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dhoom-dhaam-diaries · 12 days ago

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Critique

Ok Jaanu, it's time for you to step back

There's a reason one’s a cult classic and the other is just … there

--A.K--

So you may be asking: It’s been almost a decade since OK Kanmani and OK Jaanu were released, so Aadhi, why are you still beating a dead horse?

To that I reply, I’m not — that would be animal cruelty.

I just happened to stumble across OK Kanmani (after vigorously searching for it for years, of course) about two days ago. I watched it, and guys… my. world. changed. 🤯

WAIT — before you roll your eyes and scroll away, let me give you some background. I was fifteen when OK Jaanu came out, and I went absolutely goo-goo gaa-gaa for it. I mean, why wouldn’t I? It had everything a hormonal teenager could ever want: ARK, rom-com vibes, ARK + Shraddha Kapoor’s sizzling chemistry, and oh yeah—did I mention ARK?

For those who haven’t watched it, OK Jaanu (and OK Kanmani) is about Adi and Tara, two ambitious young professionals who don’t believe in marriage and decide to pursue a casual live-in relationship. Of course, things get complicated when, surprise surprise, love gets involved.

And not gonna lie, I actually liked it. I especially loved the songs, particularly the title track. But then, I saw the comments under the video: scathing. “This is a cheap remake of OK Kanmani!” “Mental Manadhil (the original version of the title track) is wayyy better!”

Me, the ever sceptic, thought, “there’s no way that OK Kanmani is that good”.

Oh boy. was I wrong!

It wasn’t just good, it was straight up A-MA-ZING. If you thought the chemistry between Shraddha and Aditya was good, then the chemistry between Dulquer and Nithya will set you on fire. No, I’m serious—watch it, and you’ll be blushing so hard, you might turn into a tomato.

In this post, I’m going to break down why OK Kanmani >>>>>>> OK Jaanu, why you NEED to watch it, and why Bollywood seriously needs to stop with these remakes before they ruin anything else. So strap in, cuz I’m going to analyze this so hard that it’ll make my AP Lang teacher proud.

There are four main reasons why OK Jaanu fell short:

1. MCs’ depth and their chemistry (or lack thereof)

Adi: Dulquer Salmaan vs. Aditya Roy Kapur

DQ brings a certain charm to Adi. He’s a little cocky, a little childish (like picking fights with Tara toward the end instead of just saying I LOVE YOU …seriously, bruhhh,) with just the perfect amount of adult. He’s responsible as seen by taking care of Bhavani (the old couple's wife) when she wanders off. He also has a clear sense of drive, chasing a gaming career with big future aspirations, and it's not just talk, he has the skills to back it up. He’s the pinnacle of young adults.

Now, Bollywood Adi? Man-child. I’m sorry, I had to say it. Someone online said that Aditya Roy Kapur basically played the same character in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani as he does here, and honestly, I agree. He plays the same carefree, somewhat irresponsible charmer in both films.

And here’s why this is a problem: the story itself is simple—there aren’t any shocking plot twists—but it’s meant to reflect the youth of India (and even first-gen NRIs). It’s about a generation trying to define relationships without the prospect of marriage hanging over their heads like it did for their parents. While the older generation balks at this kind of arrangement, the original film showed Adi and Tara as two capable individuals making their own decisions about their lives. OK Kanmani portrayed their agency; Ok Jaanu made them look childish, reinforcing stereotypes about our generation being a mess instead of challenging them.

Tara: Nithya Menen vs. Shraddha Kapoor

Nithya elevates Tara to live true to her name, giving the character the shine it needed. She is a star — the energy, the spunk, the twinkle in her eyes—it had me reeling. I wanted to be her, even if just 1 percent.

Yet she’s not perfect. She can be childish (like skipping work to go hang out with her boyfriend), but she knows her priorities. She loves architecture, is passionate about it, and is very good at it. She has a genuine passion for her work, going as far as to further her education in it at a prestigious university, instead of going down the path that her mother laid out for her. One of my favorite scenes is when she is confronted by Adi’s sister-in-law and is berated for their live-in relationship and she hits back with a “does a certificate make everything ok?”. It shows that she’s not afraid to fight for her values even if others don’t agree with it. This is the agency of a young adult: navigating life based on our values, on our own terms, and Nithya Menen gives justice to that.

In almost every scene, she stole the show. When you watch this movie, make sure you hold on tight because she will blow you away.

Bollywood Tara? If you thought Aditya Roy Kapur was bad, at least he tried to give some life to his character, the wrong character, but he tried. Shraddha Kapoor on the other hand was at best poor. Her line delivery was so flat. For instance, when she gets the opportunity to work with Balakrishna Dhoshi, her architect guru, you’d expect her to be squealing, jumping with joy, running around with happiness… but nothing. Literally nothing. You could’ve told her it might rain today, and she might have shown more excitement for that. And the scene when she’s confronted by the sister-in-law, the girl was silent. She was being berated and she just took it. When she does show spunk, it’s with Adi; but because she doesn’t embody this energy outside of him, it feels like she’s trying to be someone else.

Another thing I noticed? The eyes. Nithya’s eyes were filled with adoration for Dulquer, like everything he did was magic to her. Shraddha? She stared at Aditya with this weird look that I can only describe as a predator stalking its prey. Even when she kisses him after coming back from Ahmedabad, it’s so aggressive. 😬 Scratch that—every kiss she gives him is so aggressive. **SLAPS HAND ON CHEEK, I’M GOING TO KISS YOU EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT **….

hello? Is this 911? Yes, I’m calling to report a crime…

2. Watered down Paplu

Ganapathy in OK Kanmani (Paplu in OK Jaanu) is filled with so much depth and love. You can see the tenderness in his eyes when he looks at his wife, Bhavani. Their relationship answers a critical question: What is love? And takes it a step further: is it love even when the person you love doesn’t remember you?

With this relationship, the answer is yes, yes, and 1000 times yes. It reminds us that love can take many forms and that true love often endures beyond the fleeting moments of passion and youth. This is especially important in the end when Tara asks Adi whether he can take care of her if she ends up like Bhavani. His response shows that he doesn’t see her as a fling, he sees her as a lifelong companion.

In contrast, while Naseeruddin Shah is a phenomenal actor, his portrayal in Ok Jaanu lacked the same emotional weight. I believe this isn’t because of his acting, per se, but rather the shallow script — many small but impactful moments from the original were cut altogether.

Here’s a scene that really stuck out to me: when Adi asks Ganapathy how he and Bhavani met. While they’re talking, Bhavani is scooping beans into the bean pod, but Ganapathy sweetly takes it from her hands. He scoops out the beans himself and throws away the pod, and he keeps doing this, no anger, no questions, just a simple, loving act. It’s such a small moment, but it says so much about their bond. It’s love in the tiniest, most mundane acts. The equivalent of the ‘orange peel test’ tiktok trend. This scene didn’t make it into Ok Jaanu, which is such a shame because it perfectly encapsulates how love is often about quiet, unspoken care.

Another moment that stood out to me is when Tara sings for Bhavani, and you can see how Ganapathy begins to soften toward Adi and Tara’s arrangement. While he isn’t fully on board with their decision to live together without getting married, he sees how their presence could benefit Bhavani, that is, how it could give her the companionship she craves but that he can’t always provide. It’s such a subtle shift, but it speaks volumes about how Ganapathy’s disapproval slowly gives way to understanding and even affection.

This emotional arc was largely missing in Ok Jaanu as I feel Paplu was already very ‘forward’ thinking and the dynamic between him and Adi was playful from the beginning.

These small, layered interactions between Ganapathy and the younger couple added so much heart to OK Kanmani. By the end, you feel his approval of Adi and Tara as a deeply-earned moment of acceptance, not just of their relationship, but of the changing values of a new generation.

3. The Missing Third Character: Music + Cinematography

A.R. Rahman’s songs were largely recycled in Ok Jaanu, but they didn’t have the same magic, and after a deeper look, I realized why: the cinematography.

Case in point 1: Mental Manadhil vs. Ok Jaanu

Both songs are great, but Ok Jaanu’s cinematography does it a disservice. Both songs are meant to show the exhilaration of liking someone, and Mental Manadhil captures that. The colors are realistic, not overly saturated, like Ok Jaanu’s. In Mental Manadhil, the visuals move fast, the background blurs, the camera shakes slightly, and there are very few slow pans. That imagery feeds into the exhilaration; you feel the excitement. Unfortunately, Ok Jaanu didn’t have the same effect.

Case in point 2: Parandhu Sella Vaa vs. The Humma Song

Let’s start by saying neither song was necessary for the movie. They didn’t progress the plot or add to the characters, and honestly, they weren’t even that good. (The Humma Song is also an atrocity to mankind 😩, but I don’t have the patience to unpack that right now.) At least Parandhu Sella Vaa showed some development in Adi and Tara’s relationship, like the moment when Tara rests her cheek on Adi’s hand after hesitating just a minute earlier, or when Adi pretends to kiss an imaginary version of her. It shows that their relationship has progressed from flirty friendship to something more. Meanwhile, The Humma Song was just an excuse to show ARK’s abs and Shraddha’s legs. It didn’t feel like a progression in their relationship, it felt like lust.

Case in point 3: Aye Sinamika vs. Enna Sona

Not including Aye Sinamika in OK Jaanu is a crime against humanity, and there is nothing that can convince me otherwise. This is the hill I’ll die on.

I loved both songs, but Aye Sinamika captured something more intimate and real. The Tamil version showed everyday things a couple does—dancing, acting silly, sleeping together (guys, not that kind of sleeping, get your head out of the gutter)—reminding Tara of Adi in every little moment. It’s these seemingly mundane, affectionate moments that make their love story feel genuine and lived-in. Enna Sona tried to achieve this, but it leaned too heavily on showing them kissing every five seconds. Combined with The Humma Song and the overall lack of emotional depth between the leads, it ended up feeling like the lead was missing his partner's body, not her presence. The lyrics add to this as well, Aye Sinamika repeats “Nee enne neegandhe” meaning “Don’t leave me” whereas Enna Sonna repeats how beautiful Tara is. The charm and warmth that Aye Sinamika conveyed through subtle storytelling was overshadowed in Ok Jaanu by its overemphasis on physical intimacy rather than emotional connection.

4. Inorganic Story Flow

The Meet-Cute: Cultural Nuances Matter

The meet-cute in OK Kanmani made sense. Adi yelling Tamil expletives at Tara worked because it’s a moment that reflects their shared culture. As a South Indian, you instantly bond with someone who speaks your language, especially in a diverse city like Mumbai. It’s a special kind of connection.

Now you may be wondering, how could it be surprising to find someone that speaks your language. Well I’ll give you an example.I’m from America, where people don’t usually speak Kannada. My family has gotten so used to this that we talk loudly in Kannada because we don’t expect anyone around us to understand. When we went to Mumbai, we expected the same thing, but my mom practically yelled, “Where are we supposed to go?” to me in Kannada, and a security guard responded in Kannada, offering to help. We were completely shocked! This is what I mean, you just don’t expect others to speak the language so when you do, it's like an instant sense of familiarity.

Getting back to the movie: when Adi and Tara meet, they’re surprised. In a place as diverse as Mumbai, what are the chances that he happened to yell Tamil expletives at a Tamil woman? That’s why they bond—it’s a shared cultural understanding. In a foreign city, it’s comforting to meet someone who shares the same culture.

This doesn’t exist in the Bollywood version. If they were from the same town or state, maybe I could understand the meet-cute. But there’s no mention of that in the Bollywood movie, so the connection just doesn’t make sense.

Emotional Moments: Let the Damn Story Breathe

Another problem with Ok Jaanu is that it doesn’t let the emotions breathe. Take the scene where Tara mentions her father and how he’s no longer part of her life. The Bollywood version immediately moves on to the next scene—Adi and Tara miss their train and get a room together. But that was such a pivotal moment! The story needed to sit with Tara’s feelings for a moment before moving on. Instead, it felt like the movie just wanted to tick off all the plot points before getting back to the romance.

Character moments like these are like vegetables in a meal, you might want to rush through them to get to the “main course,” but the vegetables enhance the overall experience. Ok Jaanu treated these moments like an afterthought.

Fights Are the Answer

SPOILER ALERT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

As Adi gets ready to leave for America, you can see in OK Kanmani that he and Tara slowly start picking fights, but they’re not real fights. They’re both frustrated about their promise against marriage and the looming end of their relationship, so they take it out on each other. These fights add so much depth to their dynamic and make Adi’s eventual proposal hit so much harder.

This layer of tension is missing in Ok Jaanu. Without it, the ending doesn’t feel as emotionally satisfying. I think that tension is important because it makes their decision to marry feel genuine, it’s not about societal expectations, it’s about what’s right for them.

Stop with the Remakes

I know I dragged OK Jaanu pretty hard, and I’ll admit, the movie itself isn’t terrible. But, it definitely is not the magic that OK Kanmani is. If OK Kanmani is authentic Chinese food, then Ok Jaanu is Panda Express, good… but for fast food.

Also why was this movie even made? It’s an exact frame-by-frame of OK Kanmani (minus the soul of course). There was no problem with the original that Hindi dubbing or subtitles couldn’t fix. As an audience, we need to stop consuming hollow remakes of already good movies — if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. And Bollywood is notorious for this. Cough Cough I’m looking at you, Laal Singh Chaddha.

Being inspired by a movie is great, but don't reproduce the same movie and slap on two mediocre Bollywood actors and expect us to eat it up.

It’s insulting… We’re smarter than that 🙄.

TL;DR

For those who read (or skimmed) this far, I applaud your commitment 👏👏👏.

Here’s the takeaway: Whether you liked OK Jaanu or didn’t, I promise you’ll love (or at least begrudgingly respect) OK Kanmani. It’s worth it, or your money back.

(No, but if y’all don’t like it, don’t come after me, I’m just a broke movie nerd with opinions 🫠.)

What do YOU think? Drop your hot takes in the comments, retags, or my inbox…I’m ready to fight😤. I’m scared of confrontment.

#desiblr #bollywood #kollywood #south indian cinema #movie review #dulquer salmaan #nithya menen #aditya roy kapur #shraddha kapoor #ok jaanu #ok kanmani #akcritiques #its long i know

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