JAWAAN (2023) : review

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And finally the much hyped, much awaited Jawaan saw light of the day ! Big stars, big budget( humongous budget actually), big music composer, everything super large. But does it meet the expectations of the average viewer? No it goes not. Read on.  A decorated jawan locks horns with a criminal called Kaali, this is in 1986 ( the year movies like Aakhri Raasta released, just for reference). Kaali gets him eliminated and send the pregnant wife to jail. The baby born in jail grows up to become the hero (look alike of the father) and decides to avenge the misdeeds done to his innocent patriotic parents. Well, isn’t it a masaaledaar full on Bollywood- Tollywood drama subject ?  And then the director Atlee also borrows ideas and references from various retro movies, some idea from Sholay (1975) as the hero assembled a gang of jailed Qaidis in order to form a team to nab the villain, then there’s an entire episode borrowed from Dhartiputra (1993), and the basic theme is copy pasted ...
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PARIWAR (2020) web-series review

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PARIWAR (2020) 

Directed by- Sagar Ballary 

Cast- Gajraj Rao, Vijay Raaz, Yashpal Sharma, Sadia Siddiqui, Ranvir Shorey, Abhishek Banerji, Nidhi Singh, Anurita Jha, Piyush Kumar, Kapil Tilhari, Kumar Varun, Neena Gupta (Sp.App.)

Set in Allahabad/ Prayag Raj, an old man is hell bent on reuniting his wayward quarrelsome children and getting them under one roof. He tries every trick in the trade to stabilise his dysfunctional family leading to comical situations. 

Ballary had a good authentically unique concept on hand, but it is ruined by too many predictable turns and quite a few over dramatic filmi sequences particularly in the last two episodes. Nevertheless it’s a decent attempt. Barring a few foul dialogues(mandatory on OTT isn’t it) it’s a decently clean family entertainer, no sex or violence not even a hint. Shot on location at Prayag Raj it has a beautiful cultural experience attached to it. 

Rao delivers an impressive performance, so do Sharma and Shorey, it is Banerji who is first rate, from the cold blooded Hathoda of Pataal Lok(2020) to the bespectacled male nurse Munna in this series he has proven his versatile range. In spite of the technical glitches this comedy does have its finer moments. 

It’s like 2020 version of good old Doordarshan series like Amrawati Ki Kathayein(1993), considering the addiction viewers have had to crime and thriller series it’s doubtful if it’s possible to savour a clean comedy today. 
⭐️⭐️

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