It's really strange to see that even in this new small world connected through the worldwide web, we still get to see the same 'old school' lousy films made on some badly written scripts not doing any kind of justice to its borrowed plot. And the trend continues with another highly inspired film called BHAAG JOHNY that even has its title strongly indicating towards its original source. However keeping the 'inspired from' revelation for the last, here is the reason why BHAAG JOHNY doesn't work despite having an interesting subject wherein the main protagonist is given an option to live the next few days of his life in two different ways and then decide which way he wishes to go with after a while. The film begins on a surprising note with the mention of 'Black Magic' and 'Tantra Vidya'that raises your curiosity level at once thinking how they are going to bring in these elements into the experimental storyline of a film set in the foreign land. But sadly what happens next post these not so bad opening 10 minutes and a catchy party song, turns out to be nothing exciting enough as per the expectations raised. And further all forced in romance and love- songs simply ruin its innovative plot of showcasing 'two lives of the same man' quite brutally. In simple terms, the major reason why BHAAG JOHNY fails miserably in its execution is that instead of tackling the two versions of the tense situation individually (in separate narrations), director Shivamm Nair chooses to run both simultaneously which actually becomes meaningless as well as confusing for the viewers. So we have the hero killing a young girl in one scene and saving her too in the next edited together resulting in some weird complications that could have been avoided.
Secondly the film once again has the usual deliberate romance and love songs thrown in so vaguely that you feel like laughing at the couple emoting on a nice track. As a matter of fact, if not for their movies, our directors really deserve the 'most reputed award' for the courage with which they insert a love song just anywhere in the film even when the so called couple doesn't know each other while running away from some goons saving their individual lives. Lastly leaving big loopholes in almost every badly written twist, the biggest awful surprise in the film comes with the writer- director Vikram Bhatt playing the cameo of a 'Jinn' (a friendly ghost) who gives the power to our hero to live two lives for a few days and then make a choice. God Knows what made Vikram do this strange cameo? May be a supporting actor couldn't report in time and they got an opportunity to save their time and money both roping him in.
Regarding the performances, Kunal Khemu sincerely tries his best to play the two lives, but doesn't get any help either from the script or from the three ladies namely Manasi Scott, Zoa Morani & Mandana Karimi, who are strictly okay in their respective portrayals (with Zoa scoring the least). Mukul Dev is once again wasted as a long haired police officer exactly similar to his role in MEERUTHIYA GANGSTERS and Vikram Bhatt's strange cameo has already been discussed above. Cinematography keeps trying to give it a fresh look capturing the foreign locales along with some good action, but an average editing fails to create the thrill, basically due to the faulty narrative followed by its captain of the ship.
In all, there are only two decent features going in favour of BHAAG JOHNY. One is its background score that catches your attention repeatedly and second are the two good tracks as 'Daddy Mummy' and 'Iss Qadar Pyar Hai' giving you some kind of relief in those two hours. Apart from that its simply another of those inspired films that fail to rightly grasp their borrowed theme.
Coming to the original film the inspiration has been taken from, its Germany's RUN LOLA RUN (1998) and its influence can also be seen in the title i.e BHAAG JOHNY. Apart from that if you are really interested in this particular innovative theme then do watch GROUNDHOG DAY (1993) and MELINDA AND MELINDA (2004) too along with the German film and thank the makers of BHAAG JOHNY for making you see some well-made classics of the World Cinema.
