Vidya’s thunderous performance and the cheery chemistry she shares with Ali Fazal.
The half baked second half and a pretty predictable climax which spilled over into the melodramatic zone quite needlessly.
Bobby Jasoos makes a half decent attempt to attain the wholesome pace and the gritty thrill of SujoyGhosh’s Kahaani. And going by this film’s first half alone, it is semi successful. But that’s all. Minus Vidya, the film is quite a stapleBollywood affair which I had hoped was earnest about breaking the stereotypical shackles.
Lamentably, Bobby Jasoos entangles itself gravely in gratuitous family and love issues. In my opinion both Balan and her character deserved a better ‘Kahaani’. Not half as bad but falls notches below the desired cut. Vidya Balan is lively in her spirited performance. She revels in her role brilliantly and though some might presume that this is Kahaani Part 2, the contents of this is not even on the same plane as the Sujoy Ghosh marvel. Fiesty, fiery, fearsome and firm, she brings alive the character brilliantly on screen probably even elucidating it beyond its sketched contours. She is at her undeniably charming best but the story doesn’t live up to her caliber.
Ali Fazal is another revelation. I guess he has hardly ever grabbed for himself an eye grabbing part but in this film despite a very overshadowing presence of Balan, the guy shines. He could have been used more but in an out and out woman centric film, his role gets ample bandwidth and Fazal uses it well.
Rajendra Gupta plays the stereotype without improvising his charcater at all. SurpriyaPathak isn’t anything like her Ramleela pinnacle. She has again settled for ordinary role and seems content with them. Tanvi Azmiis absolutely wasted in the film and so is Zarina Wahab.
Kiran Kumar is not sensational either. He doesn’t achieve something extraordinary with his role but is just passably good at what he does.
Arjan Bajwa is noticeable but his character lacks the required steady stay throughout the film. The association with the climax was pretty predictable and the needful mystery element doesn’t quite fit the bill.
Bobby Jasoos could have been a crisp, lucid and marvelous film but the overwrought emotional factor got the better out of the story. Plagued by an underwhelming second hour, sloppy editing and a conveniently done hurried climax, the film counts well only for Vidya’s ability to carry a film solely on her shoulders. Her cutesy chemistry wit Ali scores too. But know that a detective story hasn’t done well when you crack the story before the detective himself. I am going with a 3/5 for it.
