Jalebi: An old-fashioned sweet tale of romance

“Unki mohabbat kamal ki hoti hai, jinka milna muqadar mein nahi hota”. This line is twice reiterated in the film and that is what sums up director Pushpdeep Bhardwaj’s Jalebi.Adapted from the 2016 released Bengali film called Praktan, and designed in a typical Mahesh Bhatt and Vishesh Films’ template, the film is the love story of Mumbai-based Aisha Pradhan and Delhi-based Dev Mathur.Narrated in a non-linear format, the film begins with a depressed but conscientious Aisha confessing to her father that her life holds no meaning for her after the breakdown of her marriage to Dev, who she unwarily married seven years ago. But despite a broken heart, she undertakes a train journey to Delhi to promote her book.Unbeknownst to her, travelling in the same compartment are Dev’s current wife and daughter. How her life unfurls during the journey forms the crux of the tale.Rhea Chakraborty plays the impulsive and temperamentally independent young girl who is aspiring to be an author to perfection. She also deftly balances her act of a vibrant newly married girl and a brooding woman wallowing in self-pity.She is cute and appealing when she falls for the tour guide Dev and impetuously marries him.Varun Mitra, on the other hand as Dev, is very endearing and charming. Dev aptly balances Aisha and they make a perfect pair. But since not all love stories have to have a happy ending, theirs’ too is plagued with the malaise of sacrifice after Varun is inspired by the line he read randomly, “If you love a flower do not pluck it. Water it”.The duo are aptly supported by Digangana Suryavanshi as Dev’s current wife, Aanya Dureja as Dev’s daughter “Pulti” aka Disha, Mahesh Thakur as Aisha’s father and the character who plays Dev’s mother.Mounted with a moderate budget, the production values of the film are of reasonably good quality. Though the train compartment seems antiseptic and synthetic, the Netaji ki Haveli and the walled city of old Delhi seem natural and are astutely captured.Being a romance tale, music is unfortunately its weakest link.Overall, the film will appeal only to incorrigible, die-hard romantics who are suckers for a sentimental love story.– IANSAhan’s hard work inspires me, says Athiya ShettyActress Athiya Shetty said her brother Ahan Shetty’s hard work and calm nature inspires her and he is her “guiding force”.“Ahan is younger than me but I treat him as an elder brother... I actually take advice from him. He’s very calm and I admire that about him... I learn a lot from him. He’s the most hardworking person I know,” Athiya said while talking about Ahan, who is set to debut with the Hindi remake of Telugu hit RX 100.The 25-year-old actress was here to walk the ramp for the label Poshpride on the third day of Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week. Athiya, daughter of actor Suniel Shetty, made her debut in 2015 with Hero and was then seen in Mubarakan which released in 2017.Talking about her journey in Bollywood, Athiya said: “First, the film picks you, then you pick the film.”“I always thought that this is what I want to do and this is how I am going to be. I had a rigid plan but as you grow you mature and learn from your mistakes,” she said, adding that the highs and lows have shaped her to the person she is today.She is now looking forward to her upcoming film with actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.Asked if she is fashion conscious in real life, Athiya said: “I am not actually . It depends on my mood... Fashion is an extension of your personality.” – IANSGerard Butler says Hunter Killer will revive submarine thrillers Actor Gerard Butler says submarine thriller Hunter Killer tells a classic story, but it is very relevant.“When I first read this script a few years ago, I loved it immediately. It’s a classic story with a heck of a lot of great action, a heck of an intricate plot and a whole cast of fantastic characters who are heroes from different walks of life,” Butler said in a statement.“It felt like an exciting way to revive the submarine thriller for these times. And right now, this story couldn’t feel more relevant,” he added.The film is adapted from Don Keith and George Wallace’s 2012 novel Firing Point. Butler plays a submarine captain on a mission to rescue the Russian president and avoid World War 3 by firing torpedoes at everything in sight.Directed by Donovan Marsh, it also stars Gary Oldman and Linda Cardellini.PVR Pictures and MVP Entertainment are bringing the film to India. It will release on October 26. – IANSDanny Dyer proud of his daughterEastEnders actor Danny Dyer says he is proud of his 21-year-old daughter Dani Dyer, who has launched her new fashion collection ‘In The Style’.During the fashion launch, Danny, 41, said: “She is an incredible human being... and I’m very proud of her. I’m slightly choked up at this point, thank you all so much.”According to dailymail.co.uk, Danny claimed that Dani was conceived in “just two minutes”.“Who loves Dani Dyer? It’s incredible to think that me and my wife we made her and the thing is it only took two minutes.”He then quickly added: “Nah, quarter of an hour.”A number of celebrities including Georgia Steel, Samira Mighty, Hayley Hughes, Alex George, Zara McDermott and Niall Aslam, as well as Dani’s boyfriend Jack Fincham attended the launch event. – IANS