Suresh Triveni’s Jalsa, streaming now on Amazon Prime, is saved by its actors. It is otherwise a loose plot, where the motivation behind the actions of the characters is quite indigestible. Despite the unfinished subplots, the director’s vision shines bright on the screen, as Triveni, who anyway had some great actors to work with, brought out their best. Props to the casting director Anmol Ahuja as well.
A hit-and-run takes place on a road in Mumbai at 3 a.m. Interestingly, not just the driver in the accident, but two unassuming characters also scurry to cover it up.
The driver, Vidya Balan as Maya Menon, is quite shabby when it comes to the cover-up. It’s like she wants to get caught from the very beginning. Because of this, her character graph falls flat. The other character who is trying to cover it up has an unconvincing excuse for the same.
A pesky trainee reporter (Vidhatri Bandi) chances upon the story. New to Mumbai, she has strong sources in the police. Realistically, the movie could’ve used an experienced reporter chasing the story, taking a lackluster trainee seriously was a bit difficult.
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Characters and conflict in Jalsa
The most appreciable thing about the movie is the diversity of characters. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and persons with disability are key characters in the movie. Generally, the cast of Indian movies is quite homogenous, so this was a welcome change.
All said and done though, Jalsa is indeed a nail-biter as it approaches its climax. By the end of the film, you’ll find yourself sitting at the corner of your seat with goosebumps.
The rest of the film, however, is a slow watch and the progression of the story is quite scattered, which can often irk and test the patience of a viewer. It’s evident from watching the film that Prajwal Chandrashekhar struggled to find a resolution for the conflict he had set up.
While Chandrasekhar did end up finding the perfect resolution for the story, he failed at going back to the rest of the script and polishing it. After all, good writing is editing — and that’s where he unfortunately failed.
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Actors save the day
The film had the perfect cast. It couldn’t have gotten any better. Cameo actors also gave memorable performances. Vijay Nikam in his two-minute-long screen presence leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Shefali Shah, playing Balan’s cook, steals the show. In the role of Ruksana, Shah metamorphosed into the character so well that it was difficult to tell them apart. Just by slightly changing the look in the glances she shot at the camera, Shah effortlessly brought out a range of emotions — from disgust for her nosy relatives and pain for her child to affection for her employer’s son — all emoted with minimal dialogue through her piercing eyes.
Balan doesn’t fall short in the role of Maya Menon either. An ethical journalist who doesn’t flinch when it comes to asking questions to those in power, the banner for her nightly show reads: Face the truth. But will Balan practice what she preaches? This inner conflict is the core that the rest of the plot hinged upon, and Balan does a decent job of shouldering it.
In shots when Balan and Shah share the screen, the awkwardness an employee and employer share, even if they have come to share a close relationship, is delightful. It shows how deeply the two actors were able to wear their character’s skin.
Vidhatri Bandi as Rohini George is disappointing though. As an under-confident reporter who can be bought for peanuts, it was hard to place your bets on the meeky George or to root for her.
Jalsa is a one-time watch. This makes it entertaining at best and mediocre at worst. If you watch it, you won’t regret it. If you skip it, you won’t be missing out on anything either.
(Edited by Srinjoy Dey)