Jai Mahendran Review: Saiju Kurup’s web series is a humourous take on modern-day Indian politics and system

3/5

Jai Mahendran Plot: Mahendran (Saiju Kurup) is a shrewd, corrupt government employee, who serves as a Deputy Tahsildar. He makes many compromises in his profession and misuses his power for personal benefit. He never stops, despite his pregnant wife Priya’s (Miya George) warnings. Balu (Rahul Riji Nair), a junior employee, supports his actions. However, things take a different turn after a strict senior officer named Shobha Kumari (Suhasini Mani Ratnam) takes charge.

Jai Mahendran Review

The Sony LIV show, created by Rahul Riji Nair and directed by Srikanth Mohan, puts forward a highly entertaining take on the modern-day Indian system. Those who are familiar with the way Government of India’s Revenue Department works, will find this series extremely relatable and entertaining. The clever writing and effective making (for most of the parts), and exceptional performances make Jai Mahendran a highly entertaining watch. However, the web series does falter a bit when it comes to the inconsistencies in its characters.

Saiju Kurup, the leading man shines as the titular character Mahendran, who undergoes a major transformation as the story progresses. The talented actor has delivered a fantastic performance in his role, and his signature humour works big time. However, Mahendran’s character arc lacks consistency at several, as the makers evidently struggle with his moral compass. While he is a highly corrupt officer who can’t find flaws in his ways, the show also tries to portray him in a different light at parts, and cannot decide where he stands.

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Suhasini Mani Ratnam delivers a powerful performance as Shobha Kumari, Mahendran’s superior officer (the dubbing works big time). However, her character also goes through the same inconsistent arc, while the rest of the roles remain underdeveloped Miya George plays the role of the protagonist’s loving wife to near perfection, while Rahul Riji Nair is perfectly cast as his junior, who has hidden aspirations. Among the massive supporting cast, Suresh Krishna, Maniyan Pilla Raju, Appunni Sasi, Pauly Valsan, and Johny Antony make a mark with their appearances.

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The title song of Jai Mahendran, composed by Sidhartha Pradeep, serves the purpose. However, the background becomes repetitive after a point and fails to add a spark to the narrative. Prasanth Raveendran’s visuals create the perfect backdrop for a realistic plot, while Christy Sebastian’s editing makes the show a crisp watch.

Verdict

Jai Mahendran is a flawed, yet humorous and thought-provoking take on India’s corrupt system and modern-day politics. Saiju Kurup, Suhasini Mani Ratnam, and others’ performances make this Sony LIV show, an entertaining watch.