Joram movie review | Moviefair.com

This is Devashish Makhija and Manoj Bajpayee’s third collaboration after Taandav and Bhonsle. This director has a talent for depicting the lives of the underdog. Joram tackles the issue of how so-called ‘development’ leads to the death of common people.

The main character Dasul (Manoj Bajpayee) runs away from his tribal village in Jharkhand, fed up with the violence. He was a member of the Naxal organization and could not tolerate the cycle of armed retaliation that his organization perpetuated. He barely makes a living as a construction worker in Mumbai, but at least he is free from the harsh realities of the village. A chance encounter with a woman from his village sparks a new wave of violence. His wife dies under mysterious circumstances and he is branded a terrorist by the media and is on the run. He plans to return to Jharkhand with his young daughter, but finds he is not safe there either. Meanwhile, Inspector Ratnakar (Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub) of the Mumbai Police, who is chasing Dasul, is sent to Jharkhand. He realizes that the cops there are working as henchmen for local politicians, but nothing seems to be going on. The police are ordered to shoot Dasul on sight, but Ratnakar wants to capture him alive. Their worlds collide during an explosive afternoon in a mine.

There is no rest for the characters in this movie. Everyone has experienced dark lives. In the name of progress, tribes are being exploited from their land. They are losing their jungles, rivers, and way of life. No one cares about them, not even their own elected representatives. If Dasul is on the run, so is Phuro Karma (Smita Tambe), a politician who is on the run for revenge. Ratnakar witnesses his fellow cops behaving worse than the miscreants. In one harrowing scene, a police officer cross-dresses for a dance and is nearly molested by his drunk colleagues. Ratnakar is completely confused by the level of moral corruption around him and he doesn’t even know who he is. Dasul lives only because he has to take care of his young daughter Joram. That keeps him motivated and keeps running. But everyone’s patience is coming to an end. How far can he run?

Director Makhija uses rigorous cinematography to get his point across. Unfinished buildings, haggard faces and dead trees are his reference points. The film has a sense of unreality because it depicts an India that we willingly choose to ignore. It is an India of unwashed masses without dreams. Who would be happy if they could earn enough to fill their stomachs at night? Those who accept their meager existence and have no hope of getting out of this quagmire. The police, the judiciary, politics, our entire system refuses to even acknowledge its existence. The background score and editing also contribute greatly to the film.

What can we say about Manoj Bajpayee? He is one of those actors who is always hungry for more even after achieving it so many times. He makes the character his own again. He really plays the role and his accent is perfect. He has increasingly used his silence to get his point across. His haunting eyes, sombre expression effectively convey his suffering and despair. Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub also tried his best. He, too, sees every inch of him as a no-nonsense cop who sees the situation spiraling outside of his control and is unable to stop it.

In this film, you will see a hidden, terrifying side of India and a masterclass in acting from Manoj Bajpayee.