Tuck Jagadish Movie Review: A whirlwind of emotions

Tuck Jagadish Movie Review: A whirlwind of emotions

The film unfolds leisurely, but the pace is aptly suited to its delicate, emotional tale that evokes the complexity of its premise
Rating:(2.5 / 5)

When a promise is made, it's natural to expect it to be fulfilled. The promos of the Nani-starrer Tuck Jagadish ensured an entertaining and absorbing family drama that tugs at your heartstrings. After watching the film, you will understand that director Shiva Nirvana and his team delivers a film that's enjoyable in most parts. Yes, the film has its flaws, especially in the second hour, but these minor hiccups and glitches can easily be overlooked since the makers haven't promised a path-breaking film.  

Set in a small village called Bhoodevipuram, Tuck Jagadish tells the story of two warring families and their never-ending feud. The good man of the village, Aadiseshu Naidu (Nasser) has two sons - Bosu Babu (Jagapathi Babu) and Jagadish Naidu/ Jagadee/ Tuck Jagadish (Nani). Naidu always has noble intentions and works towards the betterment of his village folks which are, unsurprisingly, opposed religiously by Sheri Naidu (Rama Raju) and his son Veerendra Naidu (Daniel Balaji). A turn of events later, Aadiseshu Naidu passes away and the story takes a new dimension. By this time, you would have guessed that the happy family will have a threat through Bosu Babu, who pretends to be a good son, only for his greed for wealth. A smooth talker, Bosu doesn’t believe in love, family and relationships. In contrast is Jagadee, who believes in strong family bonds and is obsessed by his family members.  

Cast: Nani, Ritu Varma, Jagapathi Babu, Aishwarya Rajesh

Direction: Shiva Nirvana

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

The film unfolds leisurely, but the pace is aptly suited to its delicate, emotional tale that evokes the complexity of its premise. In catering to the film's audience demographic, the filmmaker seems to have no qualms in going down the familiar tropes. He comes across as a huge fan of subtlety and despite giving us the tried-and-tested family conflict formula, he doesn’t disappoint.

The strained relationship between Jagadee and Bosu Babu plays out well, making it easy for us to root for Jagadee. The film has its moments, most of which involves bonding with relatives. When the actual conflict is revealed, it's difficult to not sense an Indra (2002) and Brundavanam (2010) hangover. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the first hour of the film is thoroughly entertaining that you wait for the actual conflict to unfold in the remaining portions. The narration gets interesting when Jagadee learns of Bosu Babu's tactics and confronts him. But the goings from thereon, slicken the pace of the film, to an extent. Right from Bosu Babu throwing his family out to align with Veerendra Naidu and refusing to give up his selfish needs, besides his moment of epiphany, aren’t striking.   

The face-off between Jagadee and Bosu Babu and the way Jagadee deals with the domestic abuse issues of Chandra (Aishwarya Rajesh) are well-written. It’s not just these little moments that stay with you, but also the film’s crucial scenes which are handled with much maturity. To quote an example, there's a scene where Chandra proposes to Jagadee, only for the latter to deny it as he had raised her responsibly as her maternal uncle (mavayya). There's also a heart-wrenching scene in which Jagadee explains to his niece why his family is not staying with them, and another one in which he asks Gummadi Varalakshmi (Ritu Varma) if he looks stubborn and like someone without any feelings. These points are conveyed without being preachy and are made to move you emotionally. But the climax isn’t fascinating as it ends with the usual hero-villain clash and doesn’t quite earn the redemptive emotional wallop.  

As far as the cast is concerned, Nani carries the film on his shoulders and steals the show with his subtle performance. As Jagadee, he keeps his spirits alive and maintains a positive outlook along with his relaxed naturalism. Where he truly succeeds is in making us forget that we are watching a film. Ritu Varma is elegant and restrained in an understated role. Daniel Balaji brings intensity and an unpredictable fire to his part as the brooding tough guy. Thiruveer, in a high-pitched role, delivers a competent performance. Despite sporting a long list of cast members it's actors like Aishwarya Rajesh, Devadarshini and Maala Parvathi who stand out of the lot. VK Naresh, Rao Ramesh and Rohini do a decent job and while Praveen is adequate, Nasser makes his presence felt in a cameo. SS Thaman's music is just about okay, while Gopi Sundar's background score is effective and helps in enhancing the impact of dramatic scenes. Prasad Murella's cinematography is top-notch.

Overall, Tuck Jagadish is a mixed bag of emotions that depicts family conflict, sibling rivalry and heartbreak. Watch the film as a family entertainer and you will fall in love with its protagonist.

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