Like in most films of this genre, the road-trip in Jia aur Jia is a metaphor for a journey of self-discovery. Prejudices are overcome, dark secrets are revealed, and life lessons are learnt, but there isn’t an iota of freshness in the way that the narrative unfolds.

One Jia is quiet and broody, the other is bright and chirpy. One chokes and splutters, the other smokes and drinks. One wears six inch stilletoes and flouncy chiffons, the other short shorts and cool singlets. On a rugged road trip.

Kalki is perhaps the only good thing about the film. Unfortunately, the script and dialogues do not leave much scope for her. There are precisely five minutes in the film where I could actually feel the emotions onscreen. Other than that, even Kalki’s acting could not save Jia Aur Jia from being an utter bore that borders on torture.

Chick flick, road trip drama, slice of life, this Richa Chadha-Kalki Koechlin starrer is anything but any of these.

Jia Aur Jia has little interest in showcasing its scenic landscapes, glorious architecture or lively cafes. This same vapid approach dumbs down the talents of Kalki and Richa into pictures of hollow passions and iffy motives.

…this one lacks humour, heart and a story. Watch Kangana and Lisa Haydon in Queen instead.

You can give it watch if you really want to watch any film, but my personal suggestion will be to save some bucks as the next two months are filled with pretty exciting films.

Chadha is a misfit, failing to look earnestly distressed. Koechlin tries to sail the sinking ship, but doesn’t succeed either. The old theory ‘so bad, it’s good’ also doesn’t work for this one. Give it a miss.

ia Aur Jia’s saving grace is that it resurrects Jiya o jiya, the title song of the Asha Parekh-Dev Anand classic Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, for its background score. The music makes the opening scenes memorable, but when the entire remix of the song is sung along with the closing credits, the effect is completely ruined: Nisschal Zaveri’s Jiya o jiya reprise – performed by Jyotica Tangri and Rashid Ali – is flat in comparison with the original. Jia Aur Jia is flat, full stop.

Jia Aur Jia’s saving grace is that it resurrects Jiya o jiya, the title song of the Asha Parekh-Dev Anand classic Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, for its background score. The music makes the opening scenes memorable, but when the entire remix of the song is sung along with the closing credits, the effect is completely ruined: Nisschal Zaveri’s Jiya o jiya reprise – performed by Jyotica Tangri and Rashid Ali – is flat in comparison with the original. Jia Aur Jia is flat, full stop.

One Jia wants to die and the other is dying and before you come to the ‘Babumoshai’ moment you loved in Anand (Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan), you have plotted their demise several times over.