Jagga Jasoos Review: Brave Attempt, But Not Everyone’s Cup of Tea

The much-anticipated, much-delayed Jagga Jasoos is finally here!

The film, directed and written by Anurag Basu, plays out like a fairytale musical. Almost every dialogue is in the form of catchy rhymes and tunes. The rhythm of the film will take some getting used to, but once you're comfortable with the tempo, you'll see that this truly "hatke" adventure is a far cry from the formulaic Bollywood love stories we're so used to.

Jagga is a bespectacled little boy who chooses to stay silent so that he can hide his stammering. His life changes after he runs into a man who tells him how to overcome his speech impairment. Just sing, the man tells Jagga. And so he does. From this point on, the film transforms into an audiovisual treat, with every word and movement being beautifully synchronised.

Anurag Basu's vision is brought to life by Ranbir's stellar performance, Ravi Varman's exquisite cinematography, and Pritam's music. Saswata Chatterjee and Katrina Kaif are both welcome additions.

But all of it loses its sheen because of the pace of Jagga Jasoos. With a run-time of 162 minutes, there are whole chunks – especially in the second half – that could have easily been avoided.

Overall, Jagga Jasoos is a brave attempt. It tries its hand at something new, and gets it right. But the slow and indulgent pace will ensure that the film isn't everyone's cup of tea.

I give it 3 Quints out of 5.

(We all love to express ourselves, but how often do we do it in our mother tongue?Here's your chance! This Independence Day, khul ke bol with BOL – Love your Bhasha. Sing, write, perform, spew poetry – whatever you like – in your mother tongue. Send us your BOL at bol@thequint.com or WhatsApp it to 9910181818.)