Abhishek Bachchan, Yami Gautam and Nimrat Kaur deliver an outstanding performance. But the film’s badly-written story and poor execution falls short of tickling a funny bone.
Name: Dasvi
Director: Tushar Jalota
Rating: 2.5/5
Platform: Netflix
Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. We know it but ever imagined if a politician realises it while sitting in the confines of the jail? That’s Dasvi for you.
The story begins with the arrest of Ganga Ram Chaudhary (Abhishek Bachchan), the chief minister (CM) of Hamit Pradesh (a fictional state). This forces Ganga Ram to appoint his wife Bimla Devi (Nimrat Kaur), as the interim chief minister. Bimla, who once managed their home and cattle and was too scared to speak in his presence, starts enjoying the newly-found authority and power as a CM. So much so, that the idea of leaving the CM’s chair disturbs her.
Inside the jail, Ganga Ram’s life isn’t easy. The lazy politician locks head with an honest jail superintendent Jyoti Deswal (Yami Gautam) for being too illiterate (eighth pass) to run the country. Aggravated by the superintendent’s remarks and to avoid the allocated work given to him in jail, Ganga Ram decides to take Class 10 exams (without appearing for the ninth standard). As he opens his heart to books, his mind also opens and he is able to see the mistakes made in the history.
As a concept, Tushar Jalota deserves a pat on his back for giving a spotlight to the power of education. But the plot loses its grip somewhere in the middle. The first half looks stretched. At one point, you would want an early interval. Even humour doesn’t give respite from the extended first half. The second half is somewhat better. The story justifies the Ganga Ram’s learnings in the jail. It is the rush to conclude the film that spoils the film. Editing certainly needed a fix. Showing Ganga Ram’s sudden change of heart as a student when he dreamt of getting back his kursi also looks unrealistic.
In terms of acting, everyone has delivered their role to perfection. Abhishek Bachchan has left no stone unturned to get into the shoes of a jatt. His Haryanavi accent is spot on and doesn’t look forced. His look with a turban and a wooden stick in his hand also suffices his character. Nimrat Kaur has made a comeback to the films. With Bimla Devi, she has proved that she can adapt to any role effortlessly (she plays a negative character). Yami Gautam as a brave and fearless soldier has also added another star in the list of characters she has showcased in the last few films. As a fierce officer who has a heart of gold, she shines.
But her dedication to teach Ganga Ram looked unrealistic. The director should have dedicated more time in building the trust between Ganga Ram and Jyoti's friendship. Her sudden intent to teach Ganga Ram looks surreal to her character who was responsible for the entire jail. Writers Suresh Nair and Ritesh Shah could have developed Ganga Ram and Jyoti's friendship to justify the latter's change of heart.
Overall Dasvi could have been made into a great film had the characters have also grown with the story. Giving it a release on Netflix is a respite for the movie lovers.
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