Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai Full Story Explained (2017)
Imagine a girl who dreams of becoming a writer. She falls in love, but her father forces her to marry a cruel prince. Her life becomes a nightmare. But she escapes. She rebuilds herself from nothing. This is Alia's story in 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' (2017). Directed by Keshhav Panneriy, the film stars Manjari Fadnis as Alia, with Arbaaz Khan, Ashutosh Rana, Himansh Kohli, and Supriya Pathak. It is based on the novel 'A Little Heaven in Me' by Purnima Mead. The film follows Alia's journey from a small-town girl to a successful journalist in New York. It is a story of pain, courage, and never giving up. Released on 3 March 2017, this Hindi drama tackles serious issues like domestic abuse and women's empowerment.
A Writer's Award, A Sudden Loss
Alia Patrick stands on a stage in the White House. She is receiving a prestigious award for her writing. But then she gets a call from India. Her beloved maid, Lakshmi, has died. Alia's face falls. She rushes back home immediately. The joy of her success vanishes in an instant.
Full Plot
The film opens with Alia Patrick receiving a writing award at the White House. She is at the peak of her career. But then she gets bad news from India. Her beloved maid, Lakshmi, has died. Alia rushes back home.
The story then flashes back to Alia's childhood. She grows up in a small town in Rajasthan. Her father is a factory worker who struggles to make ends meet. He sends Alia and her two brothers to a good school. Alia is a bright student who loves writing. She writes for the school paper.
In college, Alia meets Alex. They fall in love. He is her first love and supports her dreams. One day, Alia is sent to interview Kunwar Vikram Pratap Singh. He is the arrogant ruler of a former royal kingdom. He is rude and misogynistic at first. But Alia puts him in his place with her sharp words. The prince is impressed and wants to marry her.
Kunwar Vikram sends expensive gifts to Alia's father. Her father forces her to accept the marriage proposal. Alia is heartbroken. She says a tearful goodbye to Alex. She enters the royal palace, which becomes her prison. She cannot leave. The prince is a drunk and a playboy. He is abusive to Alia and brutal to the servants. Her only solace is the maid, Lakshmi. One day, the prince finds Alia's journal. It contains her true feelings about her unhappy marriage. He burns it in front of her. Alia faints from the shock.
Alia discovers she is pregnant. But the prince is not happy. He quietly orders the servants to kill the baby if it is a girl. Lakshmi helps Alia escape the palace that very night. She gives Alia her own jewels and puts her on a bus to Mumbai. Alia arrives in Mumbai with nothing. She follows a tea vendor boy to his orphanage. She starts teaching the children there. She applies for a writing job at a small magazine run by Shaukat Mirza. He is an eccentric Urdu lover. He is skeptical of her at first. But Alia writes a powerful report based on her own struggles. Mirza is impressed and hires her on the spot. Alia gives birth to a baby girl.
She meets Aditya Kapoor, a wealthy NRI businessman, at a charity event. She confronts him about his motives. She discovers he is genuinely kind. He asks her out, but she turns him away. Mirza recommends Alia's work overseas. She gets a job offer from a New York newspaper. She turns it down because she does not want to leave Mirza. But when Kunwar Vikram finds her in Mumbai, she realizes she is not safe in India. She signs over her share of the royal properties in exchange for a divorce. She leaves for New York.
In New York, she becomes a successful reporter. She meets Aditya again at a party. She volunteers to cover a war in the Middle East. She does a great job and gets a promotion. But her jealous co-workers accuse her of sleeping with Aditya to get the promotion. She is horrified. She confronts Aditya. He admits he brought her to New York, but the promotion was her own effort. He tells her he loves her. He also tells her that running away is not fair to all the people who helped her. She realizes he is right. She decides to marry him.
The film ends where it began. Alia returns to India to cremate Lakshmi. She cries as she says goodbye to the woman who saved her life.
Act Breakdown
A Dreamer's Fall
We meet Alia as a young girl with big dreams. She falls in love with Alex. She interviews the arrogant prince. Her father forces her to marry the prince. She enters the palace and her nightmare begins.
Escape from Hell
The prince abuses Alia and burns her journal. He orders the murder of her unborn daughter. Lakshmi helps Alia escape the palace. Alia arrives in Mumbai with nothing. She is pregnant and alone.
Building a New Life
Alia starts teaching at an orphanage. She gets a job at a magazine. She gives birth to a daughter. She meets Aditya Kapoor. She signs a divorce with the prince. She moves to New York for a new job.
Love and Goodbye
Alia becomes a successful reporter in New York. She faces jealousy from her co-workers. Aditya confesses his love for her. She accepts his proposal. She returns to India to cremate Lakshmi. The film ends with her saying goodbye.
Characters
Alia Patrick
Played by Manjari Fadnis
Alia is a simple girl from a small town in Rajasthan. She dreams of becoming a writer. She is forced to marry an abusive prince. She escapes and rebuilds her life from nothing. She becomes a successful journalist in New York. She is strong, determined, and never gives up on her dreams.
Kunwar Vikram Pratap Singh
Played by Ashutosh Rana
He is the arrogant ruler of a former royal kingdom. He is a drunk and a playboy. He is abusive to Alia and brutal to his servants. He forces Alia to marry him. He orders the murder of his unborn daughter. He is the main antagonist of the film.
Aditya Kapoor
Played by Arbaaz Khan
He is a suave and successful NRI businessman based in the USA. He is a philanthropist. He falls in love with Alia. He supports her career and helps her move to New York. He is kind, patient, and understanding. He marries Alia in the end.
Alex
Played by Himansh Kohli
He is Alia's first love from college. He is optimistic and passionate. He supports Alia's writing dreams. They are forced to separate when Alia marries the prince. He represents the pure love that Alia had to leave behind.
Lakshmi
Played by Supriya Pathak
She is the iron-willed maid in the royal palace. She is Alia's only friend and confidante. She helps Alia escape from the abusive prince. She gives Alia her own jewels to start a new life. She is a symbol of strength and woman empowerment.
Shaukat Ali Mirza
Played by Prem Chopra
He is an eccentric Urdu lover who runs a small magazine in Mumbai. He is passionate about serious journalism. He is skeptical of Alia at first. But he is impressed by her writing and hires her. He becomes a father figure to Alia.
Scene Highlights
The Journal Burning
Kunwar Vikram finds Alia's secret journal. It contains her true feelings about her unhappy marriage. He reads it with anger. Then he throws it into a fire. Alia watches in horror as her words burn. She faints from the shock. This scene marks the lowest point of her marriage.
The Escape from the Palace
Lakshmi helps Alia escape the palace at night. She gives Alia her own jewels. She puts Alia on a bus to Mumbai. Alia is pregnant and terrified. But she is also free. This is the turning point of the entire film.
The Job Interview with Mirza
Alia meets Shaukat Mirza for a job. He is an eccentric Urdu lover. He is skeptical of her. He asks her to write a report. Alia walks through the slums and writes about her own struggles. She gives him the report. He is so impressed that he hires her on the spot.
The Confrontation in New York
Alia's co-workers accuse her of sleeping with Aditya to get a promotion. She is horrified. She confronts Aditya. He admits he brought her to New York. But he insists the promotion was her own effort. He tells her he loves her. This scene clears the air and brings them together.
The Final Farewell
Alia stands at Lakshmi's funeral pyre. She is crying. She remembers everything Lakshmi did for her. She knows she owes her life to Lakshmi. She says a silent goodbye. The film ends with this emotional moment.
Cast & Context
This film brought together a diverse cast. Arbaaz Khan, known for his roles in 'Dabangg' and 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya', plays the romantic lead Aditya Kapoor. Ashutosh Rana, a veteran villain, plays the abusive prince. This is a classic good vs evil pairing. Manjari Fadnis, known for 'Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na', plays the lead role of Alia. This is her first major solo lead role. Supriya Pathak, famous for 'Khichdi', plays the strong supporting role of Lakshmi. The casting mixes established stars with character actors.
Themes
Women's Empowerment
The film is about a woman who breaks free from an abusive marriage. Alia does not stay a victim. She escapes, builds a career, and becomes independent. Lakshmi also represents this theme. She is a strong woman who helps other women. The film shows that women can overcome any obstacle.
Domestic Abuse
The film shows the harsh reality of domestic abuse. Kunwar Vikram is physically and emotionally abusive to Alia. He burns her journal, which is her only outlet. He orders the murder of his unborn daughter. The film does not shy away from showing the pain and trauma of abuse.
Never Giving Up
Alia faces many setbacks. She is forced into marriage. She is abused. She escapes with nothing. She is a single mother. But she never gives up. She works hard, writes, and builds a new life. The film's message is that you can always start over.
The Power of Kindness
Several characters show kindness to Alia. Lakshmi helps her escape. Shaukat Mirza gives her a job. Aditya Kapoor loves and supports her. These acts of kindness help Alia survive and thrive. The film shows that kindness can change a person's life.
Music & Soundtrack
ComposerHarry Anand, Onkar Minhas, Deepak Agrawal, Visshoo Mukherjee, Siddhant Madhav
The music was composed by multiple artists. The title song 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' sung by K.K. is the most notable track. It captures the film's theme of life and struggle. The song 'Mujhko Tere Ishq Mein Bhigade' sung by Ankit Tiwari became popular for its romantic melody.
Similar Films
Both films are about a woman who breaks free from a failed relationship and discovers her own strength.
Both films focus on a woman's journey to find her identity and gain respect from her family.
Both films feature a strong female lead who faces societal judgment but chooses her own path.
Ending Explained
The film ends exactly where it began. Alia, now a successful writer and happily married to Aditya Kapoor, returns to India. She is at a funeral pyre. She is cremating Lakshmi, the woman who saved her life. Alia is crying, but she is also grateful. She knows that without Lakshmi's help, she would have never escaped the palace. She would have never become a writer. She would have never found true love. The film's final moments are emotional. Alia says goodbye to her savior. The message is clear: Alia's success and happiness are built on the sacrifices of others. She honors Lakshmi by living a full and free life. The ending is a tribute to the women who help other women rise.
Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai is a film with a good heart. It wants to tell an important story about women's empowerment. But the execution is weak. The direction is poor. The editing is choppy. The dialogue feels forced. The runtime of 173 minutes is too long. The story drags in many places. However, the lead actress Manjari Fadnis gives a sincere performance. Ashutosh Rana is effective as the villain. If you are a fan of the cast or enjoy slow, emotional dramas, you might find something to like. But most viewers will find it a waste of time. It is not a recommended watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not based on a true story. It is based on a novel called 'A Little Heaven in Me' written by Purnima Mead. The novel is a work of fiction.
The film is directed by Keshhav Panneriy. He also directed other Bollywood films. This is his most well-known directorial work.
The main message is about women's empowerment and never giving up. It shows that a woman can escape an abusive marriage and build a successful life on her own terms.
Ashutosh Rana plays the role of Kunwar Vikram Pratap Singh. He is known for playing powerful villainous roles in Bollywood.
The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 53 minutes. That is 173 minutes. It is a long film.