In his latest movie “Jayeshbhai Jordaar,” actor Ranveer Singh plays the titular Jayesh Patel—a happy-go-lucky man who lives in a village called Pravingadh, Gujarat, with his pregnant wife Mudra (Shalini Pandey) and daughter Siddhi (Jia Vaidhya). His family has been in power in the village for generations. 

When his father Prutvish (Boman Irani) faces a tough competition in the village sarpanch election, he puts Mudra as a front—and she wins. But she neither gets to exercise her power nor to attend any of the public hearings. For all intents and purposes, her father-in-law is still the village head. 

This is just the beginning of the film, giving you a glimpse of what is to come. Pravingadh is a village riddled with superstition and patriarchy. Jayesh’s family is no exception. In fact, his father is a strong proponent of patriarchy; he forbids women from using bathing soaps as, apparently, their fragrance draws unwanted male attention. Jayesh and his mother Jasodha (Ratna Shah Pathak) are bystanders and sometimes unwillingly complicit in Prutvish’s atrocities. Mudra has no say in the house. 

Jayesh’s parents are unhappy with their daughter-in-law as she has not been able to give him a son—an heir to continue the Patel family lineage. His eldest daughter is nine, and since his wife Mudra has had six abortions as all those fetuses tuned out to be female. 

This time, Jayesh’s parents are confident it is a male. But as Mudra gets into the last stage of pregnancy, Jayesh finds out that she has a daughter. Fearing for the life of both mother and the unborn daughter, Jayesh devises an escape from the village. His ordeal while running away with the pregnant Mudra and Siddhi, while his powerful father and his clan are in hot pursuit, makes up for the story of Jayeshbhai Jordaar.

But this is still a side story. Directed by Divyang Thakkar, Jayeshbhai Jordaar is an Indian comedy-drama film that has so many incidents that deserve to become stand-alone stories of their own. The film exposes a part of India (and South Asia by extension) that is still reeling under ancient cultures and malpractices. 

In their patriarchal world, Suyesh is a misfit: a feminist who believes in equal rights. He cannot straight up rebel against his father but he makes every attempt to protect his wife and daughter in secret. He locks his bedroom door and pretends to hit Mudra because his parents want him to but he does not actually lay a finger on her. He steals bathing soap from his mother’s safe because Mudra loves the smell. 

Actor Ranveer Singh, known for his trailblazing fashion and style, shuns all his ornamentation to play an ordinary Gujarati villager in the film. Jayeshbhai is Bollywood’s take on Indian social issues and Singh shows a commitment to the cause through his performance. This is something Akshay Kumar did in the past before he lost his mojo. I just think Ranveer Singh does it better and with more conviction. 

Actors Boman Irani and Ratna Pathak Shah naturally assume their positions like the class act they are. As the villain, Irani gets a stronger role and performs it with natural ease. A new but popular name in South Indian cinema, Shalini Pandey playing Mudra, a daughter-in-law in a strict Gujrati household, does not get many opportunities to shine but this does not stop her from showcasing her skills whenever she is on screen. 

The young Jia Vaidya as Jayesh’s daughter Siddhi is the show-stealer, though. Despite living in a world of voiceless women, Siddhi is smart, sassy and vocal. She is one who gives her father the name of ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaaar’. Vaidya’s portrayal of Siddhi is a treat to watch.  

Who should watch it?

Jayeshbhai Jordaar is a PG drama that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It is not only entertaining but also educational. Still, it is a Bollywood adaptation, so you can expect some over-the-top sequences and improbable situations. There are moments when you feel the filmmakers could have done better. But those are few and far between and definitely not a deal-breaker. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fppJtxJ7RWY 

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Comedy, drama

Actors: Ranveer Singh, Shailini Pandey, Boman Irani

Director: Divyang Thakkar

Run time: 2hrs 1min