A review of the film Jogira Sara Ra Ra, in which the performances of Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Neha Sharma are above average but the storyline lets them down.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s character is often heard saying “Jogi ka jugaad kabhi fail nahi hota” You can only hope that he feels the same way about the movie. Jogira Sara Rara is a rom-com that, although having a few good actors and a story that may have been humorous with a different approach, ends up being so boring and humourless that you can’t help but yawn throughout.
It seemed eerily familiar to see Nawazuddin and Neha Sharma in Jogira Sara Ra Ra: Whether it was the shaadi scene, the man pledging not to marry, the wedding planner helping the girl elope, them falling in love, or the family members finding out about all of this in the most bizarre way possible, every scene reminded me of other films I’ve seen in the past. Director Kushan Nandy doesn’t provide anything new; instead, we’re handed recycled material with fresh faces and a screenplay that occasionally entertains and amuses before lulling us to sleep.
Boring plot
The plot, if any, centres on Jogi Pratap (Nawazuddin), a wedding planner who doesn’t believe in marriage for the simple reason that he already lives with six women (his mother, four sisters, and an aunt). But he finds himself in over his head when street-smart Dimple Chaubey (Neha Sharma) begs him to break off her scheduled marriage to bookworm Lallu (Mahaakshay Chakraborty). There are other families engaged, random police officers, and a peculiar gang linked with Chacha Chaudhry (Sanjay Mishra) at the helm for no reason other than to provide comedic relief. Jogi and his friend Manu (Rohit Chaudhary) try everything they can to prevent Dimple’s arranged marriage, but their efforts are fruitless. They provoke the groom’s family into demanding a dowry, breaking the groom’s leg, and even staging a fake kidnapping. When actual kidnappers show up, the situation quickly spirals out of control.
Jogira Sara Ra Ra is a whimsical slice-of-life comedy of mishaps, but it fails to connect because of sloppy writing and uneven acting. Because of how monotonous and tedious the first half is, you will be glad when the break finally comes. The second act is an attempt at redemption, but the action and comedy feel forced and senseless.
The dialogue in Jogira Sara Ra Ra is merely adequate, which is surprising given that consumers currently favour films that are both content-driven and well-made. The script by Ghalib Asad Bhopali doesn’t rise above the level of a bad comedy in which you have to actively search for moments that make you laugh.
Actors give it their all
While it was a smart idea to cast Nawaz and Neha as the main protagonists, there is little to look forward to in terms of their on-screen chemistry. With unwavering conviction, Nawaz plays the role of his damaged yet narcissistic character. An actor of his stature and calibre seems to be able to slip right into the role and make it come to life on film in his unique way. Specifically, he does this with Jogi. It’s disappointing to watch talented actors reduced to stereotypes by a shoddy script.
When I saw Neha Sharma in an acting role, I was pleasantly pleased by how wonderful she was. She was just like the girl from the little town in Uttar Pradesh that Kriti Sanon played in the film Bareilly Ki Barfi—brazen, self-assured, and unwilling to conform to societal expectations. Neha has a few scenes to show off her talents. Oh, and let’s not forget Mahaakshay Chakraborty; for the longest time, I assumed he was a supporting player or a cameo that wouldn’t stick around for long. However, he is a delightfully amusing surprise. He seems assured in his on-screen role as the overweight and dim-witted groom-to-be. Even though his character didn’t accomplish much beyond what was written for him to do, he was nonetheless a fun addition to the show. Last but not least, Sanjay Mishra has a role that is completely incidental to the plot. But even if the screenplay were terrible, this guy’s facial expressions and delivery would make it entertaining. Jogira Sara Ra Ra was the same as everyone else. Some laughter is generated by the second half’s abundance of meaningless chatter.
We’ve all seen these stories with humble protagonists from the American heartland. There is, therefore, nothing novel about this. While the family-friendly Jogira Sara Ra Ra is entertaining, it won’t surprise moviegoers with something they haven’t seen before. You should give it some thought before shelling out cash to see it in a theatre.