The character arc of the protagonist in Jabariya Jodi is engaging if somewhat cliché. As a kid, Abhay rebels against his lecherous father only to be subdued by him. Later, as an adult, Abhay follows his orders abducting eligible bachelors and forcing them to marry. Upon meeting his childhood sweetheart, Abhay’s heart begins to take precedence over his mind, and his egotistical persona begins to fade. Abhay’s girl, Babli, does not have a clear progression and is more monotonous as she provides a mirror for him to introspect. Jabariya Jodi is inspired by the practice of Pakaruah Shaadi in Bihar. However, at its heart, it is very much a tale of two individuals discovering themselves as we see in the Jabariya Jodi film review.
Two charming actors, Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra lead the pack of a formidable acting talent in this film. Sidharth Malhotra with his Bihari swagger is entertaining as Abhay. For her part, Parineeti Chopra is enjoyable too as a bold yet uncertain Babli caught between appeasing her father and etching out her own life. Her funky makeup is eye-catching and goes well with her daring demeanor. A splendid supporting cast that includes Javed Jaffrey, Sanjay Mishra, and Chandan Roy Sanyal among others see Jabariya Jodi well-endowed acting-wise. The film takes time to find its groove though, and at approximately the halfway mark, it could still go either way.
There are glimpses of deft writing with some witty dialogue, but not all is hunky-dory for it. The movie’s underwhelming posturing does not help its cause. It is hard to ascertain whether the filmmakers were genuinely interested in conveying a message or were merely using Jabaria Shaadi as a prop to construct a story. Either way, by the time the end credits roll, there is no doubt that the messaging is entirely overshadowed by the protagonist’s own story.
Another cavil is the film’s erratic tone. Its absence of uniformity gives the impression of an identity crisis. Is it trying to be a romantic comedy or a drama? The filmmakers do not seem to project either one through their fledgling execution. In the first half, the film fails to capitalize on the several potentially hilarious situations as the humor comes off as a bit limp. Post-intermission, it almost gives up on the laughs for the sake of melodrama.
Its extended duration does not work either. At more than two and a quarter hours, Jabariya Jodi is at least a quarter-hour too long. Crisper editing could have made the difference here. Some scenes are stretched more than they ought to while others could have been completely eliminated. A feeling of déjà vu that hinders the narrative flow as some scenes tend to play over and a part of the script’s originality is compromised by a stifled execution. Had the filmmakers shown flair, Jabariya Jodi could have been more entertaining.
Although most of the characters are relatively well-etched out, Aparshakti Khurana as Babli’s lover-cum-friend is underdeveloped. He merely keeps uttering shayaris at her behest. Thankfully for the film, Sanjay Mishra and Javed Jaffrey are both spot-on. While the former is hilarious in parts as the girl’s bungling dad, the latter is impressive as the boy’s power-mongering father. Prague actor, Chandal Roy Sanyal, is particularly impressive here as the hero’s confidant, Guddu. Sheeba Chaddha as Abhay’s mother and Sharad Kapoor as the villain Lallan Singh round off an energetic cast.
The film’s undoing is its extended second act where it loses its grip on the audience as the narrative falters. It is here that Jabariya Jodi wobbles and eventually stumbles barely managing to recover later on. The lack of an engaging comedy or an intriguing drama is offset by some compelling dramatic moments in the film’s climactic half-hour.
If you do end up watching Jabariya Jodi, be ready to suspend your disbelief and do not expect anything more than a moderate measure of frivolous entertainment.
Jabariya Jodi film review rates Jabariya Jodi 
(2.5 / 5)
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