Jugjugg Jeeyo movie review: Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani's film strikes a rare balance between humour and emotions

Bollywood is in desperate need of a big hit and all eyes are now set on Raj Mehta’s heavily promoted Jugjugg Jeeyo starring Varun Dhawan , Kiara Advani , Anil Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor . After making an impressive debut with an entertainer like Good Newwz , the director has proven with Jugjugg Jeeyo that he might be the next big thing in the modern wholesome family entertainer arena.

Jugjugg Jeeyo marries all cliches of a family entertainer with a fresh story which is refreshing in a manner you might not have anticipated. The subject of the movie about two divorces and a wedding is obviously aimed at a metropolitan audience but it is where the magic of good writing steps in and makes Jugjugg Jeeyo an entertainer for everybody.

The balance that Jugjugg Jeeyo manages to strike between emotional scenes, comedy and drama is rare. The narrative is fast moving which ensures that there’s not a moment of boredom and keeps you engrossed through the entire length of the film.

The story is quite simply about childhood sweethearts Kukoo (Varun Dhawan) and Naina (Kiara Advani), who have decided to divorce each other after five years. As they arrive home posing as a happy couple for a wedding, Kukoo learns his father Bheem (Anil Kapoor) is having an affair and planning to divorce his mother Geeta (Neetu Kapoor) after his sister Ginny (Prajakta Kohli) gets married. Naina, in the meantime, is being pressured by her mother to start a family with Kukoo as they has decided to tell the family about the divorce after the family wedding.

What follows is a comedy of errors which evolves into a mature plot in the second half with a few absolutely brilliant scenes. An argument between Kiara and Varun’s characters in the second half about their crumbling marriage, a chat about divorce between Neetu and Kiara’s characters take the cake among the memorable scenes in the movie.

Talking about performances, it is Anil Kapoor who shines above all in the film with his flawless comic timing which he balances perfectly with emotions in intense scenes. Varun Dhawan, on the other hand, delivers a restrained performance and despite being the lead actor in this ensemble he never over powers the narrative which reflects his confidence in the script. From emotional scenes to comic ones, Jugjugg Jeeyo gives the actor an opportunity to showcase his full range of talent in the film and he passes with flying colours in all scenes.

Kiara Advani delivers her career best performance in Jugjugg Jeeyo playing the suave modern Indian woman. Unlike films like Kabir Singh and Shershaah where her emotional scenes overpower all else, the actress brings a certain maturity to her character which is refreshing.

Neetu Kapoor whose comeback with the project has been a whole subject of conversation, delivers a memorable performance as Geeta. Apart from the fact that her character is rather well written, Neetu’s nuanced acting makes the lines on paper come alive and if she has any jitters about facing the camera after long, she certainly hides it well.

Maniesh Paul is a show stealer with his comic timing and you actually look forward to scenes featuring him which are a laugh riot. Prajakta Kohli makes a graceful Bollywood debut after being a web series star with Mismatched, but you’d wish her character was more involved in the family fiasco unfolding under her nose.

All said and done, Jugjugg Jeeyo has its flaws too but none so glaring that can overpower the entertainment factor of the film. The film is riddled with dad jokes and WhatsApp class marriage jokes. You see the climax coming soon after the film has laid out all its cards early in the second half and in Varun and Kiara’s case the end is slightly underwhelming but not disappointing.

It is ultimately Neetu and Anil’s relationship woes in Jugjugg Jeeyo that actually elevate what would have been a rather average a watch if the young couple’s love story overshadowed all else.

Visually too, Jugjugg Jeeyo is made for the big screen. Being set on grand scale, you’d best enjoy it in cinemas if you are looking for a satisfying family entertainer.