Just before Jayeshbhai introduces us to his family, he makes a rather silly analogy between scientists curious about Mars and his parents curious about his child’s gender. What do a planet and a woman’s womb have in common? They’re both round (gol), after all. To set the tone and expectations, some Gujju humour. In the first scene, director Divyang Thakkar states that “pre-natal sex determination testing is a punishable offence.” And Jayeshbhai Jordaar’s entire premise revolves around this.
In the titular role, Ranveer Singh has a lot on his plate: end female foeticide, end patriarchy, empower women, save his unborn daughter’s life, and rebel against his family.
One thing I didn’t get until the end was why the movie was set in Gujarat. Why not some small town in Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh, where such practises are common? Was it the Gujarati flavour and the director’s decision to give Ranveer a rather amusing makeover and character that he thought would appeal to the audience? Is Jayeshbhai just a vehicle for Ranveer to test his acting abilities? Let me tell you, even in this otherwise’restrained’ role, he goes overboard far more frequently than you’d expect.
The film opens with Jayeshbhai Patel (Ranveer Singh) and his wife Mudra Patel (Shalini Pandey) under extreme pressure from his parents, played by Boman Irani as the traditional Gujarati sarpanch and Ratna (Jia Vaidya). After learning that Mudra is pregnant again with a girl child after six miscarriages, Jayeshbhai devises a cunning plan to flee. The film is primarily a cat and mouse chase between the couple and the men of their village. There are a few predictable twists, some funny scenes, a few jokes that fall flat, and, of course, a lot of dramatic dialogue that doesn’t help the film.
Jayeshbhai Jordaar intends to send out a strong message of “beti bachao” (save the girl child), but this isn’t something new. Na Aana Is Des Laado was a TV show that aired for over three years and made quite an impression without resorting to gratuitous humour. A parallel subplot in Jayeshbhai Jordaar concerns a town in Haryana called Laadopur, which is full of wrestlers led by Puneet Issar, and where the arrival of a girl child is celebrated and rejoiced. They play an important role in the plot of the film and immediately reminded me of this TV show.
Director Divyang Thakkar, who also wrote the screenplay, loses track of what he wants to achieve with the film in the middle. He mashes up a lot of things, and they start to look like a clumsy mashup that can’t stay focused. Both the story and the screenplay are extremely lazy in the first half of the film. The film only picks up in the second half, and you’re left wondering, “OK, what’s next?” Namrata Rao deserves credit for crisp editing and completing it in a manageable two-hour runtime.
Ranveer Singh is bursting with energy yet again, though I was hoping for a more understated performance in this one given the subject matter. That balance of comedic, emotional, and mature acts works for me. Even though he looked ridiculous doing those steps that remind you of Jethalal from Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chasma, watching him dance on the track Firecracker in the end credits was a treat. Shalini Pandey, who we saw in the Telugu film Arjun Reddy (which was later remade in Hindi as Kabir Singh) as a demure and timid lover, is impressive in parts. Unfortunately, her character arc never progresses beyond a certain point. Her performance opportunities are limited, and you’d like to see a lot more of her, but that never happens. Both Boman and Ratna play their parts brilliantly, and this is where experience comes into play. In the midst of it all, child actor Jai Vaidya steals the show as Ranveer and Shalini’s onscreen daughter. Her wit, confidence, spontaneity, expressions, and everything else about her in the film is spot on.
Overall, Jayeshbhai Jordaar is a good watch, but does it linger in your mind and make you think? I doubt. At the very least, I won’t be thinking about it after I finish this review. Keep an eye out for this young actor and another loud performance from Ranveer.
Jordaar, Jayeshbhai
Divyang Thakkar directs.
Ranveer Singh, Shalini Pandey, Boman Irani, and Ratna Pathak Shah star in the film.
