Review of Jatt James Bond (2014) by Tejpal S — 29 Apr 2014

In Jatt James Bond, the beautiful Zarine Khan, with milky-white supple skin, makes her debut in the Punjabi Movie Industry (which seems to be growing despite a fairly proportionate number of unsuccessful films). The protagonist and undeniable hero of the film is Gippy Grewal, who has grown as an actor with every film, and the refinement in his acting is admirable. He has very good comic timing, and has a humorous way of delivering his Punjabi dialogues, which works for him and the audiences. Zarine, on the other hand, adds an element of realistic beauty with her curvaceous body. She looks every bit the part of a "Punjabi kudi" in her colorful attire.

The film is funny, interesting, and romantic in a very innocent way. Noticeable almost immediately (from the scene of tea being poured) is the superior cinematography and camera angles that have been employed. Parixit Warrier & Sandeep Fransis have done a very good job, and set the standard high for upcoming films. This is the first time in Punjabi films that we see sophistication in the camera operations.

The storyline (written by Jas Grewal) is captivating, and we don't ever feel that the film is overstretching or dragging, except for one of the songs in which Zarine and Gippy go clubbing. The portrayal of love between the leading cast is very pure, and is beautifully depicted through the home that they dream of building. It's a family film that you can watch with anyone because nowhere do they show inappropriate skin or use vulgar/double meaning language. In fact, it conveys important societal messages. In one of the scenes, when some hooligans bother Zarine ( who is a teacher) in front of the school, Gippy takes them to an abandoned warehouse type place because he doesn't want to beat them up in front of children. This and other similar messages are seamlessly integrated into the film.

Jatt James Bond gives us a very close, and much needed look into the realities of poverty (which Punjabi films usually tend to overlook ). The writer of the script has masterfully weaved the story of poverty with romance. The series of events that unfold when Zarine's brother (Vindoo Dara Singh - who looks better in a turban) tells Gippy that he can marry Zarine when he has enough money to buy a home, constitute a major time chunk.

The direction by Rohit Jugraj is praiseworthy, and speaks to his understanding of cinema. The supporting cast deserves special mention for their convincing performances whether it be that of a "sharaabi", a laborer, a police officer, bank manager, or an MLA. Gurpreet Ghuggi, Yashpal Sharma, Mukesh Rishi, Vindu Dara Singh, Avtar Gill, Shahbaz Khan, and Karamjit Anmol were all perfect in their parts, and no one else could have justified these roles more.

Overall, this film works because everything including the cast, story, screenplay, direction, and cinematography was professionally done.