Jai Bhim Review: 7 Reasons Why We Have Fallen in Love With Suriya's Film, Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

After Soorarai Pottru, another Suriya film released straight on Amazon Prime Video is winning over both fans and critics. Jai Bhim, directed by debutant TJ Gnanavel, had arrived on the platform on November 2 to really good reviews and positive word-of-mouth feedback from early viewers. The movie also stars Lijomol Jose, Rajisha Vijayan, Manikandan, Rao Ramesh, Guru Somasundaram and Prakash Raj. Jai Bhim, that is entrenched in the values of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, is based on a real-life legal case in the '90s and has Suriya play the famous Justice Chandru, though this was during the time when latter was an activist-lawyer. Jai Bhim Movie Review: Suriya Puts His Best Foot Forward in This Powerful and Increasingly Relevant Legal Drama.

Among the critics who loved Jai Bhim, add us to this increasing list, for we found this film to be one of the best of this year. A powerful and effective legal drama, Jai Bhim found resonance in us in the issues it tries to explore, in its making and in the fantastic performances. Here are seven reasons why we loved the movie.

Suriya - Less the Mass Hero, More The Mass Actor

A movie like Jai Bhim would not have gained so much traction in the populist stream if it was not for the presence of Suriya in the lead. And considering how important the film's themes are in these times, it is very much crucial that Jai Bhim has a far-reaching appeal. The best part about Suriya's presence in the movie is that while he leads the charge, th superstar doesn't over-dominate the message and the proceedings. There is no mass-heroism, no needless self-preening. or showmanship. Yes, he brings a larger-than-life appeal, but it is still very contained unlike compared to a Singham series. It is Suriya the actor who gets more traction here, it is his acting that felt more massy than his image, and that's works wonders for this movie.

Lijomol Jose (and an Effective Supporting Cast)

Apart from Suriya, the other actor who leaves the most impact is Lijomol Jose. Known among the Malayalam viewers for her performances in Maheshinte Prathikaram and Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan, Lijomol is fantabulous as Senggani, the courageous Irula woman who fights for the justice for her husband, even in the advanced stage of pregnancy. Even the rest of the supporting cast, be it Manikandan, Prakash Raj, Rao Ramesh or the actors who play the corrupt police officials - do their roles their well. But it is Jose who does stand out in the supporting cast. Jai Bhim Movie Review: Critics Laud Suriya’s Performance In This Hard-Hitting Courtroom Drama!

Effective Legal Drama and Investigative Thriller

Of course, the most appealing aspect of Jai Bhim is how TJ Gnanavel, who has also written the screenplay, has made the film engaging to the mainstream audience. The courtroom sequences have a very populist tone, without overdoing it, with plenty of twists and turns. The investigation into the missing victims also add to the suspense factor, though there is also a sense of tragedy and anguish in those scenes (more on this later). As I said in my review, there are traces of Mississippi Burning, Marshall and Just Mercy in Jai Bhim, and that's an elite club to be in.

Representation of SC-ST and the Ideals of Ambedkar

Jai Bhim, if the name wasn't a hint enough, is a tribute to the late Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's socialist ideals, of his still work-in-progress dream of a society that deems everyone equal, even though reality is very far from the truth. Commercial films are often accused of not highlighting the injustices faced by the minor communities. By putting the focus on the tribal Irula community, Jai Bhim shakes up the viewer into opening their eyes and realise that the world is not equal for all. From the tribe members find it impossible to get an ST certificate that they deserve to not being included in the voter list to being easy scapegoats for the police's flawed investigation process, Jai Bhim is stark in representing the injustices faced by the ST community, that may never reach to us through mainstream media. OTT Releases of the Week: Suriya’s Jai Bhim on Amazon Prime Video, Sanya Malhotra’s Meenakshi Sundareshwar on Netflix, Tom Hanks’ Finch on Apple TV+ and More.

No Needless Fight Scenes Or Romance

I was little disappointed with Rajisha Vijayan not getting much scope in the film, where she plays a conscientious activist named Manthra. That's more because I am a fan of her acting, rather than what the movie does to her character. In any other film, the makers would have tried to set up a romantic track with Chandra, Suriya's character. Jai Bhim, thankfully, avoids any such needless distractions. In fact the only love scenes are between Lijomol and Manikandan's characters, because they play a married couple, and it is the love for her husband that puts her on the desperate path to seek justice, thereby adding a lot of tragedy and poignance in those scenes. There are also no needless action or stunt scenes, which is another big relief for a movie having an A-list star in the lead.

But Includes Effective Mass Moments

Even though Jai Bhim avoids typical masala tropes, there is nothing lacking in the mass moments. But they are smartly used in the film, where each moment feels earned. Be it the court's acceptance of the Habeas Corpus petition and its agreement to interrogate witnesses (Sean Roldan's BG score deserves a special mention here) or the scene where Senggani walks out of the station and back to her village with her daughter while the police begs her to get into the jeep, are very much cheer-inducing.

A Conversation Starter

Jai Bhim may hark back to an incident that happened in the '90s, but what it explores continues to be a travesty even in these times, more so now. From caste exploitation, to social injustice to police corruption to judicial disparity to custodial torture, Jai Bhim dives into controversial topics that deserves to be discussed as much as we can. It reiterates the importance of judicial equality in a country that claims itself to be world's largest democracy, that has now been downgraded to an electoral autocracy. And more than often Jai Bhim is a stark reminder is why we need to be sticking close to Ambedkar's vision for a free India. What's more, the movie does engage in its messaging without needless commentary or monologuing. Jai Bhim isn't just one of the best films of this year, but also one of the most important ones in recent times.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 02, 2021 05:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).