5 Reasons Shahid Kapoor's Jersey Cannot Be Skipped!

Shahid Kapoor starrer Jersey is one of the best movies of 2022, it lives up to the hype for a fantastic innings. The man of the match is Shahid Kapoor and his playing 11 are star performers. Here are 5 reasons why Jersey is a must watch Film!

1) Performances

Coach Gowtam Tinnanuri with captain Shahid Kapoor leading his best 11, Mrunal Thakur, Pankaj Kapur, Ronit Kamra, Geetika Mehandru, Shishir Sharma, Rudrashish Majumdar, Rituraj Singh, and Vinay Varma to a straight win with the performances. It was in all honesty a dream team for Gowtam Tinnanuri. Every actor bringing life to their assigned characters with the material in hand is a sign of a good performer. Not even for a moment did I see Shahid Kapoor in that movie, everywhere it was Arjun Kapoor and his quirks, the little distinguishable traits which the director designed for him. The way Arjun Talwar is on the field and off-field, his disposition towards his son, and the dynamics he shares with his wife is conveyed perfectly. Mrunal Thakur is capable of uplifting any character's role. She aces it effortlessly. Pankaj Kapur can't help but steal the frame. In cricket, there is a partnership between two players; one plays steadily so the batsman at the other end can play explosively, calling the shots. This is exactly how Pankaj Kapur gives room for Shahid Kapoor's character. Shahid can give his all and still have a safety net to fall. Their duo is what we call a prolific partnership in cricket. Ronit Kamra is so confident in his role. His character represents all the people rooting for Arjun Talwar. He effectively expresses all the emotions making us shed a tear or two because of the impact. Truly a star performer for years to come.

2) Father-son duo

Arjun Talwar (Shahid Kapoor) and Kittu (Ronit Kamra) share a beautiful bond. Arjun Talwar's dreams have been shattered, his professional life is a mess, and his love life is chaotic. This is reflected in his disposition. But make no mistake, Arjun Talwar is a shield for his son, he can move earth to fulfill his son's one wish. Whatever life throws at him, he makes sure none of them reaches his son. 

Kittu in turn is Arjun's number one cheerleader; he understands his father's plight. His father is his hero, even when Arjun can't offer his son anything, Kittu still holds him high in regard. Quite contrary to the old hackneyed way of creating a rift between father and son, Jersey opts for a healthy relationship. This is refreshing and captivating.

Another reel father-son duo portrayed by real father and son is that of Pankaj Kapur and Shahid Kapoor. Pankaj's character, Madhav Sharma, is a mentor to Arjun Talwar. This father figure always roots for his son and looks after his life even from a distance. Arjun Talwar and Coach Sharma have a difference in age, approach, and behavior but the connection is all that matters. We see Coach Sharma point Arjun in the right direction and even listen to his qualms. This relationship pulls so many emotional strings.

 

3) Story and execution

In cricket, even the strongest team on paper has been rejected by the field conditions. Jersey's story on paper is beautiful and moving. The writing may sometimes have tiny errors, but because it is clever and crisp we can't complain. On paper Jersey is impeccable. In practice, Jersey could have many setbacks right from performance to direction to music to even dialogue delivery and its landing. Fortunately, Gowtam Tinnanuri makes sure Jersey doesn't face any of that. He laced Jersey with all the elements of a blockbuster. He doesn't take the material lightly, his vision foretells how the audience would perceive the same scene in two different languages, so he doesn't simply copy and paste it. He moulds the narrative catering to the masses. The execution is as strong as the conceptualization of the movie.

4) Music

Is it even a good story if the tunes go against it? Of Course not. Many movies don't understand the power of music, and how it isn't only a commercial avenue to mint a few extra bucks. Music is the soul of any film. Characters can't always spell out everything in their mind, every scene can't have dialogues. There are sequences and montages. We need a powerful background score to compliment the story.

Anirudh Ravichander, who has established his presence strongly in Tamil cinema, has composed the music for Jersey. Sachet Tandon captures the inner turmoil of Arjun Talwar (Shahid Kapoor). The song Mehram has a blend of melancholy and motivation but the music appears to be a band-aid on wounds. Maiyya Mainu is clean and contemporary. Baliye Re by Sachet Tandon, Stebin Ben, Paramapara Tandon, Mellow D is upbeat and fresh and Jind Meriye is in sync with Arjun Talwar's life. The music of Jersey is mesmerizing.

5) Themes

The weight of unfulfilled dreams, Fate vs free will and Beating the odds are the three themes taking a front seat in Jersey. How an unemployed man gets crushed because of what life has planned for him versus what he planned for his own life. It's poetic and tragic. Self-determination is not a problem for Arjun Talwar, but life's odd complexities are a step ahead of him, beating him in his own game. There is a relatability factor in this story. Something for everyone. It's not a Fantasy, Jersey shows the real-life ordeals of someone like Arjun Talwar who doesn't live his dream, in fact life just doesn't give him a chance. 

We have given countless chances to movies that were doomed from the start. But every once in a while, a movie that doesn't believe in overdramatizing emotions and puts forth a genuine effort appears. We definitely should open a little window of opportunity for this film. The Telugu version of Jersey has its own place and Shahid Kapoor's Jersey isn't trying to displace it. If the movie is executed correctly, immaterial of the fact that it's a remake or not then the movie has done its job. Catch Jersey in the theatres near you and then form an opinion.