Jab Khuli Kitaab Review: A Promising Story That Loses Its Way Midway

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

Watched Jab Khuli Kitaab on ZEE5, and I’m left wondering—why was this film made? What exactly is it trying to say?

The film opens with Gopal, played by Pankaj Kapur, caring for his wife Anusuya (Dimple Kapadia), who is in a coma. Within minutes, she regains consciousness—only to confess that she had an affair early in their five-decade-long marriage. What follows is emotional upheaval. A hurt and angry Gopal contemplates divorce while trying to shield the family from this devastating truth.

This was a powerful premise—one that could have explored complex emotions, long-term relationships, and the idea of “grey divorce.” Unfortunately, the film doesn’t stay with it. Instead, it drifts.

The writer-director Saurabh Shukla introduces multiple subplots, seemingly to accommodate the ensemble cast, but none of them land. The narrative loses direction, and the script begins to feel scattered. By the latter half, the film rushes through events without depth, resolution, or meaningful confrontation. It simply… ends.

The film attempts to touch upon everything—marital love, parenting, a close-knit family, infidelity, disability, dementia—but fails to do justice to any one theme. And therein lies the core disappointment.

Perhaps expectations were high, given the stellar cast and the creative team. One hoped the focus would remain on a strong, cohesive script. Instead, the second half feels hurried, with no real closure or emotional payoff.

Except for Pankaj Kapur, who brings depth and restraint to his role, the rest of the cast—Dimple Kapadia, Aparshakti Khurana, Manasi Parekh, Samir Soni, Nauheed Cyrusi, Sunil Palwal, and Devyani Ratanpal—are largely underutilised. Their characters lack the maturity and development needed to leave an impact.

Ultimately, that’s where the film falters—at the writing and direction level.