Jagga Jasoos

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Is the story of a orphan – Jagga (Ranbir Kapoor). Living in a hospital. On one of his village forays he sees a man jumping from the train and finds him lying in the fields, injured.

He brings him to the hospital and tends him. The man introduces himself as ‘Tutti Futti’ the man with a tutti tang (broken leg) and a futti kismet (misfortune). He realizes the young Jagga never talks as he stammers and hence is very embarrassed to talk. Tutti Futti explains to him how singing is easier than talking and our Jagga takes on to singing and ‘Jagga Jasoos – the musical’ is born.

Tutti Futti takes Jagga along with him and raises him like a son. Jagga is a very smart and skillful child. Tutti Futti teaches him life hacks and he gets smarter and smarter. But one day a mysterious man comes to meet Tutti Futti and he is rattled. Tutti Futti gets Jagga  admitted to a boarding school and Tutti Futti disappears. The only way he remains in contact with Jagga, is by sending him a VHS cassette every year on his birthday, wishing him and teaching him something new. Jagga grows up into a nice young boy. Very smart and very observant. He first time displays his investigative inclinations when he proves that a suicide by one of the teachers was actually a murder. He solves one more case and becomes a hero. But one year on his birthday, he does not receive the VHS cassette. And a few days later he sees an obituary in a paper declaring his father’s death.

He, then with a journalist friend Shruti (Katrina Kaif), sets on the journey to resolve the mystery around his father and finding him. He ends up unraveling corrupt officers, murders and an international ammunition racket.

It needs a lot of talent, imagination, vision and courage to make a movie like this. Even normal conversations with the protagonist happens through singing. The movie is shot superbly. Very colorful and shot on location. Large canvas and very high production values. The movie actually pans out like poetry. The screenplay is lyrical. The story plays so well on the screen, it feels like a chocolate slowly melting in your mouth. Kudos to Anurag Basu for believing in himself and making something with so much passion. The conviction and the dedication of the makers is evident. No half hearted efforts nor any pressures to please anyone. And it brings amazing results. The cinematography is top class.

Performance wise Ranbir just keeps setting the bar higher and higher. He actually has only 3 or 4 stammered dialogues in the movie. He is singing and emoting only though his acting and his eyes. He is brilliant. Can’t think of anyone else playing Jagga. Indeed it takes a lot of courage and confidence to take off-beat roles every time and come out with flying colours.

Katrina has given the best performance of her career. She, though has little to do but does well. Tutti Futti played by Saswata Chaterjee (we know him better as Bob Vishwas from  the movie Kahani) is very endearing. Saurabh Shukla is fine too.

On the flip side in the second half, the free flow of the movie is stalled due to the agenda and pressure of the story. The music is good and looks fine on screen and compliments the story well. But as a stand alone album, not so great.  Pritam has given us gems like Life in a Metro and Barfi along with Anurag Basu, but not in the same league here.

No wonder it took Anurag Basu so long to complete the movie…

Do watch it and take your kids along. Welcome to new age cinema in Bollywood…!!!