Jism - 2003

Story

Jism: The Dark Side of Desire is a daring attempt by actress-turned-producer Pooja Bhatt and her father Mahesh Bhatt (who has written the film?s script) to defy the Bollywood stereotypes and give something new to movie buffs tired of watching the same clich?d stories on celluloid.

The film, loosely based on 1944 Hollywood classic ?Double Indemnity?, marks the directorial debut of Amit Saxena.

One highlight of the movie is its gripping plot that moves in a singular direction without straying off into unnecessary sub-plot and ?eye-catching? sequences forced to lend an extra zing to the story.

Another strong point of the movie is the way in which Bipasha?s character is developed. Throughout the movie she is shown as an ambitious but vulnerable girl who is married to a man she doesn?t love. But her volte-face in the second half when her true face and character is revealed is likely to stun the viewers.

Kudos to Bipasha for playing a role that any other Bollywood actress might have thought twice before accepting. John Abraham, on the other hand, just about manages to play his character with ease.

Jism is a thriller with a realistic narrative that is void of typical kitschy songs and sub-plots. But the movie is less likely to appeal to masses than select audience who dig Bipasha?s oomph and a novel storyline to boot.