Jayeshbhai Jordaar

Divyang Thakkar's direction is supreme. It’s difficult to believe that this is his debut directorial venture. The execution is neat and impactful. What’s also impressive is the unique nuances incorporated in the film. Scenes like the ink getting mixed in the aata, Siddhi opening the window while Mudra is driving, the truck driver offering the blanket to Mudra, etc or even the way the humble soap has been used to drive the plot shows that Divyang has a very creative mind. On the flipside, the humour quotient dips in the second half. The ‘pappi’ concept is well-intentioned but looks forced. The conservative audience, especially, might not fully accept it. Lastly, thanks to the Gujarat setting, the film’s collections might be limited to certain key territories.

Ranveer is a class apart. The more we see him over the years, the more we realise how exponentially he's grown. Juxtaposed with his pulpy soft man-ness, is Boman Irani's toxic masculinity, which the actor brings to life effortlessly. You hate him and that is his achievement. Ratna Pathak Shah as Jayesh's mother is perfectly strong yet helpless at the same time. Yet the cutest takeaway is Puneeth Isaar, the heavy built textbook man who swears off violence, bends his towering figure to say 'soorry' in an accent, and ends his sentences with 'pleej'. Will Jayeshbhai Jordaar pull off a KGF or at the very least a Kashmir Files in terms of box office collection? No chance. But these are films that will touch the heart. This feel-good feeling we're walking out of the theatre with is currency enough.