The Netflix mystery thriller Jaane Jaan, dropping on September 21, is poised to be a riveting film with a stellar cast directed by Sujoy Ghosh. All eyes are on Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is foraying into the world of streaming with this thriller that is a detour in her filmography. Here are four reasons why Jaane Jaan looks like a must watch.

Kareena Kapoor Khan’s dark turn

For her debut in OTT films, Kareena Kapoor Khan has chosen a dark character with dubious intentions. Jaane Jaan’s Maya D’Souza is markedly different from Kareena’s iconic roles that are known for their outgoing and carefree nature, such as Poo of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Geet of Jab We Met. In her last big-screen outing, Kareena played Rupa D’Souza, an aspiring model, in the Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha.

Sujoy Ghosh is back with a thriller

We can’t wait to see what Sujoy Ghosh has got up his sleeve. The director of hit thrillers like Kahaani (2012) and Badla (2019) can spring a surprise when we are least expecting it and send us into a tizzy. His last directorial outing was the film Sex with the Ex in the Netflix anthology Lust Stories 2, which failed to hit the mark, but the trailer of Jaane Jaan signals that Sujoy, who has also written the screenplay, might be in his element this time around.

The plot is inspired by a Japanese novel

Jaane Jaan draws inspiration from Keigo Higashino's bestselling 2005 novel, The Devotion of Suspect X. Originally published in Japanese, the novel was translated to English in 2011. It revolves around Yasuko Hanaoka, a single mother who works at a tiffin shop, and Tetsuya Ishigami, a brilliant maths teacher. Their lives take a sinister turn when Yasuko’s estranged husband is found dead.

Set in the picturesque hill town of Kalimpong, Jaane Jaan has Maya D’Souza at the centre. Kareena Kapoor Khan plays Maya, a single mother whose life goes topsy turvy when her estranged husband goes missing. As investigating officer Karan Anand (Vijay Varma) launches a manhunt, the needle of suspicion points at Maya.

Enter Naren (Jaideep Ahlawat), a maths teacher and Maya’s neighbour. But Naren is no ordinary teacher; he carries a shadowy past that intertwines with Maya’s. What ensues is a tale of tangled relationships, where friendships turn hostile as secrets unravel and loyalties are tested.

A power-packed ensemble cast

In Jaane Jaan, Kareena is in the company of a pair of fantastic actors — Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma. Ahlawat, who plays Maya’s neighbour Naren, has got a makeover that borders on the scary. As a sharp cop with the Mumbai Police who is taken in by Maya’s charm, Varma’s Karan Anand seems to be walking a slippery slope. Naren and Karan turn out to be old friends who meet again in Kalimpong when Maya’s husband goes missing, but there might be more to all three of them than meets the eye.