JAI BHIM (2021)
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| Critic No. 247 |
Written by: T.J Gnanvel
Produced by: 2D Entertainment
Casts: Suriya, Lijomol Jose, K.Mainkanden, Rajisha Vijayan, Prakash Raj, Guru Somasundram, Thamizh
Music: Sean Roldan
Language: Tamil
Genre: Drama, Thriller
SYNOPSIS:
Sengeni (Lijomol Jose), a pregnant woman from a primitive tribal community, searches desperately for her husband (K.Manikanden), who is missing from police custody. So as to find her husband and seek justice for them, as their voice, a High Court advocate, Chandru (Suriya) rises in support.
REVIEW:
From the first few scenes, you will sense that the film is going into the route of recent Tamil films about caste oppression and police brutality like, Visaranai (2015), Pariyerum Perumal (2018), Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban (2020) and Karnan (2021). However, Jai Bhim throws us a few surprises and takes us closer to the oppressed community through an intense, investigative thriller that layers its mystery quite effectively.
The plot revolves around Rajakannu (Manikandan) and Sengani (Lijomol Jose), a couple who live at Konamalai near Viluppuram. They belong to the Irular tribe, and despite their poverty, they are content with their life. Sengani is expecting her second child as well.
But their happiness gets interrupted when the police come in search of Rajakannu over a robbery, just because he happened to be the one who had visited the house where the robbery happened that day to catch a snake. As Rajakannu has left to work in another village, the police picks up the pregnant Sengani and a few other men from the tribe, including Rajakannu's brother Irutappan. Soon they track down Rajakannu when he returns and the police brutality kicks in when they start beating the men day and night. The next day, Sengani hears that the three men have escaped and their whereabouts unknown. With a mystery lurking over the escape, Sengani reaches out to Chandru (Suriya), a righteous lawyer who fights for the downtrodden.
The film is layered and told in an intense manner, be it the strong set up of Rajakannu’s sweet world or the thrilling midpoint with a strong mysterious build up that comes after it. It is really surprising that the film is directed by the guy who made the mediocre drama, Kootathil Oruvan. In Jai Bhim, TJ Gnanvel bases his story on the real life case dealt by Justice K Chandru, from his days as a lawyer. Suriya plays this role with the right amount of intensity and earnestness. This will definitely be a milestone film from him, both as an actor and producer.
Manikanden and Lijomol are terrific as the lead pair and without much dramatisation, the director brings out this painful love that forms as the base in this investigative thriller. Thamizh is great as the unlikeable, monstrous police officer and Prakash Raj does a refreshing supporting role. Sean Roldan’s soothing, earthy music acts as another whole character in the film, elevating the emotional beats effectively.
The film also digs deep in telling the problems that the oppressed community faces and the characters are very etched that will stick to our heart even after the film ends. There is a particular scene where a dominant caste group member says, “Unga kudusai-ya kollutha evalavu neram aagum (how long do you think it’ll take for us to set your house on fire).” Jai Bhim has tons of bold dialogues like this and the politics is not played down at any point; it is direct and takes an incisive look.
The only minor problem I had with this film is the length and pacing in the first half. I felt that the scenes of torture could have been reduced to cut off repeated scenes since the film’s focus was on the mystery. That said, this is a bold film that strips down the individual components of caste, law enforcement and justice system and questions each of them on the witness stand.
VERDICT:
Jai Bhim is a powerful, thought-provoking investigative thriller that strongly voices out the police brutality and the oppression against the tribal community in a seemingly caste driven country.
CELLULOID METER- 4/5:
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