Jism - Movie Review

Published: September 27, 2009

By JENNIFER HOPFINGER

Starring John Abraham, Bipasha Basu, Gulshan Grover

John Abraham made his debut in this unfortunately titled film (which means “Body” in Hindi), alongside Bipasha Basu, who was also fairly new to the industry at the time. The movie marked the beginning of their off-screen relationship (they’ve been together ever since) and it made them big stars because of its provocative content. But that’s the only good thing that can be said about it—it’s sexy, in a late-night Cinemax sort of way.

 

Jism is based on the 1981 Hollywood film Body Heat (which is itself based on a true story that also inspired the 1944 film Double Indemnity). One scene in Jism is lifted right out of another American movie, 9½ Weeks (1986).

 

Abraham plays Kabir, a hard-drinking lawyer, who’s looking for trouble and finds it in Sonia (Basu), a femme fatale with a rich husband, Rohit (Gulshan Grover). Rohit is out of town much of the time, leaving his wife home alone with nothing to do but dally behind his back and plot his demise.

 

Kabir’s friends, who include a policeman, warn him to stay away from Sonia, but he plunges into a sexually intense affair with her anyway (and the depiction is pretty risqué for Bollywood). Kabir suggests she divorce Rohit, but she tells him her husband will kill them both if she does. So she suggests they kill him instead because it’s the only they can be together—with a hefty inheritance as a bonus. Still, Kabir drags his heels—he may be miserable, but he’s not a murderer. But she finds a way to ensnare him in her scheme nonetheless.

 

The acting is nothing short of awful, but the co-stars, who have since developed into competent actors, make the most of the only asset they have at this early stage of their careers—sex appeal—which served as the foundation for their later success.

Jism is rated Skip.

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