Jersey

A wicket worth of life

Gautam Tinnanuri is back with a new outing after Malli Rava. In terms of story, this is a step down as it is downright predictable. However, the talent of the director lies in the fact that he narrates the very predictable story engaging. The growth of confidence in the director is evident in the making. The movie ticks all the predictable tropes right from the start and goes about at its pace in a nonchalant manner. The entertainment is built into the narrative that flows smoothly. The drama is also part of it, and they flow seamlessly. In the first half, the core emotional setup is well established despite all the predictability. The second half is where the predictability turns out to be a problem as the narrative gets into the sports mode. The one-way progress of the ‘star’ at the Centre gets boring pretty soon. The underdog element ceases to exist after a point. It is the biggest issue with the movie. Luckily, the all-important pre-climax scene involving the son works out wonderfully. The father-son dialogue creates the much-needed connection to the character of Arjun that in turn brings back the underdog element in place.

The climax is neatly done but is sure to evoke a mixed reaction. There will be a segment which will take the twist in stride, but another section would find it shoehorned to create an artificial empathy. One gets a feeling that they have been cheated throughout the narrative that has passed with the final revelation.

Nani.