JUGAAD
The Trick Fails To Click
by Vishal Verma
A Promodone Films Presentation. Producer: Sandip Kapur. Concept & Story: Sandip Kapur. Director: R. Anand Kumar. Screenplay/Dialouges: Bunty Rathore & Priyaank Dube. Genre: Social. Target Audience: General.
Starring
Manoj Bajpai...... Sandiip
Hrishita Bhatt...... Priya
Vijay Raaz...... Murali
Sanjay Mishra...... Bakshi Jugaadu
Akshat Kumar...... Child Artsite
Govind Namdeo...... Commissioner Gupta
Nitin Arora...... Photographer Ronnie
Mushtaq Khan
Abhay Puniani
Technical Analysis
The word ‘Jugaad’ can be applied anywhere in north India, it can mean favour, trick, manipulation, influence and what not. Like the word ‘Bindass’ in Mumbai which doesn,t have a dictionary meaning but is used by different people in different situations.
Coming to the film ‘Jugaad’, like the title, the word is used everywhere in most of the situations but still the audience fail to understand one reason behind all the proceedings. The story of a person trying to save his property which was the investment of his entire life was brilliantly done in Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’, it striked the chord cause it dealt with the issue of trespassing keeping in mind the fabric of a bollywood entertainer & weaved it with new threads of film making that served the audience purpose.
On the other hand ‘Jugaad’ takes the issue of commercial establishments in residential areas – the issue had the potential of an absorbing film which could have been done as a serious or humorous way. But alas, the writers Bunty Rathore & helmer R. Anand Kumar (Delhi Heights – a dud at the B.O.) make an amateurish film.
It’s hard to believe that the producer (Sandip Kapur) who himself faced a similar problems but still could not make a compelling film.
As a narrator R.Anand Kumar hardly learns from his mistakes in ‘Delhi Heights’ and on top of that his writers Bunty Rathore & Priyaaank Dube hardly give the helmer any interesting sequence in the entire film to show his skill.
‘Jugaad’ is a slow- moving, tasteless and juvenile ride cause ‘Jugaad’ deals with an issue but it revolves around a person who runs a 50 crore company not a common man & here the problems begins which never ends.
Any movie that cannot connect or reflect the plight of the ‘aam admi’ cannot score at the B.O. Audience will not identify with Sandip played by Manoj Bajpai (does a sincere job) who tries to save his ad agency which gets sealed due to court orders for being located in a residential area. .
‘Khosla ka Ghosla’ on the other hand dealt with a common middle class man and it did the click trick.
‘Jugaad’ hardly has anything to offer in spite of having talents like Manoj Bajpai, Vijay Raz, Sanjay Mishra & Govind Namdeo. Honestly, they do their job earnestly & Hrishita Bhatt is wasted.
‘Jugaad’ revels contradictions. It's a comedy about melancholy, a romance without consummation, a travelogue that rarely hits the road.
Anyway, it gets one point collectively for the acting of Bajpai, & Sanjay Mishra.
The Story
Jugaad is the real life story. Based on the MCD sealing in Delhi, this is the real first hand experience of the successful CEO of an advertising agency told in an unconvincing manner. MCD locks the doors of advertising agency under the sealing drive. Life turns around to the worst and pushes the desperate CEO towards Jugaad and all makeshift efforts. In the process many characters like property dealer, politicians and senior officers walk into the story.
Sanddeep Kapur (Manoj Bajpai) is , left alone on the roads with his team (already looking for greener pastures)… towards struggles unforeseen.
Promotion
The movie has failed to create any buzz from its outdoor or indoor publicity, anyhow media promotions by NR2 The Image Engineers has been fair.
Business Analysis
Weak script & narration, lack of face value, tough competition will make the ‘Jugaad’ (read prospects) of ‘Jugaad’ at the B.O. very bleak.
Other Credits
D.O.P. Prem Anand. Editor: Sanjay Sankia. Sound: M Riaz. Background Score: Raju Rao. Choreography: Vishnu, Jayesh Pradhan. Art Director: Samridhi Katyal. Music: Sachin Gupta & Krishna. Media Promotion: NR2 The Image Engineers. Previewed at Zee Preview Theatre, Mumbai on February 12, 2009.