Khan and Sharma shine, but Ali's thin, recycled script holds the film back.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Jab Harry Met Sejal skewed negative, with the majority of reviewers finding Imtiaz Ali's script thin, predictable, and derivative of his own earlier work. The most consistent praise was directed at Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma, whose performances and on-screen chemistry were frequently cited as the film's primary saving grace. Common criticisms included a lack of dramatic conflict, a formulaic narrative set against a European travelogue backdrop, and a sense that Ali was working on creative autopilot. A minority of critics found the film an entertaining romantic watch, with Pritam's music also receiving occasional positive mention.
3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 24 critic reviews · may contain errors
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Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Shah Rukh Khan breathes life into a character that could so easily have been a turn-off. His performance is one of the film's few strengths. Despite the baffling, contradictory nature of Sejal, Anushka Sharma works hard to imbue her with genuine feeling. The two actors deserved a better film, and so did we.
Top critic
Film review ·
'Sweet si, 'sister-type' Sejal aka Anushka Sharma and the 'chalu, chalta-hua, cheap' Harry aka Shah Rukh Khan are much too fraternal with each other. We do see that fire, but much too briefly.
Film review ·
...the trio of Imtiaz Ali, SRK and Anushka Sharma make Jab Harry Met Sejal a treat to watch… so make sure that you don't listen to the naysayers!
Film review ·
Jab Harry Met Sejal is a film where I wanted to give out few spoilers so you should read and go watch the film. But, I can't. Take this as a sign and don't miss this beautiful journey of life with Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma.
Film review ·
This may be too simplistic for an Imtiaz Ali film but this one is a complete entertainer.
Film review ·
JHMS is a one-time watch for Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma and their sizzling chemistry.
Film review ·
JHMS is a happy romantic comedy that you can sing and dance along with. Pritam's music is a stand out feature. The performances are really strong. The film's dramatic soul rests in Imtiaz Ali's usual Sufi belief where the story and characters tell you that the universe transpires to make lovers meet. That what you're looking for is looking for you. If romance excites you, this one's got all the right notes.
Film review ·
The script is wafer-thin and it's been done to death by none other than Imtiaz Ali in each of his earlier films—be it Jab We Met, Cocktail or the recent Tamasha. It's the routine girl is engaged elsewhere story but she discovers half-way through the film that she is actually attracted to someone else.
Film review ·
Jab Harry Met Sejal is also one of those films that has great music which shouldn't have made it into the film. They reek of commercial considerations rather than having roots in the story. The wedding song and the lovely duet, both seem so forced that they might as well have just started singing and dancing instead of trying to mask them with excuses to make them a part of the film.
Film review ·
Engaging screenplays are hard to come by because an engaging screenplay needs a compelling conflict. While Ali's previous works Highway, Rockstar, Jab We Met, Tamasha etc. while imperfect had conflicts, and dramatic and thematic elements that wove their characters together, Jab Harry Met Sejal is as flimsy as its conceit.
Film review ·
...the cinematography that highlights the beauty of a handful European countries is pleasing to watch. But we wish that all that energy and love was devoted to developing a cracking love story. Watch this film if you are strictly a Shah Rukh Khan or Anushka Sharma fan. Others will hesitate to put a ring on this romantic comedy.
Film review ·
A big disappointment for both the fans of Shah Rukh Khan and Imtiaz Ali. They both need to think about what to do next. In separate rooms, please.
Film review ·
...things are disappointingly lost in JAB HARRY MET SEJAL, the touted rom com turns out to be a bore com, romance goes surprisingly 'Phurr' along with director Imtiaz Ali in this flick.
Film review ·
It's a big disappointment to see Shah Rukh Khan returning to his comfort zone and yet not performing on top of his powers.
Film review ·
Methinks the director requires a long holiday from work, learning the craft of making HINDI movies that connect with informed and aware entertainment-seekers of 2017 rather than with a few 'yes-men' or impressionable media critics that will not take the film anywhere.
Film review ·
Wish the script went beyond these one-liners and took us on a unique journey with a Geet or a Jordan instead of this been-there-done-that European tour.
Film review ·
Jab Harry Met Sejal has the stars, the songs, the scenery and everything you'd imagine in a love story. But in the absence of soul, none of it really matters...
Film review ·
...it is nowhere close to an Imtiaz Ali film. Watch it only if you are an SRK fan or you want to see Europe for the worth of your ticket price.
Film review ·
Despite the permanent sense of predictability Jab Harry Met Sejal works albeit only for the first half. The first 70 minutes are like the fun part of a holiday, when you are excited to discover and try new things.
Film review ·
The plot of Jab Harry Met Sejal is just like the ring, the protagonists are searching for - lost. And not even Shah Rukh Khan can save this pointless jaunt through Europe.
Film review ·
Jab Harry Met Sejal is occasionally funny, but not half as funny or cute or ruminative as it clearly thinks it is. Hats off to Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma for managing to raise the Centigrades in this otherwise pakau disaster.
Film review ·
Imtiaz seems to have settled into a comfort zone of his own. The cult of Ali the Incurable Romantic will only grow with films like these. But Ali the Director might need to branch out soon.
Film review ·
The biggest letdown is Ali, who doesn't even seem to be trying anymore. This is a film that feels like it was directed on auto-pilot and then left to its own devices.
Film review ·
JHMS marks a thumping return to love at its most banal, hackneyed and exasperating. There is not much in the silly situations and trite conversations to get you invested or interested in the lovers. The two main characters themselves don't seem to share that vital thing on screen called frisson
From our readers
18 ratings · user score 6.7
Its a magic of script by most talented imtiaz ali The way he define anushka and shahrukh in film was fabulous with great acting. In last it made my day. Great romcom movie.
Loved the movie and the chemistry between king khan and anushka
Loved you SRK ❤ and imtiaz kaash story thodi alag or depth waali hoti but still enjoyed the movie paisa vasool
This film is full of romance, comedy, and emotions. JHMS is a lovely film. People must watch this. It's a better one.
One time watch just for the sake to know about the film. But watching it more than once will surely get connected to you 😊 💟 . Loved the film.
Just as always shahrukh never fails with his charm and Anushka Sharma acting and imtiaz has its magic running on....the drawback of this movie is it is made on Hollywood standards and Indian audience have a habbit of watching action masala movies so maybe Indian Audience didn't appreciate this spectacular movie. Its a must see for romanctic and good movie lovers
One can now confidently dub director Imtiaz Ali a one-hit wonder, thanks to his Jab We Met (2007) and no thanks to this disaster romantic drama that is exists only because of its production setup and design.<br /> <br /> Sejal (Anushka Sharma) is a young bride-to-be who at the end of her Euro trip realizes that she has lost her engagement ring. She asks, or rather commands, her tourist guide Harry (Shah Rukh Khan) to help her find the ring. With much reluctance, Harry extends his travel agent hospitality and agrees to help her. Soon they form a friendly relationship, with both of them hoping, and partly confident, that they do not, and will not, go overboard. Can they become more than friends? Why does Harry seem so mysterious?<br /> <br /> While one will definitely get an answer to the first question, there's no guarantee for the second one. Although it looks like Harry is just getting by with his monthly salary from Cox & Kings, he seems to be living a rather comfortable and luxurious lifestyle. He gets panic attacks about his mysterious past but the film never goes there until the end. Sejal, on the other hand, fakes a Gujarati accent and believes that appending "ne" to the end of every sentence is absolving her from the crime she is committing by talking. There is zero character development, and the friendship they forge is entirely superficial. Harry does not want to get involved with Sejal, but dons the chivalrous cap because he's the dude. Most of the times, it's just Sejal imparting some law points to a random stranger because she's a lawyer back in her country. On the whole, the wafer-thin plot is about their engagement ring hunt - a silly drama - which the characters themselves know and express quite a few times throughout the film.<br /> <br /> It almost feels like director Ali stopped paying any attention to the advancement of story and let the lead actors take charge. As a result, it does go haywire in the second half, with no one having any idea as to how to salvage the film. Chandan Roy Sanyal comes in as a small-time criminal but instead of salvaging, ends up fouling up. It is not fully comfortable to watch Khan act as a young travel agent who has bathed in wisdom. He starts poorly but then picks up as the romance kicks in, a field that he has lots of experience in. Sharma looks like she is acting. Whatever she does never fails to surpass the limits of overacting, and fueled by her cringe-worthy accent, everything falls down. It can even be said that it is Sharma who screws up this broth along with Ali's awful writing. Either way, it can be unanimously agreed that both Sharma and Khan cross the threshold of overacting, which cannot be tolerated even if one considers the genres.<br /> <br /> The music is perhaps the only good thing about the film, which aptly fits the story. Production and costumer design are very good, but they still throw up questions about the characters. How is Harry affording such expensive merchandise?<br /> <br /> If watching a man and a woman fool around in exotic European cities is the perfect idea of cinematic entertainment, then this is the film to go for this weekend. If any other filmmaking parameters like logical plot, humor, or just plain romance matter, look for options. It sends out a lousy message at the end and then attempts to develop Harry's character. How anti-climactic!<br /> <br /> If analyzed from a pedantic mind, there are several issues that hound the film-watching experience. It would be enough to say that one of the songs is picturised on the lead characters just as they wake up from a not-so-comfortable slumber. They have not brushed yet and are never shown doing it later either. Minimum sanitation is what one expects.<br /> <br /> BOTTOM LINE: Imtiaz Ali's "Jab Harry Met Sejal" is an enterprising film which could have been a lot better had it been made with any efforts. With the actors made to do what they think is best, the film stumbles and does not provide what its viewers are seeking. Watch it on TV.<br /> <br /> Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
Jab Harry Met Sejal is a romantic comedy film written and directed by Imtiaz Ali. When the name of the film was declared, lots of criticisms were there since it sounded similar to Hollywood film title 'When Harry met Sally'. There is always a certain level of expectation from Imtiaz Ali. His directorial journey started with Socha na Tha which was not a great success but his further films Jab we met, Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar, Highway, Tamasha brought him in the league of critically acclaimed young filmmakers. Jab Harry Met Sejal's plot is very much familiar, we have seen it in previous films of Imtiaz Ali as well as that of Shahrukh Khan's films. These days, it is very common in films that two Indian souls meet abroad, do engage in relationships without expecting to have any commitments. But slowly physical as well as emotional entanglement happens. And if one of them is already in a relationship, the confusion part also sets in. After the introduction of a few conflicts, finally these two souls meet. The plot of Jab Harry Met Sejal is so much similar. In fact Imtiaz himself has tried the same plot earlier. So, somewhere, Jab Harry Met Sejal does not click at all, soul is missing from the film. Imtiaz Ali is a brilliant director and the way he interprets his story, does character sketching is appreciable and we have seen some of his best works in the past. But Jab Harry Met Sejal is one of his weakest works. Somewhere, he has absolutely gone wrong in keeping the tone of the film very casual even while the characters are undergoing a process of self-discovery, trying to develop the power of discretion, distinguish between what their hearts and heads want, and finally the power of reunion is also diminished due to inconsistent and shallow screenplay. The film begins with Harry (Shahrukh Khan), a Punabi tour guide in Europe, taking a bunch of travellers around and seeing them off finally. Although Harry explains passionately to the travellers in regard to the places, he takes a deep breath, a sigh of relief, when he finally sees them off. One of his client is Sejal (Anushka) who decides to give a miss to her flight when she loses her engagement ring. Her fiancée and family members leave whereas she seeks Harry's help in looking out for the lost ring. Sejal speaks with typical Gujarati accent. Initial instances, where Sejal gives no option to Harry than to accompany her in ring-search, does generate some laughter. Then the whole film revolves around their journey of ring-search all through Amsterdam, Vienna, Lisbon, Budapest, Prague etc. And as it is quite predictable, during this journey both Harry and Sejal end up exploring their inner self as well as their need for one another. Harry is a loner, who has not visited his home in Punjab since last many years. He seeks solace by indulging in casual sex and a few pegs of alcohol. Sejal belongs to a business family in Mumbai and she feels that she has to finally settle down there itself with Rupan, her fiancée. During this journey, both Harry and Sejal realize that in spite of their lives apparently in a happy state, something is still missing. That is where Harry and Sejal understand that they complete one another. I really don't want to say that the film is absolutely bad. But the combination of Imtiaz Ali, Shahrukh Khan, Anushka and music of Pritam should have all together created a magical piece which did not happen ultimately. Instead of stamping the film in a particular category, let me list down "What Works" and "What does not work" in the film for your to decide whether you want to watch the film or not. What does not work in the film: Both Shahrukh and Anushka are actors who generally bring lot of charm to the screen by their presence. Their pairing in 'Rab ne Bana Di Jodi' and 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' did add value to these films, but sadly in this film their pairing does not do any wonders. And, this is indeed a sad thing that two actors and good friends off-screen as well are not able to put their chemistry into optimum level on screen (But I would certainly mention about them individually in "What works in the film" below). Anushka is good in experimenting with her characters (still somehow she is not at her best in this film). The back story of Harry's character is not explored properly. A few characters are not sketched at all like that of Evelyn Sharma and Chandan Roy Sanyal. The overall tone of the film is casual, so dialogues lack depth and soul. The screenplay is a big let down. What works in the film: The message (as in the previous films of Imtiaz) is profound that one must explore inner-self and undergo the process of self-discovery. Also, one must follow heart. Also, one must strive to find out what is missing in life. "What you seek is seeking you" – the main message of the film is very good. Shahrukh certainly has charm, which keeps up the spirit of the film at certain low points (Although at places, he even appeared lousy). The conflict induced by the presence of Gas (Chandan Roy Sanyal) seemed forced one, but somehow Chandan excelled even in his 5 minutes of screen time. He leaves impact. Aru Krishansh Verma as Mayank is good. Of course cinematography does justice to the foreign locale. Beautifully captured. Pritam has certainly done wonders with the music in the film (although some numbers are absolutely forgettable). Songs are used contextually. Certain wonderful moments: When Harry and Sejal sit and listen to a concert, both of them have moist eyes. A beautifully captured scene. Another scene, where Harry enacts as Sejal's fiancée proposing her. One more scene is very soothing when Sejal finds comfort in Harry's arms, the love between them seems serene. The combination of Imtiaz Ali, Shahrukh Khan, Anushka and music of Pritam should have all together created a magical piece which did not happen ultimately. Imtiaz Ali is a brilliant director and the way interprets his story, does character sketching is appreciable and we have seen some of his best works in the past. But Jab Harry Met Sejal does not click at all, a soul is missing from the film. Unfortunately, this is Imtiaz' one of the weakest works so far. Somewhere, he has absolutely gone wrong in keeping the tone of the film very casual even while the characters are undergoing a process of self-discovery, trying to develop the power of discretion, distinguish between what their heart and head want, and finally the power of reunion is also diminished due to an inconsistent and shallow screenplay. Still, I would ask you to watch this film and decide yourself.
Imtiaz ali shows the love story in his own style ... And those who can understand Cinema very well will get this movie ... Personally I loved this film ... I live a love story in decent way
On the occasion of Friendship Day, I would like to tell to all my buddies that I do cherish the support & brotherhood that we have shared over the years. As Aristotle said "friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies". Even as this weekend that celebrated companionship, it also saw the release of Imtiaz Ali''s "Jab Harry met Sejal" with King Khan & Anushka Sharma as the lead pair. With such a deadly combination, the expectations are nigh high, but will it be a milestone in Bollywood's array of romantic movies??? Harinder Singh aka Harry (SRK) is a tourist guide in Europe, who is adept at his work but emotionally disturbed with memories from the past haunting him. His latest assignment was with a Gujarati family who were dropped off at the airport at the end of the tour. But before Harry could leave the airport, Sejal (Anushka Sharma) a member from that team stayed back & sought his help to find her engagement ring that she had lost during the tour. Though reluctant, he was eventually coaxed into helping her when she threatened him of complaining to the agency. Thus begins their search for the ring across the length & breadth of the continent. It's been a couple of years since we had a movie from Imtiaz Ali, with the last one being "Tamasha". I have been a fan of his brand of film making which invariably focused on his distinct take on romance that is expressed through self discovery in a travelogue setup. As in the case of his previous ventures, he has scripted this one as well & it deals with the same topic. The biggest flaw with the movie is the script itself as it seemed more like a travelogue of exotic locations with scant regard for the characters. To put it bluntly, hardly anything happens in this 144 minute drag fest. The one aspect that deserve brownie points is the cinematography & kudos to K U Mohanan for it. The same applies to the stylist as well, who made sure that the protagonists looked good together. As for the music, there were way too many songs; some of which were forcibly inserted into the proceedings. Unfortunately for Pritam, none of his tracks actually registers while I wont out the blame of Aarti Bajaj's mediocre editing solely on her. In recent times, SRK hasnt been able to juggle up the numbers at the box office in proportion to his star appeal. So is it because of his acting skills or choice of scripts? From my point of view, even though he isnt the most gifted artist around; he is beyond doubt the most charming one. To be fair to him, I actually feel his performance has been impressive in recent times ("Dear Zindagi", "Raees" & "Fan") but his choice of scripts has been pathetic for large parts. Even Harry will go down as one such misfire where the script slips worse than a banana skin. Anushka does capture our attention with her histrionics, though it seemed artificial & over the top at various instances. Verdict: As per box office reports, "JHMS" was one of SRK's worst opening in recent times. It might sound harsh to the makers, but it's a welcome sign that more & more people are giving importance to content rather than the artists involved. With a rather non-existent script, this is more like a travelogue that you can watch in the confines of the cool theatre. In terms of the emotional baggage that is portrayed (no semblance to the story at all), it felt like the inferior sibling of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". In short, taking cue from their tagline "this movie is definitely not what we seek"!!! Rating: 1.75/5 Regards...Ben
Above average. Good : Acting performances , Good locations , Musical score , good concept , Unique direction ( treatment ) Weakness : ineffective handling of the complex concept , Below par screenplay , Few Bollywood clichés ( at times ) , disappointing climax
Why #harrymetsejal :::: I wish harry wouldn't have met sejal...the film wouldn't have been made..... I won't have made myself uncomfortable in that strong ac...life would have been much nicer..... This Imtiaz Ali's supposed to be a romantic drama involving a Gujarati girl circumstantially meeting a punjabi tour guide,doing some..no no..lots of Ameturish harkate of which not a single one did evoke any laughter at all is a nothing but an almost disaster.....SRK fails miserably in his underwritten or overwritten character ending up most of the times on the wrong side...he just can't pull off the comic scenes..Anushka looks fab on the screen,catches up the gujju accent well bt couldn't do anything much coz of restrained character...The only thing that stays with the audience is the scenic beauty of Europe well captured through lenses....it soothes your mind a bit bt only till the end credits starts rolling and then u start asking again...why ..why ...why...harry met Sejal?????!!!!!!
Credits
Shah Rukh KhanHarinder Singh Nehra
Aru Krishansh Verma
Chandan Roy SanyalGas
Evelyn Sharma
Paras Arora
Anushka Sharma KohliSejal Shah
Sayani GuptaIshaHindi films like Jab Harry Met Sejal
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2007
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Highway
2014
Tamasha
2015
Zero
2018
Rockstar
2011
Love Aaj Kal
2009
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
2008
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
2012
Om Shanti Om
2007
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