Making films which are based on rape theme are nothing new for Bollywood,as rape has been shown in so many films, but the thing which is not many times shown in Bollywood is child abuse, something very terrible. In Bollywood, we have seen only two films which were based on the theme of child abuse and they were ''Monsoon Wedding'' & ''Pitaah''.This time we have a film called ''Jaago'', which is again based on this theme. With such a hard-hitting subject, the film lacks something. What`s that???
THE FILM:
''Jaago'', produced and directed by Mehul Kumar, stars Raveena Tandon, Sanjay Kapoor, Manoj Bajpai, Hansika Motwani, Akhilendra Mishra and Puru Raajkumar. This is one such film, which has a very different theme, from regular Bollywood films and it is also songless. With these ingredients, an audience might think that this film will really be something mind-blowing, but it disappoints!
THE CHARACTERS AND PERFORMANCES:
1.Shraddha(Raveena Tandon):Shraddha is a very strong woman, whose daughter was raped and killed. She is off to take revenge from those who raped her daughter. Raveena Tandon is excellent in a role which fits her to the 'T'. Her outbursts in the court scene or in the scene where her daughter dies are wonderful. She acts so well, that you can really understand the pain through which the character of Shraddha, is going.
2.Shrikant(Sanjay Kapoor):Shrikant is Shraddha's husband,who is a veru nice person and a very loving husband, as well, but tragedy strikes when his innocent young daughter is raped,one night! Sanjay Kapoor, needs to improve himself as an actor, because Manoj Bajpai and Raveena Tandon, create so much of an impression on the audience, that your attention won't go towards Sanjay Kapoor,at all.But with this, I also can't say that Sanjay Kapoor, is very bad, but he should improve himself as an actor, so that you may feel his presence.
3.Kripa Shankar Thakur(Manoj Bajpai):Kripa Shankar Thakur is a very honest and a hard-working policeman, who is currently handling the case of Shraddha and Shrikant. Manoj Bajpai, once again proves that he is one of the best actor which Bollywood has, today. If he was excellent in ''Pinjar'', then he is superb in this film. His outbursts in several scenes are excellent. His is the best performance in this film.
Hansika Motwani, the child artiste (who stars in the T.V serial ''Des Main Niklla Hoga Chand'', and played one of Hrithik Roshan's friend in ''Koi Mil Gaya''), as Shruti, does a good job. Akhilendra Mishra is fine, where as Puru Raajkumar fails to impress.
THE STORY:
Shruti is a school going girl, who daily goes to her school by train. One schoolday, she is locked in the school, and gets her train at midnight. In the train,a gang of some boys rape her, and no one comes to Shruti`s rescue. She is send to a hospital, where her parents, Shrikant and Shraddha, see her for the last time, as she dies, in the hospital. This makes both Shrikant and Shraddha in a state of shock. Their case is then handled by a very honest police inspector Kripa Shankar Thakur. Shraddha, being the loving mother of her daughter Shruti, who has passed away,decides to take revenge from those who raped her daughter. Will she do so?How will she take revenge? This forms the rest of the story.
THE WORK OF THE CREW:
Mehul Kumar's, direction is just fine. Where he makes some scenes clapworthy, the other ones are not effective. Shraddha (Raveena Tandon) wearing a sexy top and jeans, and killing the guys who raped her daughter, is one such scene which will leave you shocked, as it seems so unrealistic. Other scenes, which do make you bore are those with Puru Raajkumar, whose presence, proved disastrous for the film. On the other hand,there are some well executed scenes as well. For example, the scene where Shraddha declares in the court, that she killed the guys in train and says that a law should be made that the rapists must be killed, is excellent.
Screenplay,is the weakest link of the movie, which makes some very important questions remain unanswered. The first thing which hits my mind is that why Shraddha and the inspector couldn't find a better way to take revenge from the rapists. Why did Shraddha had to wear such sexy outfit, only to entertain those audince who wanted to see the 'mast' girl Raveena Tandon, looking sexy? Also, why no passenger in the train came to Shruti's help? Why didn't they do anything for her, even if they were afraid of the rapists?
Editing,could have been a lot more crisper.Some scenes seem forced in the going-ons,like Puru Raajkumar`s part.
Dialogues, are clapworthy. In such a film, the dialogues fit in very well.
Cinematography, is alright, not too good-not too bad.
Production Values are poor, making you feel as if this film is too old. Actually,the trailors for the film, were very ordinary, which will make this film face difficulty, to attract the audiences.
ON THE WHOLE:
''Jaago'' could have been a lot more better, had it been taken more seriously and handled with sensitivity. Such films need to be hard hitting, where this one fails miserably. There's no point in watching this film,if you've already seen ''Pitaah'', or other English films, which are based on the same theme. If you plan to see it, then only see this one for wonderful performances by Manoj Bajpai and Raveena Tandon. Not worth it!
