'Jersey' Movie Review: Shahid Kapoor-starrer will make you laugh, cry and cheer throughout

After several postponements and delays, the Shahid Kapoor-starrer highly talked about film Jersey hit the big screens on 22 April 2022. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film follows the story of a sportsperson deciding to follow his dream while navigating his tumultuous relationship as a father and a husband. It is a remake of the 2019 Telugu film of the same title. The film stars Shahid Kapoor, alongside Mrunal Thakur. Along with them, it also stars Shahid's father Pankaj Kapur and Ronit Kamra in pivotal roles. 

Ahead of its release, the film was successful in creating a massive buzz online with Shahid Kapoor's powerful acting and hard-hitting dialogues in the trailer garnering all the attention.

Jersey Review

Jersey is a soulful heart-touching story that follows the life of former Ranji Cricket player Arjun Talwar who faces lots of ups and downs in his life and despite all the circumstances he bounces back stronger. The film opens with a young man in New York City who buys a book titled Jersey from a bookstall but later gives it to a woman who came to purchase it. The woman asks the reason why he's letting her have the copy to which he says that it's his father's story. Then the film goes back to the flashback where Arjun Talwar an immensely talented Ranji player, who at the peak of his successful career decides to leave cricket after he fails to make it to the Indian team. Following this, he lands up getting a government job but loses that after he is accused of false bribery. 

The movie then jumps to 10 years later in 1996, showing a 36-year old Arjun who is jobless and is often taunted by his wife Vidya and other people for not doing anything in his life. The only person who trusts him is his son Kittu who believes in his father and loves him immensely.

His son Kittu, like his father, is interested in cricket and plays for his school cricket team. On this birthday, Kittu asks Arjun for an Indian jersey that is worth rs 500. The film then follows the struggle of a father in buying a Jersey for his son and how he revives his cricket career and becomes his son's ultimate hero.

What works:

Gowtam Tinnanuri who helmed the original version of the film lived up to the audience's expectations. Right from its first scene, the film catches pace and engages the audience through the emotionally striking journey of Arjun Talwar. Despite difficult circumstances, the lead protagonist never gives up in his life. He manages to find hope in every situation, like for an instance in one of the scenes, due to non-payment of the electricity bill, the officials cut off the power supply of Arjun's house, seeing his disheartened son he says let's light the house with candles all over for a change. Such small-small detailed scenes strike a chord in the heart of the audience. The dialogues of the film are well written, crisp and to the point that has a perfect blend of emotions as well as humour.

The humour element and emotionally-stirring moments are the core element of the film. This one will see Shahid Kapoor delivering his career’ best performance with ease as he gets into the skin of his character and picks up a cricketer's body language with utmost perfection. From being a rebel during his mid-20s to being an emotionally sober man in his late 30s, Shahid's character connects with the audience from the very beginning and helps them feel what he is going through throughout his journey.

Mrunal Thakur and Shahid Kapoor's pair comes as a fresh breath of air. Shahid Kapoor's scenes with his reel life coach and real-life father Pankaj Kapur are like the cherry on the cake. Their camaraderie throughout the film and the way he stood by Arjun in his thick and thin makes the audience believe that the father-son duo very well knows how to weave magic on the screens.

The major highlight of the film was Arjun Talwar's son Kittu who manages to bring a smile to the faces of the audience with his charm and innocence. Arjun's bonding and his love for his son stole the entire show. Their scenes are not just well written but very well enacted by the two actors. The film beautifully shows Arjun becoming his son's idol and reviving his career and it imparts a very strong message that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

What doesn't work:

Since it is a remake, those who have already watched the original film will try to draw a comparison between both the film which itself is a drawback. Moreover, the flashbacks are not well synced so the audience might feel disconnected at some points. Apart from that, there are certain dialogues that are in the south Indian language, which the audience might find difficult to understand. The songs too, leaving one or two did not leave a strong impact.

Review: Final Thoughts

The film gives a sneak peek into a cricketer's life but more than being a sports film it strikes a perfect balance between sports and human emotions. It imparts strong life lessons in every scene and urges the audience to stand strong and be hopeful no matter how difficult the situation is. For those watching it for the first time, they will definitely love the film, but those watching it again should go with a fresh perspective.

In the end, it will leave the audience teary-eyed making Arjun's character immortal in the minds and hearts of the audience. Overall Jersey is a must-watch film that has all the elements and will make you laugh, cry and cheer throughout.

Reviewer Rating: 3.5/5

Image: Instagram@shahidkapoor