Review of Bobby Jasoos.
By Tathagata Mitra
BANGALORE: Bobby Jasoos by director Samar Shaikh is one of those films where Vidya Balan and her acting outshine the plot, the story and almost all other aspects.
Set in Hyderabad, Bobby Jasoos is the coming of age story of a young female private detective who wants to make it big as an investigator. But as it happens in Indian household, her parents want to marry her off, her dad doesn’t approve of her working, and she, of course, as the lead character in a film, doesn’t listen to the what the society has to say.
Of course things don’t look too bright for this young girl: who would hire her to investigate anything serious? All she gets are small time cases mostly people trying to find dirt on other people. But then walks in this tall dark mysterious stranger Anees Khan (Kiran Kumar) who pays Bobby handsomely for finding a few young boys and girls.
The problem with Bobby Jasoos is that the plot is almost entirely predictable. Who is Anees Khan? Why is he looking for these particular people? People can guess all that long before we reach close to the climax. The overall plot which includes Bobby having to tackle multitudes of obstacles both at home and in her job is endearing, and also makes for good family drama. And the sensation of thrill created in the first half keeps you hooked to your seat. The second half isn’t exactly a letdown; it’s just ordinary.
Yes, of course you cannot expect a Kaahani climax out of every women-centered film that stars Balan, but the story in this film just ends too soon, not abruptly but too soon for comfort. Maybe a more complicated plot would have suited the film better.
The handling of the film has been done very well. The film really feels like it goes into the spirit of Hyderabad, with the streets, the accents, the biriyani, everything. Bobby is handled more properly than her jasoosi by director Shaikh and that is done on purpose. While the mystery part was ordinary, all the characters were acted out to perfection. And that, more than Bobby’s Jasoosi, is the center of Bobby Jasoos.
Balan is always delightful. But this film has her in several makeovers, each one of which she plays differently without making you forget her character Bobby. Kiran Kumar is easily the second best thing about this film’s cast. Ali Fazal, Arjan Bajwa, Tanvi Azmi, Zarina Wahab, and especially Rajendra Gupta all deliver beautiful pieces of acting.
While the film is not extraordinary it is definitely worth a watch. If not for Hyderabad, then definitely for Balan.