WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Corruption. Bribery. Extortion. In the course of time, these and similar concepts have found their way into governments and law enforcement agencies around the world, and become facets of the job that those in positions of power must either combat or wither under. In the Bankipur district of Bihar, these elements have ruled the streets and local politics. The lead inspector, B.N. Singh (Prakash Jha), has been in the pocket of a ruthless local MLA leader (Manav Kaul), his right hand goon (Murali Sharma), and his brother (Ninad Kamat), helping to harass the poor citizenry and aid in a bid for a large energy company to come in and buy up all the people’s land, leaving them even more destitute and dejected.
However, upon the arrival of a new, highly motivated, and idealistic Senior Inspector Abha Mathur (Priyanka Chopra), matters take a decidedly radical turn, as Mathur is set on ridding the district of its criminal element and ensuring the peace is kept in Bankipur. Attempting to establish a solid relationship with the head Minister (Kiran Karmarkar) to gain credibility, Mathur soon finds that the levels of corruption go much deeper than she ever expected. Having to also deal with growing unrest among the citizens of Bankipur, lead by a charismatic man (Rahul Bhat), Mathur soon finds herself fully embroiled in the violent events propagated by the MLA and his goons, even as her own sense of duty and justice is put to the test at every turn.
Next, my Mind:
It must first be said that this reviewer never saw the original film this is a sequel to, and therefore must address this film on its own merits and faults only. Writer/director Prakash Jha, who also co-stars in the film as B.N. Singh, most certainly goes no holds barred in this tale of wrongdoing, dishonesty, and criminality being taken on by one woman whose entire being screams for justice and eradication of the bad elements her police department and assigned community is rife with. Playing out as an extended character drama contained within harsh depictions of violence and subjugation of the majority by an unscrupulous but fear-instilling minority, the narrative’s predictability can at least be excused somewhat.
The heart and soul of the effort is truly carried on the shoulders of lead star Chopra, who takes her fighting skills and gun-toting prowess showcased on ABC’s “Quantico” and puts them on full display in even more ferocious form, wading into riot-fueled crowds and other precarious situations, taking on punishment while doling out plenty of her own as the utopian-minded Mathur. And honestly, she is convincing in the part, earnestly presenting the range of emotional and stress-filled moments her character endures throughout. Prakash is excellent as Singh, a man who viewers will hate, then suddenly find themselves rooting for as his nature is changed in encountering Mathur and then opening his eyes to the real evil in play around him, though redemption might come too late.
Additionally, solid turns by Kaul, Sharma, Kamat, and Karmarkar as the corrupt politicians and goons involved provide even more fodder for our “characters we love to hate” roster. Finally, Bhat gives us a “man of the people” in his community leader role, someone who has had enough of the villainy and misdeeds brought upon the district, but may pursue street justice instead of the law. The music score highlights the varying moods and tones of the story well here, too.
Overall, “Jai Gangaajal” is a well enough done effort that deserves a look, even if, as mentioned above, there is an inherent predictability in the outcome granted to the viewer. It is still a fresh take on a genre done countless times, and that is still a testament to Bollywood’s expertise at quality filmmaking.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
