Jawan: Atlee Serves A Complete Meal With SRK At His Massiest Best

Jawan is easily SRK’s most political film in the recent past with the actor taking on the establishment. He also delivers a passionate monologue about the importance of choosing wisely.

Starcast: Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Vijay Sethupathi and others

Direction, screenplay and story: Atlee

Additional screenplay: S Ramanagrivasan

Producers: Gaurav Verma and Gauri Khan

Production Company: Red Chillies Entertainment

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Genre: Action thriller/drama

Director Atlee’s stories are never original; they are more about effective packaging. Jawan is no different. In simple terms if you mix Shankar’s brand of cinema with Chak De India the result would be Jawan.

Jawan is a father and son drama at its core; Azad and Vikram Rathod (Shah Rukh Khan in a double role). One of them is a masked vigilante who wants to speed up the societal changes in unconventional ways. Helping him in this mission are a bunch of women prisoners headed by Sanya Malhotra and Priyamani. Each of these prisoners have their own back stories that cover different issues plaguing our society. Kaali (Vijay Sethupati) is a dangerous arms dealer who has a history with the father SRK. Last but not the least is Narmada (Nayanthara) who is a determined NSG officer on the lookout for the vigilante. In a twist of events she also ends up marrying one of the SRKs (one of the absurdist thing in the story) for the sake of her daughter. She is a single mother. Revealing anything more wouldn’t be appropriate as the film goes through a non linear storyline with many twists and turns.

A big strength of Jawan is the packaging of the various social issues that Atlee takes up. Sure the treatment isn’t subtle and does require suspension of belief but the conviction of Atlee and SRK is such that as viewers we can’t help but cheer. As mentioned above Jawan is Shah Rukh’s most political film in the recent times. Many of societal problems find a place in Jawan. Whether it is farmers being driven to suicide because of loan sharks, the severely underdeveloped government facilities, the frauds taking place in election and the manufacture of bad quality military weapons among others. There is also a Meta moment where SRK directly addresses his fans and delivers a passionate monologue. All this has come out in a powerful manner. Sumit Arora’s dialogues hugely aid in this.

Father and son drama has always an emotional connect, irrespective of how many times we have seen it. There is a rousing interval bang when the son SRK has been tied up with no hopes of getting away. At that exact moment you have the arrival of the father. The dialogue there is “Bete ko Haath Lagane se pahle, baap se baat Kar (Deal with the father before you touch the son).” This comes at the moment when the father is assumed to be dead. This again is a perfectly placed Meta moment and looks like a warning from SRK to not mess with his son Aryan Khan in the future. The father character is a military officer who was accused of being a traitor. He was thrown from a helicopter by Kaali and suffers from a partial memory loss. As a result he doesn’t completely remember the past. The scenes where both the SRKs feature are an absolute treat.

Early on there is a sequence where the vigilante Shah Rukh takes a metro train as hostage. When Nayanthara asks him what are his demands over the wireless he gives a witty reply saying “I want Alia Bhatt but she is younger in age.” The reaction shot of the passenger sitting next to him adds to the humour. Many dialogues both political ones and humorous ones like this evoked a lot of hooting and cheering from the audiences.

Shah Rukh Khan has successfully ventured into the mass zone in the past too but Atlee’s presentation of the superstar is something else. Shah Rukh owns every frame that he is in. He embraces the masala tone of Atlee with absolute fervour. Nayanathara makes a solid Bollywood debut with her portrayal of Narmada both as a determined cop and also as a single mother. There is a terrific action sequence where Narmada takes on the masked SRK. It is a treat to watch.

The few romantic scenes between Nayanthara and SRK are pleasant to watch particularly in the song Chaleya. However the same cannot be said of the brief flashback portion consisting of Deepika. It has been written patchily. Sanjay Dutt also has an extended cameo. The women prisoners have reasonably fleshed out parts. The ones who stand out are Sanya Malhotra and Priyamani.

 Vijay Sethupati who locks horns with both the father and son does not have a lot to do in the beginning but he more than makes up for it in the second half. He gets some comic punches that leave you in splits.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music doesn’t quite match the scale of the film but Zinda Banda and Chaleya are foot tapping numbers. There is also Aararaari Raaro which has a good emotional touch. But his background score is excellent particularly in the scenes where the vigilante SRK takes over.

At a time when most systems are failing in delivering justice the success of Jawan would represent the angst of the common man and the justice (by whatever means) that he is hoping for in Bharateeyudu style.

Blind: A ‘Sightless’ Thriller

One of the biggest issues with the film is the lacklustre cat-and-mouse game between Sonam Kapoor and Purab Kohli.

Dull direction!
Blind (Hindi)
  • Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Purab Kohli, Vinay Pathak and Lillete Dubey
  • Director: Shome Makhija
  • Producers: Sujoy Ghosh, Avishek Ghosh, and Pinkesh Nahar
  • Music: Clinton Cerejo and Brianca Gomes
  • Runtime: 2 hours 4 minutes
  • OTT platform: Jio Cinema

Shome Makhjia’s Blind is a bland remake of the Tamil thriller Netrikann (2021) which, in turn, was based on the Korean film Blind (2011).

Netrikann also had its issues with the slightly overlong runtime, but it kept the viewers at the edge of their seats for the most part.

Director Milind Rau gave a solid emotional arc that made you sympathise with its visually impaired protagonist Durga (Nayanthara).

The cat-and-mouse game between her and the psychopath (Ajmal Ameer) was filled with many tense moments which makes the viewers root for Nayanthara’s Durga.

On the other hand, Shome Makhija’s Blind is mostly devoid of these elements.

Synopsis

For those who haven’t seen Netrikann, Gia Singh (Sonam Kapoor) in Blind is a police officer in Scotland.

One day a severe argument happens between Gia and her younger brother in a car and Gia handcuffs him to the handle of the car.

Meanwhile, an accident happens and Gia crashes on the road with great force. At that exact moment, another car charges into the already wrecked car which takes her brother’s life.

She recovers but loses her sight and also her job. Her efforts to retain her job don’t succeed.

Meanwhile, several girls in the city go missing. One night, a stranger (Purab Kohli), disguised as a cab driver, offers to drop Gia home. But she soon finds something is amiss about the driver.

The ride becomes mysterious when a few knocks are heard from the trunk of the car. Gia manages to escape from the cab after some fight.

She suspects the cab driver is behind the kidnapping of the girls. The rest of the story is about whether Gia, with the help of the police force, is able to find the psychopath and the dangers she faces along the way.

Positives

Before getting into the negatives, it is necessary to mention the very few redeeming features of Blind.

Purab Kohli, as the serial killer surprises you big with his sadistic portrayal. He is someone who is generally associated with soft characters. But here, the actor successfully transforms into a cold-blooded psychopath.

Vinay Pathak, the police officer helping Gia, is also in good form. He provides some much-needed lighter moments.

A mention must also be made of the chase sequence involving Sonam Kapoor and Purab Kohli. It is one of the few moments in the film where you root for Gia.

Coming to Sonam Kapoor, the actress makes a sincere effort, but her limited acting abilities are terribly exposed here. Sonam doesn’t even hold a candle to what Nayanthara did in Netrikann.

Flaws

One of the biggest issues with Blind is the lacklustre cat-and-mouse game between Sonam Kapoor and Purab Kohli. The issue here is not just about Sonam’s acting, but it is also the dull direction of Shome Makijha.

Though Shome Makijha has been an assistant director for films like Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani (2012), it is clear that he has not learnt anything from those films.

An example of his dull direction is the telephonic conversation, that Sonam has for the first time with the psychopath. It is so dull that the audience goes into a slumber.

Another major problem with Blind is the lack of a back story explaining why Purab Kohli’s character abducts young women and tortures them to death.

Not a single explanation is given about his psychotic behaviour. This angle was much better explored in Netrikann.

Lillete Dubey, as Aunty Maria gets very little to do, and her scenes with Sonam don’t add much value to the narrative.

Her estranged relationship with her mother just doesn’t make any sense. The police officials, with the exception of Vinay Pathak, come across more as buffoons than anything else.

Final take

Blind’s cat-and-mouse game falters despite the few strong performances.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Godfather: The Return Of Chiranjeevi

Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Lucifer was a competent political thriller within the realms of what is considered mainstream in Malayalam. Mohanlal’s charisma was one of the primary reasons that the film worked. Vivek Oberoi was also terrific as the bad guy. Prithviraj Sukumaran’s direction wasn’t flawless but still the actor director did a good job in capturing the socio-political scenario.

Mohan Raja’s Godfather on the other hand is a massier version of Lucifer. There are ample slow mo shots of Chiranjeevi accompanied by a thundering background score of S. Thaman. There are punch dialogues which are aimed to make the fans happy. But at the same time Mohan Raja makes sure that the film hasn’t got any unnecessary subplots like a forced romantic track or a crude comic subplot.

Much like Lucifer here too the political drama keeps you invested. It also immensely helps that young actor Satyadev makes for more than a worthy antagonist to Chiranjeevi, this is something which I will elaborate on later.

Godfather begins at an Interpol facility in France where a high- ranking agent hands over a confidential case of an elusive mastermind Abraham Quershi to another agent. From here we move to India where PKR, the supreme leader of a political party is no more. The death of PKR has sent the state into a crisis and a new leader must be elected. The key players in this musical game of chairs are introduced by director Puri Jagannadh making his acting debut as investigative journalist Govardhan.

Brahma (played by Chiranjeevi) is an intelligent and popular leader among the masses and is also the backbone of the deceased CM. This ideally should make him the perfect candidate. However senior leader Narayana Varma (Murali Sharma) and PKR’s son-in-law Jaidev (Satyadev Kancharana) have other plans. Additionally PKR’s daughter Satyapriya (Nayanathara) is also thrown into the mix. There is also Salman Khan in a swashbuckling extended cameo as Masoom Bai, although there is nothing masoom that the actor is doing here.

The best thing about Godfather is how director Mohan Raja sets up the plot. It keeps you hooked. There are many unexpected twists and turns regarding the supporting characters that keep you glued to the screen. The best examples of these are the characters essayed by Sunil and Shafi. Initially we see that Sunil and Shafi are working for Chiranjeevi and Satyadev respectively. However there is a twist in a tale that you don’t see coming.

The director also deserves credit for how he showcases Chiranjeevi as a mature politician. Chiranjeevi hasn’t got many dialogues but the actor still packs a punch with his eyes. His screen presence and settled performance is a treat to watch.

NAYANTHARA BRINGS A CERTAIN DEPTH TO HER ROLE.

The emotional bits featuring Chiranjeevi and Nayanathara will also move you. Nayanthara brings a certain depth to her role. It is not a part with a wide arch but it is to the credit of Nayanthara’s acting talent that you root for Satyapriya.

However the biggest strength of Godfather is easily Satyadev as the antagonist. The way he holds his own opposite Chiranjeevi is remarkable to say the least. He is the major reason why this political tussle never feels one sided.

The interactions between Chiranjeevi and Satyadev are terrific to watch. The best example of this is the jail episode where Satyadev taunts Brahma. This film should ideally open new doors for this talented actor.

AS MASOOM BHAI THE ACTOR CLEARLY HAS A BALL, EVEN THOUGH HIS FACE HAS BEEN CLEARLY DE-AGED.

The entry of Salman Khan is also perfectly timed. As Masoom Bhai the actor clearly has a ball, even though his face has been clearly de-aged. The climax fight where Chiranjeevi and Salman take on baddies is a treat for the fans.

The film has also got some well written political moments particularly in the first half. Puri Jagannadh as the investigative journalist is successful in representing those who are frustrated with corrupt politicians.

Godfather isn’t without its flaws. The second half is comparatively less interesting and the likes of Murali Sharma etc could have been used better. Also the music of Thaman is a big downer. The background score is definitely a banger but there are times where it swells too much.

Final word: Godfather is a welcome return to form for Chiranjeevi after the debacle of Acharya. It is an enjoyable political ride even if you have seen Lucifer.

Good Luck Jerry: Janhvi Kapoor Leads This Delicious Crime Comedy

Siddarth Sengupta’s Good Luck Jerry is a delicious crime comedy that works both as a standalone film, and also as a remake of Nelson Dilipkumar’s Tamil classic Kolamaavu Kokila. Siddarth takes the beats of the original and adds his own touch. For those who haven’t seen the original, the story of Kolamaavu narrated the tale of a girl from lower middle class family played by Nayanthara. She lives a happy life with her parents. But things take a turn when her mother is diagnosed with lung cancer. Kokila tries her level best to get money for treatment but nothing works. Left with no other option she takes up the risky job of drug peddling without the knowledge of her parents. After a point she tries to get out of drug peddling but that is something which is easier said than done.

In the remake the director transports the plot to Punjab. Like Alia Bhatt in Udta Punjab Janhvi and her family are also Bihari migrants. You don’t have any father character unlike the original. There is a kind hearted neighbour Anil (Neeraj Sood). Anil has eyes for Jerry’s mother (Mita Vashisht). There is also Rinku (Deepak Dobriyal) who is in love with Jerry. I won’t elaborate further since the basic hook of the storyline is the same.

Janhvi is particularly good in the masala moments of the second half

Like the original the best thing about this too is the way the lead character has been written and performed. It would be unfair to compare Nayanthara with Janhvi given that Nayanthara is a more seasoned actress but to Janhvi’s credit she delivers a solid performance. She does justice to the character arc of Jerry, which goes from a petrified girl to eventually taking things in her own hands. Janhvi is particularly good in the masala moments of the second half. Her Bihari accent is mostly on spot. Deepak Dobriyal is another actor who stands out with his impeccable comic timing. His one side lover act leaves you in splits. His scenes with Janhvi and the family are thoroughly enjoyable.

There are many instances of subtle humour that keeps you involved. These scenes include Jerry smuggling cocaine in her dabba and hiding it beneath instant noodles, or even those ones when Jerry’s family transports kilos of drugs pretending to drive a cancer-stricken woman. Music is more functional by nature but the songs don’t disrupt the narrative.

The twists and turns also keep you engrossed. As a viewer you want Jerry and her family to get out of this mess much like the original. The villains headed by Sushant Singh are suitably menacing as per the requirements.

Janhvi does justice to the character arc of Jerry, which goes from a petrified girl to eventually taking things in her own hands.

The one thing which could have been better though are the scenes between Janhvi and Mita Vashishat. The scenes that they share are good but more focus could have been there on developing the bond between the mother and daughter.

Comparisons to the original aside, watch Good Luck Jerry for a much improved Janhvi and also the dark humour.

O2: A Strong Cautionary Tale For Humankind

Nayanthara is one of those few actresses who has struck a perfect balance between doing glamorous roles and also strong female parts. She has always experimented with different kinds of genres. The results haven’t always been on point but that hasn’t stopped the actress from taking risks. O2 directed by GS Viknesh is one such film. The director juxtaposes the concept of two maternal figures, one being Mother Nature and other is Nayanthara playing a widowed mother Parvathy.

The film begins off with a bird’s sorrow as her chicks are being killed due to deforestation by human beings. From there we go to the home of a seven year old boy called Veera. Veera suffers from a life threatening disease called cystic fibrosis. He is heavily dependent on the oxygen cylinder for breathing. From the very beginning Veera is used to represent the repercussions of tearing down the natural resources. A hope comes for Veera in the form of a corrective surgery. Parvarthy makes a quick decision to go ahead with it. The mother and son are joined by more characters as they travel by bus to Kochi for the surgery. These characters include a corrupt cop, an ex-MLA, inter-caste lovers etc. In a horrible twist of fate they get trapped within the bus, the nature unleashes its anger in the form of a horrific landslide. The rest of the film plays out as a claustrophobic thriller. Nothing more about the plot can be revealed.

It is not easy to make a thriller/drama set mostly in a single location. It needs enormous talent from both the director and also the actors to hold the audience’s attention. But director GS Viknesh does a good job in keeping the audiences engrossed. He makes you feel the wrath of nature.

GS Viknesh is also immensely aided by the acting talent of Nayanathara. The actress is in splendid form. She shoulders the weight of the film effortlessly. There are many shades to her character. She is someone who can be unapologetically selfish, self-serving and also violent too. Nayanathara sinks her teeth into the role and makes the audiences root for her. Just like mother earth Paravathy will also go to any lengths to save her son from danger. The parallel between these two maternal figures has been brought out brilliantly by the director.

Rithivik as Veera holds his own. He is particularly impressive in the high-octane emotional moments. Among the rest Bharath Neelakandan is terrific as a vicious cop.

The cinematography by Tamizh Azhagan is perfectly in sync with the narrative.  He does a commendable job in capturing the claustrophobia. The audiences feel that they themselves are in that situation.

The scenes where we see the fight for oxygen also strikes a chord. The reason being many lives were lost in the second wave of Covid due to the limited supply of oxygen.

The only bits that rankle in the film are those involving the inter-caste couple. They don’t add much to the film.

In a nutshell O2 is a largely gripping thriller that leaves you thinking.