Film Review: Jaat

Mythri Movie Makers and People Media Factory’s Jaat (UA) is the story of a stranger (Sunny Deol) who takes on the tyrannical Ranatunga (Randeep Hooda), a dreaded criminal who terrorises the coastal villages. The fight is one between good and evil, but who exactly is this stranger, and why has he chosen to end Ranatunga’s reign of terror?

Story & Screenplay

Gopichand Malineni’s story (with inputs from M. Vivek Anand, Nimmagadda Srikanth, Srinivas Gavireddy, Mayukh Adithya and Krushna Hari) is routine, echoing countless “good vs evil” tales. The writers try to mount it differently, but the novelty factor is minimal. The first half is stretched around a single point the stranger demanding an apology (“Sorry bol”) which, though entertaining in parts, feels repetitive. The second half has more variety, but the relentless violence and gore alienate women, families and class audiences.

That said, some set-pieces work: the pre-interval confrontations where the stranger goes door-to-door demanding apologies are whistle-worthy, and the police station massacre (where he kills Ranatunga’s brother and almost the entire force) is electrifying for mass viewers. The revelation of the stranger’s true identity (Brigadier Balbir Pratap Singh) is a high point. However, the climax—more of a hurried gun battle than hand-to-hand combat—feels less impactful than it should have been. Dialogues (Saurabh Gupta, Sai Madhav Burra) land strongly in some places but lack consistency.

Performances

Sunny Deol roars as the stranger/Brigadier Balbir Pratap Singh. His expressions, delivery, and fiery presence make the one-man army act believable, though his stunts are somewhat restricted by design. Randeep Hooda delivers a superbly menacing performance as Ranatunga, while Vineet Kumar Singh shines as his brother Somulu the trademark “Ooooo” chant adds recall value. Regina Cassandra is effective as Ranatunga’s wife.

Jagapathi Babu (as Satyamurthi) and Ramya Krishna (as the President of India) lend power and dignity, respectively. Saiyami Kher impresses as inspector Vijaya Lakshmi, her voice modulation particularly sharp. Upendra Limaye, Ajay Ghosh, Babloo Prithvi and others stand out in impactful cameos. Swarupa Ghosh is chilling as Ranatunga’s mother. Among others, Vinay Varma, Zarina Wahab, Bandhavi, Mushtaq Khan, Naga Mahesh, Nanda Gopal and Murali Sharma provide solid support. Urvashi Rautela sizzles in her item number.

Direction & Technical Aspects

Gopichand Malineni directs with clarity of target audience—masses only. While that ensures whistle-worthy moments in single screens, it alienates multiplex and urban crowds. Emotional appeal is low, and repetition weakens impact.

Thaman S. delivers a decent soundtrack though no number is a chartbuster; lyrics (by Kumaar, Amrit Maan, Adviteeya Vojjala, Shruthi Ranjani, Kalyan Chakravarthy Tripuraneni) are competent. Choreography (Ganesh Acharya, Shobi Paulraj, Jani Master) looks rushed. Thaman’s background score, however, is pulsating and elevates action blocks. Rishi Punjabi’s cinematography is excellent. Action by Ram-Laxman, V. Venkat, Peter Hein and Anl Arasu is raw, gory, and thrilling for mass audiences but off-putting for families. Avinash Kolla’s production design is top-notch. Navin Nooli’s editing is sharp, though some repetitions remain.

Final Verdict

On the whole, Jaat is a mass entertainer aimed squarely at single screens. Sunny Deol’s powerhouse performance and some clap-trap sequences will enthrall the front-benchers, especially in regions like Haryana where the film has extraordinary appeal. But its excessive violence, low emotional pull, and repetitiveness make it unpalatable for multiplex, family, and class audiences. The film will, therefore, work only in select territories and prove a loss-making venture overall.