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Jaat Review: Sunny Deol gets a deserving larger-than-life presentation in a clichéd and outdated good vs evil tale
Jaat directed by Gopichand Malineni and starring Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, Vineet Singh and others, plays in theatres now. Read our review before you plan to watch the actioner.
Name: Jaat
Director: Gopichand Malineni
Cast: Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, Vineet Singh
Writer: Gopichand Malineni, Saurabh Gupta
Rating: 2.5/5
Plot
Ranatunga (Randeep Hooda) is an illegal Sri Lankan immigrant turned smuggler, based in the coastal village of Motupalli in Andhra Pradesh. Ranatunga was once a poor labourer who stumbled upon precious gold biscuits. He deceived the Sri Lankan army and fled to India. He built a criminal empire that preys on the helpless locals of Motupalli. When the Indian president learns about the atrocities of the villagers, a CBI officer Sathyamurthy (Jagapathi Babu) is asked to look into the investigation..
Meanwhile, a mysterious 'Jaat' (Sunny Deol), steps off a train somewhere in the south of India, for a quick meal during an unexpected delay. A chance encounter with Ranatunga’s thugs at a dhaba sparks a chain of events, drawing Jaat into the village’s struggle. What began as a simple request to the thugs by the Jaat for an apology due to the inconvenience caused to him by them, becomes a trigger for all the action that follows.
Can Jaat avenge the people of Motupalli and can he bust Ranatunga's nexus? Watch Jaat to find that out.
What Works for Jaat
Jaat thrives on Sunny Deol’s larger-than-life persona. He is presented by Gopichand Malineni in a proper South-Indian style, with some unreal elevations. The background score by Thaman may seem loud but it totally is in sync with the pitch of the action in Jaat. Fans of Sunny Deol will certainly go gaga over their favourite actor's massy positioning. Twist to the iconic dialogue of Sunny Deol's film Damini - 'Dhai kilo ka haath..', while cheesy, lands perfectly.
Fun sequences like the one involving Sunny Deol's character tossing the cigarette, bashing the goons and then catching the joint back again, or the one where his character uproots a ceiling fan to take on the notorious gangsters, are full seeti-maar. Randeep Hooda’s chilling portrayal of Ranatunga is another positive. When the villain is strong, the stakes automatically become higher and the eventual victory of the hero feels rewarding. Lastly, Vineet Singh as Somulu enjoys a commanding screen presence as well.
What Doesn’t Work for Jaat
Despite its energy, Jaat stumbles with a wafer-thin, outdated plot that leans heavily on overused clichés. Corrupt officials, a one-man army savior, and a villain who is merciless and evil are all such overused tropes in action-dramas, it's appalling. The narrative lacks freshness. Scenes from old Telugu mass movies are ripped off without adding depth or surprise.
The second half drags with repetitive action, preachy scenes and expected emotional scenes that highlight the villagers’ suffering. Subplots involving uranium smuggling and political nexus are introduced but underdeveloped, leaving the story muddled and predictable. Lastly, there are numerous instances where the makers seem totally tone-deaf when addressing certain issues and that drags the movie significantly down.
Watch the Jaat Trailer
Performances in Jaat
Sunny Deol delivers what his fans expect, that is raw charisma and brute force. Randeep Hooda steals scenes as Ranatunga, exuding menace in every shot. Supporting actors like Regina Cassandra, Vineet Kumar Singh, Jagatpathi Babu, and Saiyami Kher are underutilized. Other supporting cast consists of actors that deliver very loud and over-the-top performances.
Final Verdict of Jaat
Jaat is a loud but nostalgic throwback which is tailor-made for Sunny Deol fans. It offers a satisfying dose of heroism and action. Its reliance on a stale good-vs-evil template makes Jaat nothing more than a generic commercial movie that lacks substance.
You can watch Jaat in theatres now.
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