Jai Bhim
RATING
Introduction
It is the start of the festive season today and we at Popcorn Reviewss wish you a very Happy Dhanteras! With the festive seasons comes a fresh slate of new releases and we will be reviewing each one of them. First up is the new Tamil film Jai Bhim starring Suriya on Amazon Prime which I finished watching last night. Some of the strongest social dramas come from down South whereas in Bollywood, the genre isn’t tapped enough. The narrative has to be brutal without sugar coating any elements and films like Asuran or Article 15 are the ones which standout for their unapologetic narrative. That said, does Jai Bhim mark its own presence, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Jai Bhim follows the story of a pregnant tribal outcast who seeks justice following the mysterious disappearance of her husband. The story is hard hitting and extremely relevant. The screenplay is gripping right from the first scene and doesn’t let go off the grip right until the end. A runtime of 164 minutes might seem to be daunting at first, but because this screenplay unfolds like a thriller and maintains a tight narrative, you hooked and booked from the very beginning. What must be appreciated are the courtroom scenes that are so well executed that they leave you with goosebumps. Credit must be given to the writing for resisting the temptation of mellowing the drama by introducing some humour in the screenplay or unnecessary songs. This one is crisp and to the point tackling an issue which is delicate and unfortunately still prevalent in today’s times. The scenes of police brutality reminded me of the Tamil film Visaranai by Vetrimaran. Your heart literally succumbs to the pain of the victims and dare I say it also boils your blood. The drama never dips pace as well which is attributed to the writing in a hard hitting drama that culminates into a rousing final act. This is a top notch screenplay if ever there was one!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are hard hitting and hit the right notes. They truely leave a lasting impact. The music is good and no songs seemed out of place, instead they did their bit to shepherd the narrative. The BGM is outstanding and leaves you with a sense of high. To give a perspective, do listen to the BGM while introducing the character of Chandru who plays a lawyer – truly goosebumps worthy. The cinematography is top notch here. Director TJ Gnanavel has done a terrific job handling a delicate subject. The balance of a commercial entertainer and a hard hitting drama is maintained so well that you can’t distinguish one from the other and that means the execution was pitch perfect. A huge green tick in the report card for direction.
Performances
The performances are top notch. Rajisha Vijayan as Maithra is wonderfully restrained in a limited role which is equally important. Manikandan as Rasakannu is just exceptional, your heart really goes out to him. Guru Somasundaram as Inspector Guru will make your blood boil thereby making you angry. And that means it was a job well done. Prakash Raj as IG Perumalsami is very earnest and someone who exudes of a positive vibe. Lijo Mol Jose as Sengani is absolutely brilliant and the amount of emotions and pain that she brings to her character that will literally sink your heart with sorrow. And our main protagonist Suriya as Chandru never tries to go overboard which was refreshing to watch. He displays some tremendous acting chops, never letting things drift and holding on to the proceedings so well. He is brilliant in a towering acting masterclass.
Conclusion
Jai Bhim is a rousing and hard hitting take on a delicate issue. Available on Amazon Prime and Highly Recommended.