JUNGA (2018)

Critic - No.159

Director: Gokul
Casts: Vijay Sethupathi, Sayyeshaa, Yogi, Suresh Chandra Menon, Madonna Sebastian, Saranya Ponvanan
Language: Tamil
Genre: Action / Comedy

SYNOPSIS:
A simple man Junga (Vijay Sethupathi) turns into a quirky, miserly don to save his legacy and his ancestral property, a movie hall.

REVIEW:
Junga is one of the most anticipated film this year due to Gokul-Vijay Sethupathi’s previous combo Idharkuthaane Aasai Pattai Balakumara (2013)’s massive success and the shift it briught to comedy writing in Tamil cinema. So does Junga keep up to its expectations?

From the very scene where the police plans an encounter for a dreaded don, Junga, director Gokul establishes a black comedy that rides on a spoof tone. He uses yesteryear blockbuster scene references and pays a tribute to don films in the start. Vijay Sethupathi is introduced in a Baasha style conductor and we are taken into his brief love story with Madonna that doesn’t pay off at all. 

However, Gokul uses the first half to establish Junga’s character, motives and re-emphasize the spoof nature. The narration is packed with songs that come in a template structure. Junga’s romance, intro, rise and vengeance are all told through quirky songs.

The flashback and the way Saranya conveys it is a scream. As the film goes on, there are too many sub plots that stretches the journey of Junga. There are too many unnecessary deviations that makes the length felt. However, the chemistry and the witty scenes of Junga and Yogi Babu are very engagingly written.

Junga travels to Paris in economy class through eight connecting flights to be cost effective and while on a kidnap mission, he swims through sub-zero water to save some bucks. Even though on paper, it might look farfetched, due to Gokul’s goofy style, these scenes do evoke laughter. He also touches on a few don clichés explored in Tamil cinema like, the father-revenge flashbacks, hero glorifications, punch dialogues, rich antagonist, etc. He then pay tributes to them by weaving them convincingly into his narration.

Even though Vijay’s style is delivery repetitive, he manages to captivate us with his screen presence. He looks and breathes as the comical don that Gokul tries to sell. Yogi Babu and Saranya are in full form but it is the Vijaya paati (Junga’s grandmother) who steals the show with her excellent comic timing. Her changes of tone during the climax scenes bring down the roof. Gokul has shaped up the film where each supporting actors get their moments to shine and elevate the film.

That said, what dilutes the experience is the clichéd route the film takes in the second half with car chases, conveniently staged obstacles and the forced romance track. The climax is interesting but the film ends up in a bizarre and abrupt manner. Sayyesha excels in dance and that is the only thing she does. Her character is underwritten and the love track just doesn't stick to our hearts. Siddarth’s songs are functional and his BGM is passable. Dudley’s exotic cinematography adds on the richness the makers wanted to treat the film with.

Gokul rides on his strength of comedy that works in the film, but if only he would have reduced the cinematic liberties and kept the focus intact, Junga would have been has memorable as ‘Idarkuthaane Aasai Pattai Balakumara (2013)’



VERDICT: 
With a goofy treatment, Junga passes off as a decent laughathon that occasionally bumps into its excessive sub plots.

CELLULOID METER- 3/5: