The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Of ‘sarkari’ lacunae, contacts

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Monday, Feb 16, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Of ‘sarkari’ lacunae, contacts

Lacking punch: Zing is missing.

Film: Jugaad

Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Naamdev Joshi, Vijay Raaz, Sanjay Mishra, Hrishitta Bhatt

Direction: R. Aanad Kumar

Its story has newness. It has skilled actors like Manoj Bajpai, Naamdev Joshi, Vijay Raaz, Sanjay Mishra and Mushtaq Khan. It raises an important issue of sealing. It exposes lacunas in the government’s official machinery. Its cinematography impresses and its music is soothing – and yet the film fails to bring the desired effect. It lacks that ‘punch’ or ‘zing’. ‘Jugaad’ is like a good food minus any salt.

Based on the true story of sealing in Delhi, the film, directed by a young R. Aanad Kumar, brings forth the physical, emotional and financial trauma the small and big entrepreneurs had to go through when the sealing took place in Delhi without any notice or when companies were sealed as a case of mistaken identity.

Sandip Kapur (Manoj Bajpai) is the owner of a successful advertising company who has just finalised some lucrative deals. But his world shatters when he hears that his company is being sealed for being located in an authorised area. He and his partner Murli (Vijay Raaz) get trapped by Bakshi Jugaadu (Sanjay Mishra) – a local property dealer who fleeces them with a hefty amount in lieu of a make shift arrangement without electricity and water. He teaches them that ‘juggad’ (links) in the government offices helps. Taking a leaf out of his life, Murli makes his own arrangement to influence the commissioner and fails. Ditched by employees in his bad times and failure at ‘jugaad’ Sandip is guided by his wife (Hrishitta Bhatt) to restart from scratch and pull best of hands from other bigger companies to meet his goals.

It kicks off with some good fun especially through Murli’s character of a flirtatious but able employee, Nitin Arora who is constantly stuck to his Bluetooth and Bakshi with his ridiculous ‘jugaad’ skills. But the film loses its track towards the end. It attempts to be preachy and takes dramatic license – of taking a flimsy turn. One wonders if Bajpai is granted any role in the first half as Raaz, Arora and Mishra take the centre stage.

The film nonetheless should be lauded for being able to raise a genuine issue and giving the film industry an effortless actor and comedian – Nitin Arora.

RANA SIDDIQUI ZAMAN

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