Yeh Hai Jalwa (2002; special appearance) - Review in English

In this film Sanjay does just a special appearance.

About the story: Wealthy Raju Saxena (Salman Khan) has lost his mother Meghna Saxena in an early state and has never met his father who allegedly passed away before Raju was born; he only owns his father’s photo. So his surprise is enormous when he in a TV report about England’s new top manager Rajesh Mittal (Rishi Kapoor) recognises his father who very well is alive. Meghna had been Rajesh's love of his youth, but as his father Purushottam Mittal (Kader Khan) had refused his permission for him to marry her, Rajesh had obeyed him and left Meghna without knowing that she was pregnant. Meanwhile Rajesh has found his private luck in London with his wife Smita (Rati Agnihotri) and his children Rinkie (Rinke Khanna) and Bunty (Ajay Nagrath). So he is not exactly happy when Raju suddenly appears in London, claims to be his illegal son and threatens to destroy the family’s peace if Rajesh doesn’t accept and acknowledge him as his son. Together with his lawyer Robin Singh (Anupam Kher) he tries to get rid of Raju – but Raju, supported by Singh’s daughter Sonia (Amisha Patel), fights them with all means...


The plot idea is nice, no doubt about that. A father meets his illegal son he up till now never even knew to exist, but fearing for his intact family life he refuses to accept him. A story with great potential, especially when the father is played by cheerful Rishi Kapoor and the son by crowd favourite Salman Khan. But when the son is carved out so unlikeable that suddenly the father becomes the more popular figure than the son, then something went really wrong. Okay, Rajesh’s reactions are not correct. But even Raju fights with no holds barred for his acknowledgement as Mittal’s son, openly threatens to destroy the happiness of Rajesh’s family if he is not taken on (and to underline this threat he smashes the big family photo to pieces) and not even shies back to get his father brutally thrashed and then to appear as his saviour. Does he really expect to be taken on with open arms for this? Does anyone expect this? Obviously not even the script writers did as they in the end only could help themselves out of the fix with a mean trick: In a for their father critical situation, his legal children suddenly become the negative and ingrateful brats so that Raju can distinguish himself as the shining hero and model son. Too bad, the film definitely had more potential and surely is upgraded by Rishi Kapoor, Anupam Kher and (a little less) Salman Khan. But on the other side there are the half-baked story and Amisha Patel.

And what about Sanjay? As "Shera, Indian from London" (so he introduces himself) he has only two short scenes – which he plays nicely but which are absolutely irrelevant for the story – and the dance clip "London Mein India Ka" in which he encourages Salman for his plans to win his family over and which is a welcome and zestful blur of colour in this film which nearly completely is located in London. I guess this guest appearance was a sort of compensation for Sanju as Yeh Hai Jalwa originally was planed to be a joint film for him and Salman; but when the plot was ready Ketan Desai got the feeling that it did justice to only one of the two heroes. So he decided to concentrate only on Salman this time and in return to do another project with Sanjay later. Obviously Sanju accepted this turn of events uncomplainingly (which gives the credits "We are grateful to Shri Sanjay Dutt" a double meaning) and proved his friendship to David Dhawan and Salman Khan with his little guest role which without doubt is an uprating for the film. But even though it is a delight to see Sanju and Sallu dancing together again even if it’s just for a few seconds: It is no must-see.

Though, if you are particular about it then Sanju maybe even got the film’s best line: When Salman in a bar in London is attacked by some goons, Sanju comes to his aid and drily remarks in his inimitable way, "Ten people, one Indian - not good. Two Indian, ten people - very good!" Actually this single sequence is worth the film.

Produced by Kanchan Ketan Desai; Directed by David Dhawan
140 Min.; DVD: Spark, English Subtitles (including songs)
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