Movie review 'Jil': Watch it for Gopichand

Cast: Gopichand, Rashi Khanna, Kabir, Posani, Avasarala and Urvashi
Director: Radhakrishna
Rating: 3 stars

After his success with Loukyam, a comedy, Gopichand is now back with Jil — an action entertainer also starring Rashi Khanna as the female lead.  The movie is directed by debutant director Radhakrishna.

The plot starts in Mumbai where Chota Nayak (Kabir), an underworld don has just fled police custody. Nayak is also searching for his aide Ranganath (Brahmaji), who, he comes to know, is hiding in Hyderabad. Ranganath is the reason why Nayak lands in the city.

Meanwhile, Jai (Gopichand) is a brave fire officer fighting those who violate fire and safety rules. During a rescue, he meets Savitri (Rashi Khanna) and falls in love with her. Jai and Chota Nayak’s paths cross after a tiny misunderstanding snowballs into a major street war.

The film has a safe subject — overall the usual revenge drama. But director Radhakrishna has successfully stylised almost every scene and the result is stunning. The portrayal of the two leads coupled with a background score from Ghibran makes the movie feel very slick and smart. And Gopichand is the man! The actor is very comfortable in his new look, which is perhaps the best ever in his career. He looks dashing on screen and is easily, the film’s highlight. Also, there’s the dancing. Gopichand has never really focussed on his dancing skills but my god, he can pull it off! This shift from comedy (after Loukyam) is delightfully refreshing.

Gopichand is also strongly backed by Rashi who has just given the best performance of her career so far. She keeps the chemistry going and looks glamorous on screen. Gopichand has been very lucky to have her by his side. A talent to watch out for is the villain — Kabir. He is a welcome change from all the other baddies Tollywood has been hiring. His anger and menace are both genuine and he really does give a stellar performance. Brahmaji appears in short intervals but is in integral part of the plot.

But besides good dialogues and excellent cinematography from Sakti Saravanan, there are a few drawbacks. The Posani Krishna Murali and Prabhas Srinu sequence is a waste — it’s boring and drags on. About the action scenes… there’s just too much violence and that can be a turn off for many. Also, the second half is slow and lets down the first. It’s overall paisa-vasool. But do watch it for Gopichand.