'Jugnuma' Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee-Deepak Dobriyal’s terrific performances stood out in this beautifully restrained way of storytelling

Language: Hindi

Director: Raam Reddy

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, Tillotama Shome, Hiral Sidhu, Awan Pookot

Jugnuma shows that quality of a film lies in good storytelling. The movie talks a lot about the politics of caste. Story is the real hero, not the star and another most important thing is proper execution. Jugnuma is a film of unobtrusive commentary and that is the beauty of the entire storytelling.

Manoj Bajpayee has proved yet again that he is indeed one of the finest actors of our country. The best thing about him is the way he chooses his role that fits him perfectly. This man is truly not in a rush, and his performance shows that all he is interested in is his craft, and nobody, absolutely nobody, can match up to it. The best thing about Jugnuma is that there is no dramatic turning point, yet the undercurrent tension makes the narrative intense.

Jugnuma starts with Dev ( Manoj Bajpayee) brushing his teeth in the morning. He is the orchard owner. From the very beginning, you realise the class difference when he speaks to his staff in Hindi and his family members in English. He has an outhouse, where he keeps his wings. Every now and then he is seen strapping his wings and flying in the open sky. For him, it is as easy as taking a stroll in the woods. He is not oppressive towards his people, but there is a kind of silent hierarchy and classism in his mannerism which is not on the face, but in a rather subtle manner in the way he interacts with his people.

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The movie is a slow burn and is not even rushing for conclusion and it is an open-ended story, which one needs to explain the ending for themselves. Poignantly shot by Sunil Borkar, the film is suggestive in many ways. Slowly, the film seeps into you with its dream-like mountain life which you yearn to live. It makes you believe there is so much fun in just lying down and star gazing. Jugnuma shows the beauty of unhurried life.

Set in 1989, where people take pleasure in strolls, reading books, painting and enjoying the tea; this film tells us to slow down not in a preachy way, but in a rather restrained way. The movie in its silent way talks about climate change and why it is important to not cut down trees and preserve the jungle. And why using pesticides is harmful for the environment.

All the characters have layers and are pretty complex. The filmmaker, Raam Reddynot being judgmental, allows the viewers to decide whether Dev (Manoj Bajpayee) is really a good man or not or is he just sweet on the face. Raam Reddy in his restrained way makes it somewhat clear that Dev is no doubt an intruder and has been owning the land that truly belongs to the tribal, who are the actual owners of the property.

The best thing about folklore is that it provides universally relatable themes of morality that is visually stunning and offers a way for filmmakers to connect with today’s contemporary audiences who are relatively knowledgeable about cinema by adapting ancient narratives for modern contexts.

The ending of the film remains open for people to understand what it actually means. For me it shows how Dev realizes his mistake and leaves the entire property to his caretaker and he and his family leaves the jungle forever. The commentary of the entire film by Deepak Dobriyal who plays the role of Dev’s manager is extremely convincing. The movie makes you understand that what truly belongs to you, comes back to you and nature has a way of saying that in the most harshest possible way. Jugnuma makes us believe that is time to celebrate independent cinema.

Rating: 3 and half out of 5

WATCH the trailer here: