JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM

IND
2007
2hrs 12mins
Dir: Shaad Ali
Starring: Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta

Caught together in an overcrowded café, two strangers tell each other love stories to kill time

A good percentage of this Indian comedy was filmed at Waterloo and although most of the action takes place in The Reef Café on the mezzanine level there are other views of the station, with some very elaborate dance sequences on the platforms and concourse. ‘Desiro’ EMUs, a Class 455 and a Eurostar set are visible in the background to a number of scenes as well as a rare glimpse of some Class 442 ‘Wessex Electric’s’ at the very end. Also, in one shot early on, a Class 465 ‘Networker’ EMU passes over the viaduct outside the station on its way in to Charing Cross. There is a good closeup view of Class 444 ‘Desiro’ No.444005, but other ‘Desiro’s’ that are identifiable include 444001 and 444028 and Class 450 No.450064. The choice of a station as the setting makes for a refreshing change, the only problem is that the characters appear to have got their geography all wrong. First, they are awaiting an arrival of a train from Birmingham, then one from Manchester! Either way, they should of course be at Euston and not Waterloo. Not all the action takes place at the station and perhaps surprisingly there are other railway scenes of note. There is a rather random going away shot of a steam-hauled train of BR Mk.1s somewhere on a preserved line plus a closeup shot of the frontage to Southall station. The title of the film roughly translates as ‘sway this way’ but really means any kind of dance or swing movement.

This is one of the many dance sequences in the movie that take place in the station at Waterloo
As Abhishek Bachchan (in grey) enters the station a Class 465 is crossing the viaduct behind him heading towards Charing Cross
This is the Reef Café where most of the Waterloo action takes place. Note the entrance to Waterloo East in the background, Waterloo’s baby sister.
Meet me under the clock. This is an unusual view of the concourse at Waterloo.
Some trains appear with this being by far the best view. Class 444 No.444005 forms the backdrop to this scene.
In this unusual juxtaposition whereby two scenes are being shown at once, that on the left has a Class 450 in the platform and that on the right a Class 444. It is rare to see both of South West Trains’ Desiro types in the same shot.
In a final dance scene at the end of the film we get a glimpse, and sadly only a glimpse, of a pair of Class 442 ‘Wessex Electric’ units top left.
As Amitabh Bachchan leads the dancing we get a slightly better glimpse of one of the wonderful Class 442’s.
Two other railway shots appear. This is the first in the form of a going away shot of a steam-hauled train somewhere on a preserved line.
And this a shot of the main entrance to Southall station. In a sign of the times, the station sign is bi-lingual – English and Punjabi.