch out for these stereotype roles.

Jodi Breakers has been in the news for a while now, and the promos and songs have been firmly etched in the minds of movie buffs. If any of those teasers excited you, then you must watch the movie, but do not say we did not warn you.