Jolly O Gymkhana film overview: There was a professional paucity of high quality comedy movies this yr in Tamil cinema. So, when Sakthi Chidambaram, a veteran of this style, even when his current movies had been only a shadow of his type within the mid 2000s, closes the yr with Jolly O Gymkhana, a comedy, it’s okay to have your hopes up. However the filmmaker begins off by introducing Yogi Babu as Father Martin Luther King, and makes him stroll out of the bathroom and say traces like “Unakku life downside, enakku piles downside.” You suppose that’s unhealthy? It will get worse with him telling Madonna Sebastian’s Bhavani that he can’t assist her sleeping downside as a result of he’s affected by a sitting downside. You suppose that’s worse? Bhavani, who narrates her backstory, says, “Kadhaiyoda moolathulerndhu kelunga (Hearken to the story from the core)” and naturally, Yogi Babu replies, “Already moolam dhaan ma prachana (My you-know-what is already sore).” And we’re simply 5 minutes into Jolly O Gymkhana.
Now, Jolly O Gymkhana begins with a voiceover that asks us to overlook logic as a result of the goal of the movie is to make us chuckle, and never suppose. Now, that’s genuinely a good factor to ask of an viewers. You will need to put together us for every little thing, particularly because the movie is about how 4 ladies carry round a useless physique, and handle to flee from menacing mortgage sharks, murderous henchmen, casteist cops, and a strict financial institution supervisor. There are such a lot of cooks within the movie, and it’s spectacular that the broth isn’t too spoiled. There are fairly a couple of of those angles that handle to elicit amusing and a half, however they’re bookended by archaic plot factors. In actual fact, Sakthi, who understands that Jolly O Gymkhana is constructed on a flimsy one-liner, packs the movie with so many subplots that the numbers sport really works in favour of the movie. Take, as an illustration, the characters performed by Sai Dheena and John Vijay. One has to show that he’s a cold-blooded assassin, and the opposite has to show that he’s not a cold-blooded assassin. That is splendidly milked in a selected scene in a resort, which is filled with each principal solid member. However, such occurrences occur so sparingly that generally, the wait isn’t simply price it.
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Whereas Sakthi Chidambaram rightfully warned us to not query the logic in Jolly O Gymkhana, it will have been higher if he spent extra time in structuring the narrative as an alternative of throwing one randomness after one other. Proper from the time Poonkundran (Prabhudeva) enters the fray, we settle for that within the subsequent 90 minutes, we’d simply see him play a useless physique with everybody round him doing every little thing to make the movie breathe. Nonetheless, the writing suffocates their comedian timing, and because the movie progresses, it is only one comfort after one other. Do you want the useless Poonkundran to maneuver his fingers and legs? Bhavani’s sister Shivani is a robotics fanatic. Do you want the useless Poonkundran to signal an essential doc? Bhavani’s sister Yazhini is a signature forging fanatic. Do you want the useless Poonkundran to speak? Bhavani is a ventriloquist. The rationale why it feels too handy is as a result of Bhavani’s sisters don’t do the rest within the movie. Atleast Bhavani will get sufficient scenes to be greater than only a ventriloquist, however the different two are current nearly all through the film, and so they nearly do nothing. I don’t even suppose that they had greater than two traces of dialogue all through the movie. Now, that’s lazy writing.
However what actually is the laziest a part of Jolly O Gymkhana is the scenes involving Prabhu Deva because the useless physique. You don’t actually see him do a lot within the narrative, and it’s a disappointment as a result of Prabhudeva has sensible comedian timing, and is a really bodily actor who might do much more. Take, as an illustration, the stunt sequences the place he’s sensible. However there may be little or no else he does. In fact, every little thing occurs round him, however it the scene period nearly all the time is stretched past its comedian elasticity. Each member of the solid pulls greater than their weight to masks the dearth of ingenuity in Poonkundran’s scenes. Madonna tries to do so much, and she or he does… however there may be a lot taking place round her that she will get misplaced within the melee. A random cameo by the filmmaker himself within the final act isn’t half as humorous as what it may need been on paper. Nonetheless, the actual shock issue within the movie is Abhirami, who reveals spectacular comedian aptitude, and makes you surprise why she doesn’t get extra such roles. In fact, she too is burdened by mundane dialogues at instances, however she additionally will get a few of the higher traces of the movie.
One other spotlight of the film is undoubtedly Ashwin Vinayagamoorthy’s music that retains the proceedings mild and cheery. However the songs are positioned too shut to one another and it acts as distractions. Jolly O Gymkhana, identical to all Sakthi Chidambaram movies, has a sentimental flashback that comes out of nowhere. There may be little or no impression, regardless of the stakes being seemingly excessive. This dichotomy doesn’t work for Jolly O Gymkhana as a result of the sudden tonal shift feels misplaced and not using a critical adversary. Right here, all people is in on the enjoyable even when murders occur on the drop of a hat. So, the sudden sentiment in the direction of the tip, and a throwaway line of “Manam vittu pesa madham edhuku (Why ought to faith be a hindrance for a heartfelt dialog)?” feels not simply misplaced, however a force-fit of types.
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However what actually needed to be forcibly not noted of the movie was the crass one-liners and lyrics that make you squirm in your seats. Now, it isn’t like these are there all through the movie. Nevertheless it makes you surprise why it was there within the first place when Sakthi Chidambaram might really conjure up a half-decent movie with out it. Isn’t it excessive time the ‘avana nee’ dialogue or ‘aunty-hero’ trope will get buried six toes deep into the bottom? There’s a distasteful gag a few man going to purchase lingerie for his spouse. And the dialogues are repetitive after a degree as a result of there are solely so many ‘loss of life’ and ‘physique’ associated jokes you’ll be able to write. Truthfully, some had been humorous, however after a degree, it was simply insipid.
At one level within the movie, Yogi Babu says, “Typically, in a narrative, you’ll have one idiot, however right here, you could have a complete union of them.” Truthfully, Jolly O Gymkhana might have been one thing fascinating and positively extra humorous, however when the makers resort to the simplest pickings, feeling unhealthy concerning the could-haves or revolting on what was included is only a idiot’s errand.
