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Jab Tak Hai Jaan

2012 Indian romantic drama film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jab Tak Hai Jaan
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For the 1975 song, see Haa Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan (transl. Till the end of life) is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra, co-written and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma in lead roles. The narrative follows Samar Anand, a bomb disposal expert in the Indian Army, whose diary is discovered by documentary filmmaker Akira Rai. Through its pages, Akira learns about Samar’s earlier life in London and his intense romance with Meera Thappar, which ended under tragic circumstances.[1][3]

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The film marked Chopra’s return to directing after Veer-Zaara (2004), and was his final directorial venture before his death in October 2012.[5] It also marked the fourth collaboration between Chopra and Khan, and the first between Khan and Kaif.[6] Sharma and Khan reunited after their earlier work in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008). Principal photography took place across London, Ladakh, and Kashmir, with cinematography by Anil Mehta and music composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar.

Released theatrically on 13 November 2012 during the Diwali weekend, Jab Tak Hai Jaan received positive reviews from critics, who praised Chopra’s direction and the performances of Khan and Sharma, while noting the film's conventional storyline. It emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year, earning ₹235.66 crore (US$28 million) worldwide, and became the third highest-grossing Hindi film overseas at the time, following 3 Idiots (2009) and My Name Is Khan (2010).[7][8]

At the 58th Filmfare Awards, the film received seven nominations, including Best Actor (Khan), and won four awards, including Best Supporting Actress (Sharma) and Best Lyricist (Gulzar for "Challa").[9]

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Plot

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Major Samar Anand, a bomb disposal expert in the Indian Army, fearlessly defuses explosives in conflict zones. In Ladakh, Akira Rai, a spirited Discovery Channel filmmaker, nearly drowns in Pangong Lake and is rescued by Samar. He offers her his jacket and departs, inadvertently leaving behind his diary, which Akira later discovers and begins to read.

The diary recounts Samar’s earlier life in London, where he struggled as an immigrant performing odd jobs and playing music on the streets. He meets Meera Thappar, a wealthy and devout woman engaged to another man, at an event where he works as a waiter. They form a close bond—she helps him improve his English, while he teaches her Punjabi for her father's retirement celebration. Their friendship deepens into romance after a night of dancing and emotional revelations. Meera reconnects with her estranged mother, with Samar’s support, and later resolves to confess her feelings and break her engagement. However, after Samar is gravely injured in an accident, Meera, believing she broke her vow to God by falling in love, prays for Samar’s recovery and promises to never see him again. Samar, disillusioned, leaves London and joins the Indian Army, defying death daily in his bomb squad work as a way of challenging God.

Back in the present, Akira seeks permission to film a documentary on Samar’s unit and becomes acquainted with him during her shoot. She develops feelings for him, but Samar remains emotionally distant. After completing the documentary, Akira persuades Samar to accompany her to London for the film's release. There, he is struck by a van and suffers retrograde amnesia, remembering only events prior to his accident a decade earlier.

Akira contacts Meera, urging her to help with Samar’s recovery. Meera agrees and pretends to be his wife. As Samar begins to regain fragments of his past, a bomb defusal incident in the London Underground restores his memory. He confronts Meera, demanding that she choose between being with him or watching him continue to defy death. Samar returns to duty in Kashmir.

Eventually, Meera realises that her religious vow inflicted emotional pain on both herself and Samar. Letting go of her guilt, she travels to Kashmir, where Samar defuses one final bomb before proposing to her. The two are reunited, choosing love over fear.

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Cast

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Production

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Development and casting

In June 2011, Yash Raj Films announced a new directorial project by Yash Chopra to mark the 50th anniversary of his career in cinema, with a release planned for the Diwali weekend of 2012.[a][10] At the time, the film was untitled—similar to Chopra's earlier film Veer-Zaara (2004), which was named only upon submission to the Central Board of Film Certification.[11] Several titles were considered before Jab Tak Hai Jaan was finalized in September 2012. The title was inspired by a similarly named song from the 1975 film Sholay.[12]

Aditya Chopra conceived the story and encouraged his father to return to directing. Shah Rukh Khan, who had previously worked with Chopra in three films, was cast in the lead. Due to Khan's prior commitments, the filming schedule was adjusted to accommodate him. Yash Chopra sought a new on-screen pairing for the film and selected Katrina Kaif to co-star. Anushka Sharma, who had appeared in multiple Yash Raj productions including Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) and Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), was cast in a supporting role.[13][14]

Khan's character, Samar Anand, was described as emotionally layered, portraying both a carefree London street musician in his twenties and a hardened, duty-bound Indian Army officer a decade later. In interviews, Khan referred to the role as a blend of "angst, tenderness, and unforgiving rage".[15] Kaif played Meera Thappar, described as "the archetypal Yash Chopra seductress, an unattainable beauty".[16] Sharma portrayed Akira Rai, a young Discovery Channel filmmaker described as ambitious and driven in her pursuit of a career-defining documentary.[17]

Filming

Principal photography began on 9 January 2012 at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai, after being delayed by Shah Rukh Khan’s break following Ra.One and Don 2 (both 2011).[14][18] A substantial portion of the film was shot in London during a 35-day schedule that began on 22 February 2012 under the working title "Production 45".[19][20] Filming locations in London included Borough Market, the Jubilee Walkway, the Great Conservatory, Westminster Bridge, Trafalgar Square, The O2 Arena, Tower Bridge, and Canary Wharf. A dance sequence featuring the song "Ishq Shava" was shot in an underground club and aboard a boat on the River Thames.[21][22] A car crash sequence was filmed in Shepherd's Bush, which required closing multiple streets.[23] The London schedule concluded on 27 March 2012 at an indoor location in East London.[24]

The romantic scenes were directed by Aditya Chopra to ensure a more contemporary sensibility.[25] For the climax, originally intended to be shot in Jammu and Kashmir, the crew instead filmed in Ladakh, reportedly at Khan’s suggestion based on his prior experience filming Dil Se.. (1998) in the region.[26] Additional scenes were shot in Srinagar, Pahalgam, and Gulmarg.[25]

Yash Chopra had planned to film portions of the title song in the Swiss Alps, a hallmark of his romantic films. However, this shoot was cancelled following his death in October 2012. Aditya Chopra decided against reshooting or adding new material, choosing instead to preserve the film in its original form to honor his father's vision.[27][28]

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Soundtrack

Main article: Jab Tak Hai Jaan (soundtrack)

The music for Jab Tak Hai Jaan was composed by A. R. Rahman, marking his first collaboration with director Yash Chopra. Rahman signed on to the project in May 2011,[29] and completed the first track by December that year.[30] By February 2012, he reported having composed three songs, describing the album as "a combination" of his signature style and the classic romantic sound associated with Chopra's films.[31] He explained, "They wanted to do my kind of songs at the same time they wanted the old charm and soul of music that the Indian audience would love and which I wanted to do for a long time."[32]

The soundtrack album comprises nine songs, with lyrics written by Gulzar, except for the title track "Jab Tak Hai Jaan", which was penned by Aditya Chopra. The album was released on 10 October 2012 under the YRF Music label.[33] The soundtrack was well-received, with songs such as "Saans", "Heer", "Ishq Shava", and "Jiya Re" gaining significant popularity and contributing to the film's commercial success and promotional appeal.

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Release

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Two weeks prior to the release of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Devgn FFilms filed a complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), accusing Yash Raj Films of engaging in monopolistic business practices. The complaint alleged that the studio had used its dominant market position to secure a majority of the high-quality single-screen theatres for the release of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, thereby limiting screen availability for Ajay Devgn’s Son of Sardaar (2012).[34][35] Yash Raj Films responded by denying the allegations and expressing surprise at the timing and intent of the complaint. They stated that only 1,500 of the 10,500 available single-screens across India were booked for Jab Tak Hai Jaan.[36]

Following the rebuttal, Devgn claimed that his film had managed to secure only 600 single screens and asserted that Yash Raj Films had tied up with exhibitors during the release of Ek Tha Tiger (2012), obligating them to also showcase Jab Tak Hai Jaan on Diwali for a fixed period.[37] The CCI later dismissed Devgn's claim, stating there was no merit or evidence of abuse of dominant market position. Although Devgn appealed the decision,[38][39][40] the appellate tribunal upheld the contractual screenings of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, while agreeing to re-examine the broader allegations of market manipulation.

Theatrical release

Jab Tak Hai Jaan was theatrically released on 13 November 2012, during the six-day Diwali weekend. In India, the film opened across approximately 2,500 screens, including 1,000 multiplexes and 1,500 single-screen cinemas.[41][35] In overseas markets, it was released on around 600 screens.[41] The film was also selected for screening at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival and the Marrakech International Film Festival, in recognition of Yash Chopra's cinematic legacy.[42][43]

Home media

The film was released on home media formats on 3 January 2013 by Yash Raj Films. It was made available on VCD, DVD, and Blu-ray, with the latter featuring Dolby TrueHD 96k upsampling, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and Dolby Surround 5.1 sound.[44][45] The release also included over four hours of bonus material, such as behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, interviews with Yash Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan, music videos, and premiere highlights from a vintage-themed event held at Yash Raj Studios.[46] Jab Tak Hai Jaan was later made available on Amazon Prime Video.[47]

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Reception

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Box office

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The film's color-coded distribution map.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan grossed an estimated ₹2.36 billion (US$28 million) worldwide, making it one of the top-grossing Hindi films of 2012.[6]

India

The film opened to strong occupancy across India, with reports indicating 95–100% occupancy at both multiplexes and single-screen cinemas on its first day.[48] It earned ₹125 million (US$1.5 million) on its opening day and showed a 50% growth on the second day with earnings of ₹195.4 million (US$2.3 million).[49][50] Over its initial three-day run, the film netted ₹448.4 million (US$5.3 million), and ₹736.8 million (US$8.7 million) over the extended six-day Diwali weekend.[51][52][53]

The film earned ₹48.1 million (US$570,000) on the following Monday, bringing its first-week total to approximately ₹780 million (US$9.2 million).[54] After ten days, it had grossed ₹822.4 million (US$9.7 million), and by the end of its third week, it had surpassed ₹1.02 billion (US$12 million) domestically.[55][56][57][b][61] Its distributor share in India was reported at ₹570 million (US$6.7 million), and Box Office India declared it a hit.[62]

Overseas

Internationally, Jab Tak Hai Jaan grossed over US$1.3 million on its opening day and US$3.5 million by the end of its first three days.[63][64] It collected US$7.58 million over six days and continued to perform steadily, earning US$11 million by the end of its second week.[65][66] At the conclusion of its theatrical run, its overseas gross was estimated at US$12.5 million.[67]

Records

The film set several overseas records at the time of its release. It became the highest opening-day grosser for a Bollywood film in Singapore and Pakistan, with collections of $100,000.[68][69] In the Middle East, it emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film, earning over US$4 million.[70][71] Jab Tak Hai Jaan ultimately finished as the highest-grossing Bollywood film overseas in 2012 and the third-highest-grossing Hindi film of the year worldwide, after Ek Tha Tiger and Dabangg 2.[72]

Critical response

India

Jab Tak Hai Jaan received generally positive reviews from Indian critics.[73] Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave it 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as "attention-grabbing from inception till conclusion" and praising the performances and emotional depth.[74] Filmfare critic Rachit Gupta also awarded 4 stars, calling it "an epic love story" and "a perfect adieu to a hallmark career."[75] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the film 3.5 stars, noting that despite its "lovey-dovey nothingness," it had more substance than typical Bollywood romances.[76]

Meena Iyer of The Times of India gave 3.5 stars, citing the film’s picturesque visuals and nuanced emotions, though noting its "hackneyed" story.[77] Subhash K. Jha remarked that the film "makes you fall in love with love all over again."[78] Anupama Chopra of Hindustan Times rated it 3 stars, saying it was “too tangled to transport you,” but recommended it for its heartache and elegance.[79]

Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN also gave it 3 stars, stating that despite script issues, the film "oozes with feeling and real emotion."[80] Open magazine’s Ajit Duara called it “a deeply-felt cinematic perspective from 80 years of living,” while Rediff.com's Raja Sen noted it was a “middling effort” yet sentimental as a swan song.[81][82]

Other reviewers were more mixed. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave 2.5 stars, praising Khan’s charisma but finding the narrative familiar.[83] Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com found it "elegant" but critiqued its pacing and screenplay, also awarding 2.5 stars.[84] Piyasree Dasgupta of Firstpost was similarly critical, stating the film rehashed familiar tropes without standout music.[85]

Some reviews were more polarized. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2.5 (out of 5) stars, saying "watch this one for Khan, who can still do the dimpled boy wonder and the older, mature lover with a wry smile and wounded wink and sexy nudge."[83] Sukanya Verma (also from Rediff.com) described it as an "elegant, harmless entertainer for [the] most part", praising the visuals, acting and music. She criticised the screenplay, contending that the film could have been "snappier", and gave it 2.5 (out of 5) stars.[84] Piyasree Dasgupta of Firstpost wrote: "You have seen everything Jab Tak Hai Jaan has many times before, just in other films. And probably with far better music than A. R. Rahman threw into this one."[85]

Overseas

The film received a moderately positive response from international critics.[86] Priya Joshi of Digital Spy rated it 3 out of 5, calling it “a healthy dose of Khan” and “the message which [Chopra] lived and breathed.”[87] Simon Foster of Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service echoed similar sentiments, describing the film as “a grand cinematic work” with both strengths and weaknesses.[88] Los Angeles Times critic Mark Olsen praised its “freshness” and “certainty of tone,” calling it “a fitting tribute” to Chopra’s career.[89]

Lisa Tsering of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film “reflects a modern sensibility” while retaining Chopra’s romantic touch.[90] The New York Times’ Nicolas Rapold acknowledged the film’s melodrama but found clarity in its emotional stakes.[91] Gulf News described it as a “beguiling romantic film,” praising Chopra’s direction and the emotional resonance of the narrative.[92]

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Accolades

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The film won four Filmfare Awards,[93] five Zee Cine Awards[94] and two Colors Screen Awards.[95] Jab Tak Hai Jaan received several marketing and business awards for its overseas performance, promotions, distribution, and music.[96] However, Kaif and Sharma were nominated for Golden Kela[97] and Ghanta[98] awards; some critics felt that their acting was less than stellar.[citation needed] Sharma and Shreya Ghoshal were the main award recipients.[citation needed]

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Notes

  1. Diwali is a five-day Hindu festival which falls between mid-October and mid-November.
  2. While Box Office India stated that the film netted about ₹1.02 billion (US$12 million), trade analysts Taran Adarsh and Komal Nahta claimed it reached an 8-percent higher figure (about ₹1.20 billion (US$14 million)) during the same period.[58][59][60] Nevertheless, Box Office India's figures are used here.

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