Jai Bhim movie review: Suriya's heart-wrenching courtroom drama becomes the voice of the voiceless

3.5/5

Story: Three men who belong to an oppressed community are arrested for a fake theft case. Unable to tolerate the brutal torture from cops, they escape the jail in a mysterious circumstance. The wife of one of them, smells foul play and approaches an upright lawyer to help her find the three prisoners. However, the lawyer understands that the complainant lacks sufficient evidence required in the case. Will he be able to help her find her husband and others?    

Review: Films on police brutality and caste discrimination are nothing new to Kollywood. A few scenes in Tha Se Gnanavel's Jai Bhim reminds us of Visaaranai and Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban, thanks to the similarity they share with these two films with regard to inhuman behaviour of cops inside the police station. The similarities end there, though. 

The film is more about the unexplored issues faced by the voiceless people on a daily basis. Based on a true incident which took place more than two decades ago, the movie sheds light on how powerful people in the society manipulates and distorts truth to cover up their gruesome mistakes, thereby snatching away happiness from marginalized communities. 

A happy couple, Rajakannu (Manikandan) and Sengani (Lijomol Jose), who belong to the underprivileged Irular community, earn living by snake-catching. Despite struggling to meet the two ends and being looked down by the privileged and upper caste people, they pin high hopes on their future. Their joy know no bounds when Sengani becomes pregnant for the second time. 

One day, Rajakannu catches snake at a big shot's house before he was about to leave to his home town along with his family. Upon returning, he finds that costly jewelry from his home has been stolen. Based on his complaint, Rajakannu and two others from his community are arrested by the cops.  

An upset Sengani gradually realizes that what initially looked like a misinformed case is actually a well-planned drama initiated by the cops to trap them. She seeks the help of Mythraa (Rajisha Vijayan), a teacher, to approach a honest lawyer to take up her case. Finally, Chandru (Suriya), a selfless lawyer and a communist, takes up her case and promises her that he will bring back her husband and others. 

But little did Chandru expect that the case would become complicated due to foul play from cops, public prosecutor (Guru Somasundaram) and advocate general (Rao Ramesh). The court orders an inquiry commission headed by Perumalsamy (Prakash Raj). Can he help Chandru to deliver justice to Sengani?

First things first. Though the film is more than a courtroom drama, what stands out in the movie is the authentic portrayal of proceedings in the High Court. The arguments between the lawyers, the manner in which judges interact with the lawyers and the interrogation of witnesses are depicted in a never-before-seen way. 

The performances of Suriya and Lijomol Jose as the dutiful lawyer and helpless tribal woman respectively is sure to leave the viewers haunted. Manikandan, too, impresses in scenes in which he faces brutal torture from cops. Prakash Raj, Guru Somasundaram and Rao Ramesh are apt in their roles, but the characters do not pose challenge to them. Rajisha Vijayan and MS Bhaskar in small roles do not disappoint. 

It is spine-chilling to fathom that the sequences in the movie are based on real incidents. A few people from a certain community are taken for granted and denied justice just because they belong to an oppressed class is intimidating to the core, and the film scores brownie points in transporting the pain of the deprived to the viewers. The movie becomes a voice for the voiceless and stresses the need for judiciary and police to go hand-in-hand while handling sensitive cases. 

Though the film is a satisfying watch by all means, thanks to the staging of events and unadulterated making, we can't help but crave for powerful antagonists and more engaging conflicts. Some of the arguments from the protagonist in the court come across as predictable, too. But these factors do not hamper the film's overall appeal and is sure to entertain movie lovers who are on the lookout for a solid legal drama.   

Verdict: A thoroughly entertaining watch, Jai Bhim deserves appreciation for the undiluted depiction of a spine-chilling incident.

Jai Bhim is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.