As an actor, Vidya Balan has always been impressive. She has been a powerhouse in Bollywood, performing a host of (mostly unconventional) roles. So it is bothersome that her latest film has not been promoted enough to be easily accessible to her fans. I still cannot get over how “Jalsa,” an Amazon Prime movie, did not make it into my virtual ecosystem till a week after its release.
Anyways, Jalsa is a Hindi-language thriller with Balan in the lead as Maya Menon—a strong-headed, hard-hitting journalist known for her honesty and integrity. She hosts a TV show called “Face The Truth,” where she, as an evangelist of truth, mercilessly grills uncouth politicians and public servants.
Maya is also a hands-on single mother to Ayush, who has cerebral palsy.
At home, Maya has Rukshana (Shefali Shah) as a trusted maid and caretaker for Ayush. Rukshana has an excellent relationship with Ayush, who is around the same age as her own son. She is caring and protective while also maintaining a cordial relationship with Maya and her mother, Rukmini (Rohini Hattangadi), who lives with them.
All is going well for Maya both at home and work when one day a late-night drive back from the office causes a drowsy Maya to hit someone with her speeding car. Maya runs from the crime scene that night, only to find that the incident will follow her, carrying the potential to destroy both her personal and professional life. How the bastion of truth then deals with a secret that haunts her and those close to her is what Jalsa is about.
On the outside, Jalsa might be a thriller, but the film is mostly about the struggles of two mothers—one educated, wealthy and powerful; the other uneducated, poor and powerless. The only similarity between them is the passion with which they love and care for their young ones.
The two actors in their respective roles put up stunning performances. Balan has had a flourishing career in Bollywood so far and in Jalsa, she successfully reinforces her class. On the other hand, Shah’s performance makes you question why she has not been given more lead roles in the past. The actor just shows how worthy she is of a good script and a strong character.
Co-written and directed by Suresh Triveni, Jalsa has its glorious moments: those panic-inducing, tear-jerking scenes. Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography captures the very essence of the panic, havoc and dilemma the film requires. One particular scene where Maya drives away from the accident scene with a slightly cracked windscreen stands out for its effective simplicity.
But in trying to add intensity and rouse the audience, the writers introduce a few subplots and a host of other half-baked characters while taking away screen time from the main story and characters. Certain characters appear promising, but then end up barely contributing to the storyline. This also elongates the film length as it crosses the two-hour mark with its deliberately slow place. Revising the script and cutting unwanted corners could have saved the film around half an hour of screen time, reducing production cost and also making it more interesting.
Still, Jalsa is a gritty thriller that invokes multiple feelings—mainly empathy. Embedded into its storyline are undertones of class divide, victim-blaming and systemic corruption. The central theme of truth and its many faces are well supported by these undertones and give the audience many things to reflect upon.
Who should watch it?
Jalsa tells you nothing new—it just repeats stories we have heard or read before with a more in-depth look at the characters behind them. But in doing so, it also forces us to question the very existence and of the ‘truth’ of everyday life. This makes it a compelling film that most of the audiences who prefer thriller dramas will enjoy.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Genre: Thriller/drama
Director: Suresh Triveni
Actors: Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah
Screen time: 2hrs 3mins
