Currently watching: Jigra (2024)
"Is solace anywhere more comforting than that in the arms of a sister?” – Alice Walker
While on a business trip to Hanshi Dao, Ankur, an engineer is wrongfully arrested and sentenced to death. Furthermore, he is trapped in an unfair city where citizens have been indoctrinated to follow a rather dystopian ‘Animal Farm-esque’ lifestyle and thought process sans questioning, and wherein the rules and laws are only applicable to some but not to all. While the orphan is pretty much left for dead by his far more privileged adoptive family, he is not entirely alone either as his protective elder sister Satya (who has herself been reduced to the status of a mere member of the staff by the family) rises to the occasion. In her quest to rescue Ankur whom she considers as her ‘Jigar ka tukda’ (transl: apple of her eye), the determined young lady must take on a prison warden from hell, as well as guards who abuse their powers and twist rules set in stone at their will, even weaponizing emotional connections between the inmates who are at their mercy. The usually meek and obedient Satya might just have to throw away the rule book herself, ultimately finding a new family in the form of like-minded citizens who have seen similar fates for their loved ones languishing in the same prison and who won't hesitate to bring down the unjust, skewed system either.
The core premise of ‘Jigra’, i.e. rescuing a loved one trapped in a foreign country, is definitely not something novel. After all, as viewers we’ve already watched it unfold countless times before onscreen in any action movie that features a macho man at the helm such as the Vidyut Jammwal starrer ‘Khuda Haafiz’ (2020) or more recently in ‘Gadar 2’ with the return of the OG macho man with an iron fist, Sunny Deol. What sets ‘Jigra’ apart from the aforementioned prison break/rescue mission movies however is its limited use of mass elements, instead favoring a handful of clever diversions and red herrings. Moreover, unlike the predominantly male leads from the aforementioned movies who can unrealistically uproot handpumps to battle entire armies single-handedly without a scratch, the female lead in ‘Jigra’, Satya is not a superhuman and a much more flesh and blood heroine (although if you do crave a quirky story about superhumans, I highly recommend checking out ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’ by the same director Vasan Bala). In fact, ‘Jigra’ only requires a momentary suspension of disbelief from viewers as a result of a singular larger-than-life stunt sequence in the final act.
As its title suggests, the movie also boasts of a whole lot of 'Jigra' (transl: courage) in tackling the issue of privileged individuals escaping scot-free and officials such as a crooked lawyer indulging in damage control and scapegoating. I particularly liked the use of the prison and the fictitious city of Hanshi Dao as a character in itself, since lawlessness is prevalent among the lawupholders despite the squeaky-clean facade behind which lies a stinking layer of immoral behaviour from the guards as well as gross prejudice towards immigrants who are ‘made examples out of’, ironically by a warden of Indian origins who has all but lost his identity after adapting to the dirty politics of a foreign land.
Stylistically, tonally and even thematically, the movie resembles a cross between ‘Snowpiercer’ (2013), ‘Kahaani’ (2012) and ‘Mahaan’ (2022) with its subtle discourse on themes such as conformity via the character of Muthu, an ex-cop who's not only a prisoner of his mind but also of the ruthless and quite literally unforgiving system/rule book that is conveniently discarded and disregarded on home soil whenever the lawmakers see fit. It also explores the theme of death, with the orphaned Satya having already witnessed one loss back home at a young age and now with her only brother’s life on the line she refuses to watch yet another die, thus staying hungry for justice… Even if this calls for playing with death or going to the brink of death herself.
It also benefits from terrific performances from its cast- Led by Alia Bhatt striking a delicate balance between spunky, stoic and tender as Satya who is anything but lily-livered - A strong-willed heroine who shares similar traits to her character Sehmat from the 2018 spy thriller ‘Raazi’. She is aided by the promising one-movie old Vedang Raina who turns in an impressive act as the wronged younger sibling and shares a natural chemistry with his co-star, resulting in an emotional connection between the duo that doesn’t feel forced either. The supporting cast such as Rahul Ravindran and Manoj Pahwa, the latter playing an ex-mafia boss with a heart of gold who brings his tricks of the trade out of retirement and passes them on in the quest for justice, both deserve a special mention. One can expect brief guest appearances from Vasan Bala regulars too.
The sleek transitions and a memorable background score, both of which are staples of Bala’s works further elevate ‘Jigra’. With regards to the musical capabilities of composer Achint and lyricist Varun Grover, a catchy track with gibberish lyrics blaring in the background as Ankur immerses himself into the nightlife of Hanshi Dao is particularly an earworm, while later a very effective use of a slowed-down rendition/recreation of the classic lullaby ‘Phoolon Ka Taron Ka’ during the intense yet hopeful and moving final act also stands out. Since it is after all a Vasan Bala venture, a heavy helping of heart is guaranteed, with some scenes designed to make one uncomfortable and others leave viewers moist-eyed or as helpless as its protagonist(s). The final act could have been a tad more polished, but this is a minor inconvenience in a movie with an otherwise formidable build-up and I can overlook the same in favour of the wave of satisfaction when this rescue mission and quest for justice ultimately wraps up.
Overall, ‘Jigra’ turns out to be a grounded and brass-balled prison heist that’s thrilling indeed…although it might not be your cup of tea if you’d much rather prefer Tiger Shroff somersaulting through the air like a human fidget spinner.
*Playing in theatres now. It will also be available on Netflix once the theatrical run ends.
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