Jungle sits uneasily between an action thriller and a tale of love and obsession. Based on Veerapan, the famous dacoit still roaming the forests of South India, the film opens with the romance between a middle class college drop out Sidhu (Fardeen Khan) and a well to do Anu (Urmilla).

The course of love can never be smooth and Anu's father intends marrying her off to a rich industrialist's son and does not know of his daughter's love for Sidhu. Anu intends to break the news to her father whilst they are holidaying in the Jungle but never seems to find the right moment to do so. Sidhu also turns up at the same resort under a different name and the lovers find time to be together. At this juncture, we also see the Indian forces trying to catch the dacoits who dwell in the deep and dark Jungle, specifically Durga, the head of the gang.

In one of their more successful encounters, they manage to capture one of the gang and bring him back to try to get him to tell them of the whereabouts of the gang. In retaliation, the dacoits hijack the bus that is carrying all the tourists and take them all hostage. The deal is that the police has to release their gang member for the hostages and for every day that there is a delay, they will kill one of the hostages.

Well, one of the hostages is beheaded and the forces have to release the gang member. At this point, all the hostages are released except for Anu on the pretext that Durga is unsure what the police may do. But it is apparent that he has taken somewhat of a shine to her and his interest is personal and not to protect himself or the gang. On the return of the hostages, Sidhu is distraught to find that his love has not returned. The main guide of the Tiger resort says that he knows Durga and provides him with guns and that he will try to do something when Durga calls for him. When Durga does call for him, Sidhu follows him and is reunited with Anu. The police has also followed them and during the encounter, Sidhu and Anu escape into the Jungle, pursued by the dacoits. Following the dacoits are the police with the help of the main guide who knows the Jungle well.

The film starts off well enough and the lead pair lend it enough charm to keep the viewer's interest. But then the script falters and matters simply do not gel together at all. The biggest drawback is the character of Durga. A much hated and vile villain, who has committed so many atrocities, appears to be come so completely obsessed with the heroine that nothing else matters to him.

Clearly, it is a kind of Junoon which has afflicted him and this is the weakest strand in the film. But as this is the driving force of the film, it loses its impact and really, quite unbelieving. What follows after the lovers escape is their attempt to get out of the jungle and their trials and tribulations in doing that. Does it really matter?

Whether its jaguars, tigers, snakes or alligators, do we really care? Not really because one way or the other, they are going to make it. Perhaps they are there to lend authenticity to the film's title. A big yawn actually. Ram Gopal Verma is a man of good ideas but somehow is not able to execute them in the manner that they require execution.

Daud was meant to be a sort of spoof, a caper which failed in almost every department. Mast was supposed to be like the 50s musicals, the sort of film that possibly Audrey Hepburn would have done...but it was a disaster and an exercise in boredom. Jungle is simply a love story with a violent backdrop. Had he extended the love story in the inital portions and cut out the crassness of having Durga fall in love with Urmila, it would have worked much better. But then Verma has said that he cannot make simple love stories like Kuch Kuch etc.

Well, he ends up with a film which starts off racily and ends up in tedium. He simply does not have the balance right. As far as performances go, Sunil Shetty in a brief but important role, is quite good. Urmilla looks pretty and gives a decent account of herself. But she tries so hard..and the effort shows. I think her spontaneity died by the time she had made Judaai...pretty shortlived!

This is Fardeen Khan's second film after the disasterous Prem Aggan and he gives an excellent account of himself. He is completely natural and underplays his character infusing it with a great deal of charm, vulnerability and strength. This is not your "I'll blow your brains out " hero but someone who could be anyone of us.

I would like to mention Kashmira Shah, so far known for playing the glamorous bimbo in most of the films she has done so far. She comes up trumps in this and makes a mark. Frankly, I never thought she had it in her!

The Jungle itself almost plays a character in the film but fails to create a sense of menace in the manner that the director probably intended it to. Perhaps frustration but not menace although you may think a tiger at the foot of your tree is quite menacing!

The music is good but the songs look out of place barring the first song. Sadly, two nice songs have been deleted from the film but probably in the film's best interests. Even the popular "do pyaar karne wale jungle main" comes at a rather awkward point in the film. And with Mr Verma being such a technician, how could he have missed Urmilla wearing white boots/trainers in one scene only to be back in her sandals in the next, that too in the jungle…stuck out like a sore thumb.

I do not think the film will do wonders at the box office. It is extremely violent and carries an adult certificate. It is amongst the most violent films I have seen of late. This is not pulp violence but brutal stuff, and it certainly deserves its certificate. But perhaps we may have a new Khan on the block!