Five reasons I fell in love with Jazbaa

After a dry spell at the movies, Jazbaa might give you reasons to make a trip to the ticket counter. Here's why:

Victory for women: At first-hand, I couldn't think of any reason why this movie couldn't be male-centric. Yet, it wasn't and that's the beauty of it. Despite the fact that Jazbaa has Irrfan Khan, whose screen presence can even make dinosaurs feel intimidated, the film focuses on Aishwarya Rai. The director deserves applause for not losing focus, and bringing one of the most powerful woman characters to life. The movie is a celebration of supreme womanhood. It's victory for the womaniya.

Comeback to remember: Naysayers will be naysayers, but not only is Jazbaa the grandest comeback for the Bollywood actor, but also Aishwarya's best ever. As an established criminal lawyer, her persona drives the film throughout. The film belonged to her as much as she belonged to it - I especially liked how her eyes were used to express her inner power. In court-room scenes, Rai leaves a lasting impression.

The 'other' woman: The film also showcased another timeless talent - Shabana Azmi. In just a handful scenes, she proves she's still a dab hand at capturing your attention effortlessly. It seems the camera loves her and it is an absolute delight to watch her deliver the character of a mother in pain skillfully.

A powerful script: Well-written and well-directed, the film is said to be an adaption of Korean film Seven Days. Since I haven't watched the latter, to me, Jazbaa is one of the most powerful scripts of our time. The movie keeps your imagination going until the nail-biting climax. With so many stakeholders and agendas both for and against the motion, your mind is kept guessing throughout the film. The second half, predictably, gets more exciting, like any other thriller. If you like suspense, Jazbaa will certainly cater to your jazbaat.

Shades of grey: It is a welcome surprise that neither Aishwarya was projected as the ideal lawyer nor Irrfan as a clean cop. She had 100 per cent success rate, but her services were open to even criminals. Far from being self-righteous, they fell somewhere on the grey, which made them more credible.