Amid the rising influence of South Indian films across the country, the arrival of Jaat comes as a pleasant surprise. This might be the first such film where the filmmaker has incorporated the style of South Indian cinema flair with a North Indian superstar in the central role. Even the villain is a Bollywood star. The story is woven in such a way that pan India viewers can enjoy it. Gopichand Malineni, known for South Indian films like Bodyguard, Krack, Veera Simha Reddy, makes his Bollywood debut with Jaat. So, what is the story? How is the film?
The story unfolds from around 15–16 years ago in Sri Lanka. The commander of an organisation called JTF, similar to LTTE, named Muththuvell escapes from the clutches of the Sri Lankan army and enters India. He bribes officials and obtains Indian citizenship donning the name Rantunga (Randeep Hooda). Settling in a coastal area of Andhra Pradesh, Rantunga soon establishes a vast empire of terror. From police to ministers, everyone is under his control. To stop him, a brave lady inspector Vijaya Lakshmi (Saiyami Kher), along with her female colleagues, raids Rantunga’s house. His wife Bharati (Regina Cassandra) and his goons capture all the policewomen and subject them to brutal abuse.
Meanwhile, a special train from South India heads towards Ayodhya. A devout Ram follower Jaat (Sunny Deol) is on board. When the train breaks down, he steps out to have breakfast at a nearby dhaba. While he is savouring idli, a gang of local goons arrives. Their careless leader’s careless knock results in the fall of Jaat’s plate. Jaat demands, “Sorry bol”, to the goon, he gives it a damn. So, he and his aides get beaten up. The goon warns, “If my brother Rama Reddy (Ajay Ghosh) will know you hit me, You are done!” Jaat calmly replies, “Oh! So it is your brother who’d say sorry?”
And so begins Jaat’s journey, from Rama Reddy to the next menacing man, ultimately reaching Rantunga. Everyone who comes in his way is brutally thrashed, proving his strength and resolve. What’s the reason behind Rantunga’s immense power, akin to that of Ravana? Why has he made forty villages in his area suffer and displaced them from their homes? Why is he committing these ruthless killings? And who exactly is this Jaat?
Jaat answers these and more such questions. Packed with relentless action and punchlines, tailor-made for Sunny Deol’s screen persona, the film runs at full pace until the interval. The entire story unfolds in a single day. Through flashbacks, viewers are introduced to references. The pace slows a bit right after the interval, but soon a police station scene follows, and the speed picks up again, sustained until the climax.
Without engaging the brain too much, those watching purely for entertainment will find Jaat highly enjoyable, just like many South Indian action flicks. The film’s framing, style, and screenplay are Pushpa-fied to a great extent. The item song featuring Urvashi Rautela, Sorry Bol, also gives Pushpa vibes. The sequencing of scenes is such that just when the viewer starts thinking or analysing, something new unfolds, keeping them hooked.
Technically, the film resonates with an authentic South Indian flick. The cinematography (Rishi Punjabi) and editing (Naveen Nooli (of Pushpa 2 fame) match the tone of the film perfectly. The dialogues (Sai Madhav Burra and Saurabh Gupta) are whistle-worthy and ensure high energy at places. Whether it is Sunny Deol’s line, “Iss dhai kilo ke haath ki taaqat poore North ne dekhi hai, ab South ki baari hai!”, and through other lines, action lovers and Deol fans are served perfect ‘Chhappan Bhog’.The action choreography by Anal Arasu suits Sunny perfectly. In today’s trend of glorifying violence in films, Jaat also goes all out. Trying to count the number of heads that get chopped off would make you lose track!
Alongside Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda delivers a stellar performance. His role as Rantunga is among the best in his career. Regina as his wife Bharati is impressive too. Jagapathi Babu plays CBI officer Murthy, Vineet Kumar Singh as Somulu, Ajay Ghosh as Rama Reddy (Pushpa 2 and Music Shop Murthy), Saiyami Kher, Swaroopa Ghosh as Rantunga’s mother, are apt for their respective roles. Supporting cast includes Ramya Krishnan, Makrand Deshpande, Zarina Wahab, with special appearances by Murali Sharma and Upendra Limaye.
The music (lyrics by Kumaar, Adviteeya Vojjala, Sruthi Ranjani, Kundan Pandey, and Amrit Maan; music by Thaman S.) is passable. The opening devotional track dedicated to Lord Ram, Oh Rama Shri Rama, is decent. The item number, and other songs were not required.
Producers are Naveen Yerneni, Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar, T.G. Vishwa Prasad, and Umesh Kumar Bansal. Made under the banners Mythri Movie Makers and People Film Factory, Jaat’s real strength lies in its trending style’s storytelling, dynamic performances by Sunny and Randeep, and a perfect blend of South-North cinematic flavours and pace. In short, the 153-minute-long Jaat leaves audiences satisfied and entertained.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Jaat
Cast: Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, Saiyami Kher, Regina Cassandra, Jagapathi Babu, Ajay Ghosh, Vineet Kumar Singh, Swaroopa Ghosh, Ramya Krishnan, Makrand Deshpande, Zarina Wahab, Murali Sharma, Upendra Limaye
Banners: Mythri Movie Makers and People Film Factory
Producers: Naveen Yerneni, Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar, T. G. Vishwa Prasad and Umesh Kumar Bansal
Story, Direction: Gopichand Malineni
Screenplay: Gopichand Malineni, Srinivas Gavireddy, Kundan Pandey
Dialogues: Sai Madhav Burra and Saurabh Gupta.,
Lyrics: Kumaar, Adviteeya Vojjala, Sruthi Ranjani,Kundan Pandey, Amrit Maan
Music: Thaman S.
Action: Anal Arasu
Cinematography: Rishi Punjabi
Editing: Naveen Nooli
