Starcast: Vinod Khanna, Meenakshi Seshadri, Sangeeta Bijlani, Shafi Inamdar, Gopi Desai, Akash Khurana, Om Shivpuri and Anang Desai Directio...
Starcast: Vinod Khanna, Meenakshi Seshadri, Sangeeta Bijlani, Shafi Inamdar, Gopi Desai, Akash Khurana, Om Shivpuri and Anang Desai
Direction: Mahesh Bhatt
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Jurm released on July 13, 1990, is a Bollywood crime thriller
directed by Mahesh Bhatt that’s got all the ingredients for a wild ride—murder,
betrayal, romance, and a whole lot of suspense. This flick, starring Vinod
Khanna, Meenakshi Sheshadri, and Sangeeta Bijlani, isn’t just another masala
movie from the era; it’s a sharp, engaging adaptation of the 1987 Hollywood
thriller Someone to Watch Over Me, with a dash of inspiration from another
English film, The Witness (1985). Oh, and fun fact: the Kabir Bedi starrer Haar
Jeet (1990) was also based on that same Hollywood gem, Someone to Watch Over
Me. So let's delve into what makes Jurm tick, why it’s worth a watch, and how
it stacks up against its influences.
The Plot: A Cop, A Witness, and a Tangled Web
Jurm (which translates to “Crime” in Hindi) centers
on Shekhar Varma (Vinod Khanna), a tough-as-nails Mumbai police inspector
living a cozy life with his wife, Meena (Meenakshi Sheshadri), and their young
daughter. Everything’s going smoothly until Shekhar’s department gets a tip
about Ritesh Nandy, a gutsy editor who’s dug up some dirt on some seriously
powerful folks. Despite police protection, Ritesh ends up dead, and enter Geeta
Sarabhai (Sangeeta Bijlani), a stunning witness to the murder who, frustratingly,
can’t identify the killer. When Geeta starts getting death threats, Shekhar and
his colleague Inspector Pramod Kadam (Shafi Inamdar) take turns guarding her.
But here’s where things get messy: Shekhar and Geeta start catching feelings
for each other, which throws his marriage into chaos. Meena smells something’s
up, confronts Shekhar, and moves out. Meanwhile, the body count rises, and the
plot thickens with twists that keep you guessing who’s trustworthy and who’s
playing dirty.
The story, penned by Salim Khan, is a masterclass
in weaving suspense with emotional stakes. It’s not just about who killed
Ritesh but about the moral grayness of everyone involved. The script’s got this
undercurrent of distrust—every character, from Shekhar to Geeta to the creepy
villain (played brilliantly by Anang Desai), is constantly second-guessing each
other.
The Hollywood Connection: Someone to Watch Over Me
and Haar Jeet
Jurm leans heavily on Someone to Watch Over Me, a
1987 Ridley Scott film starring Tom Berenger as a cop, Mimi Rogers as the
witness he’s protecting, and Lorraine Bracco as his wife. The core setup—cop
falls for the witness, jeopardizes his marriage—is straight out of
Scott’s playbook. But Bhatt doesn’t just copy-paste; he sprinkles in some
Bollywood flair, amping up the drama and throwing in a few extra twists
inspired by The Witness (1985), a Harrison Ford-led thriller about a guy
protecting an Amish kid who saw a murder. The Witness influence shows up in the
way Jurm plays with the idea of an outsider (Geeta) being hunted and the moral
dilemmas that come with protecting her.
Interestingly, Jurm wasn’t the only Indian film
riffing on Someone to Watch Over Me that year. Haar Jeet, starring Kabir Bedi,
also took a stab at adapting the same Hollywood flick. While Haar Jeet stuck
closer to the original’s urban vibe and focused on Bedi’s brooding charisma,
Jurm feels more distinctly Indian, with its blend of family drama, moral
conflicts, and that classic Bollywood emotional heft. Both films are worth
checking out if you’re curious about how different directors tackle the same source
material, but Jurm edges out for its tighter pacing and stronger ensemble.
What Works: The Performances and Bhatt’s Direction
Vinod Khanna is the heart of Jurm. The guy’s got
this quiet intensity that makes Shekhar both heroic and flawed. You feel for
him when his marriage starts crumbling, but you also want to shake him up.
Meenakshi Sheshadri as Meena is fantastic—she’s not just the “wronged wife”
trope but a woman grappling with betrayal while holding her own. Sangeeta
Bijlani’s Geeta is magnetic; she’s got this mix of vulnerability and allure
that makes you understand why Shekhar’s drawn to her. And let’s give a shoutout
to Anang Desai as the villain—his slimy, calculating performance steals every
scene he’s in. The guy deserved way more meaty roles after this.
Mahesh Bhatt’s direction is where Jurm really
shines. This was Bhatt at a turning point, balancing his earlier arty vibes
(think Saaransh) with the commercial hits he’d later churn out (Aashiqui, Dil
Hai Ki Manta Nahin). He makes every action scene pop—there’s this elegance to
the suspense sequences that feels almost Hitchcockian. But what sets Jurm apart
is how Bhatt handles the emotional core. The marriage between Shekhar and Meena
isn’t just a side plot; it’s the soul of the film. Bhatt takes what could’ve
been a standard thriller B-plot and makes it the heart of the story, giving us
a rare Bollywood ending that feels earned rather than tacked on.
The Music: A Romantic Gem in a Thriller
No Bollywood film is complete without some tunes,
and Jurm delivers with Rajesh Roshan’s soundtrack. The standout is “Jab Koi
Baat Bigad Jaaye,” an evergreen romantic duet by Kumar Sanu and Sadhana Sargam
that’s actually inspired from the classic “500 Miles.” It’s catchy, soulful,
and lingers in your mind for a long time. "Marne ke dar se mere dil" another
inspired track sung by Asha Bhosle and Md Aziz was also very well sung and was
very popular in the early 90's. The rest of the score, with lyrics by Indeevar
and Payam Sayeedi, complements the film’s mood without overpowering the
suspense.
What Doesn’t Work: A Few Hiccups
Jurm isn’t flawless. The romance between Shekhar
and Geeta feels a bit rushed—there’s not enough buildup to make you fully root
for them. Some of the political conspiracy stuff, while effective, could’ve
been fleshed out more; it feels a tad undercooked compared to the personal
drama. And yeah, the film’s 103-minute runtime means a few plot points get
resolved a bit too neatly. But these are minor gripes in what’s otherwise a
tight, engaging thriller.
The Verdict: Why Jurm Still Holds Up
Jurm is a gem from the ‘90s Bollywood scene—a
thriller that doesn’t just rely on action but digs into the messy, human side
of crime and betrayal. It’s got a killer script, strong performances, and
Bhatt’s knack for making every scene count. The Hollywood roots give it a
universal appeal, but it’s distinctly Indian in its heart, especially in how it
handles the marriage angle. Compared to Haar Jeet, Jurm feels more polished and
emotionally resonant, making it the better adaptation of Someone to Watch Over
Me. With a “Hit” status at the Indian box office, it’s clear audiences vibed
with it back then, and it still holds up for anyone craving a solid crime drama
with a side of romance.
If you’re into thrillers that keep you guessing or
just want to see Vinod Khanna at his brooding best, give Jurm a spin. It’s a
reminder of why Mahesh Bhatt was such a big deal in the ‘90s—and why this film
deserves a remake to bring its twisty goodness to a new generation.
By Ayushmaan Mitra
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