Ranveer’s Jayeshbhai Jordaar is a clumsy mashup of a lot of issues
JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR Cast: Ranveer Singh, Shalini Pandey, Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah Direction: Divyang Thakkar
Just before Jayeshbhai introduces his family members to us, he draws a rather silly analogy between scientists wanting to know about Mars and his parents wanting to know about the gender of his child. What’s common between a planet and a woman’s womb? They are both round (gol) in shape. Some Gujju humour to begin with!
Director Divyang Thakkar gives the disclaimer in the first scene itself: Pre-natal sex determination test is a punishable offence. The entire premise of the film is centred around this. Ranveer Singh, in the titular role, has a lot on his plate to accomplish — deal with female foeticide, get rid of patriarchal practices, save the life of his yet-to-be born daughter, and in the process, turn a rebel against his own family.
The film starts with Jayeshbhai Patel (Ranveer Singh) and his wife Mudra Patel (Shalini Pandey) being under extreme pressure from his parents, played by Boman Irani as the traditional Gujarati sarpanch, and his wife, played by Ratna Pathak Shah, to give birth to a son. They already have a nineyear-old daughter Siddhi (Jia
Vaidya). Upon learning that Mudra is again pregnant with a girl child, after having gone through six miscarriages, Jayeshbhai makes a wicked plan to run away. For the most part of the film, it’s a cat and mouse chase between the couple and the men of their village. There are some lame twists, some funny scenes, a few jokes that land flat and dramatic dialogues, which don’t really serve the purpose.
The movie intends to give out the strong message of ‘beti bachao’ (save the girl child), but it’s not something we haven’t seen earlier. TV show Na Aana Is Des Laado was on air for over three years and made quite an impact, without lacing it with needless humour. In Jayeshbhai Jordaar, there’s a parallel subplot about a town in Haryana called Laadopur, headed by actor Puneet Issar, where the arrival of a girl child is celebrated. The town is full of wrestlers, who play a crucial part in the storyline, and instantly reminded me of this television show.
Thakkar, who has also written the story, loses track with what exactly he wants to accomplish. He mixes a lot many things, and after a point, they start to look like a clumsy mashup, failing to stay focused. The first half of the film is lazy, both in terms of story and screenplay. It’s only in the second half that the film picks up and you want to know, ‘okay, what’s next’.
I’d like to give some credit to Namrata Rao for the crisp editing.
Singh is full of energy yet again, though, I was looking forward to an understated performance in this one for the kind of subject the film deals with. He acts funny, then emotional, then mature — that balance works for me. Watching him dance on the track Firecracker during the end credits was the paisa vasool moment for me, no matter how ridiculous he looked doing those steps, which remind you of Jethalal from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
Shalini Pandey is impressive in parts. Sadly, you never see her character arc growing beyond a point, giving her limited scope to perform. Irani and Shah, both play their parts with brilliance. Amid all this, child actor Jai Vaidya, who made her debut as Ranveer and Shalini’s onsceen daughter, is the show stealer. She is fabulous in the film — her wit, confidence, spontaneity and expressions — everything is on point.
Overall, Jayeshbhai Jordaar isa decent watch, but does it really stay with you or leave you thinking? I doubt. At least, I’m not thinking about it once I am done writing this review. Watch it for the child actor and a yet-another loud act from Singh.