Jurm (2005)

With a few exceptions (Dostana & Jhoom Barabar Jhoom quickly jump to mind), when you sit down to watch a Bobby Deol movie, you expect a couple of things.

1- Either he's a cop, or he's on the outs with the cops.
2- If he's not a cop, he's a killer.

Surprisingly in Jurm... not only is he not a cop, but he's not a killer either (at least not at the beginning). By the end, he's transformed to the angry man/killer we're all used to seeing, and the world is right. But before then...

The movie starts off in the dark, and you hear someone talking over the phone. She's panicked, and is telling the cops that someone is going to kill her. Then she screams, and it goes silent. Police show up at her house and arrest her husband (Bobby Deol, who they had to wake up from a slumber in a pool of blood) for killing her. He proclaims his innocence, but the cops obviously can't believe that. His friend & lawyer (Milind Soman) tries to get him out of the mess, but is overruled by the judge and the police are able to keep him locked up until the trial. So while waiting, he ends up telling the cops his story... how he met his wife (Lara Dutta) at a party, how he loved her, how he eventually started suspecting her of cheating (thanks to a tip from his friend, Gul Panag) and how, upon hearing her talking on the phone to someone else, he gets to the house where they're supposed to meet before either person. He ends up getting really mad at her & drunk... that's all he can remember.

Luckily for him, his case is very strong, and Milind is fighting it amazingly. As he is quick to remind the judge, not only is the evidence against Bobby very weak, but there is also no body. Bobby is all but a lock to get off... and then Lara's uncle (Shakti Kapoor) shows up. He mentions how he was the person she was meeting (he was blackmailing her with her past; she was meeting with him to keep Bobby from learning about how her mother had a bad past and all). That last day, he told her that he wanted some money or everything would be told to Bobby. That's why they were going to meet at the house. Shakti got there a bit late (due to car trouble)... just in time to witness a drunk Bobby stabbing Lara to death and then hiding the body in the yard. And the body is found where Shakti saw Bobby hiding it. And like that, Bobby is doomed and sentenced to life in prison. Milind believes Bobby's plea of innocence, and comes up with a plan to help Bobby escape. It works, and just like that, the chase is on.

I love suspense movies, so this was a blast. It's not the greatest or anything, but is well done through the end. The story is, of course, carried by Bobby Deol. It's his movie from start to finish, and he acts well. Lara Dutta is fine. Gul Panag doesn't have much of a role early, but is fine as the movie goes on. Milind Soman surprises. I have seen him twice before (Bhram... a movie I was thoroughly unimpressed with, and Bheja Fry, in which he had a very small role). He is solid here though. I wonder if I should be watching more of his movies. Shakti Kapoor is meh. Oh, and Vivek Shaq! Automatic winner right there.

The songs are meh. Adnan Sami's voice doesn't fit with Bobby Deol at all. Sorry, but it's true. My favorite songs were the 2 at the 2 parties after that... the one before Lara's leaving for the house where she dies, and the one near the end when everyone is in a mask.

Is the movie a "must watch"? Doubtful. But if you like some suspense, or like seeing Bobby Deol go around killing people (though there's not many deaths here... he plays with it a bit more than normal), this movie is for you.