No jai ho moment!

Johnson Thomas

Intended as a satirical take on the country’s political system and the manner in which the fourth estate projects it, Jai Ho Democracy doesn’t have any uniqueness to its storyline. Similar films like War Chhod Na Yaar, Kya Dilli Kya Lahore and many others, which follow the Oscar winner No Man’s Land pattern, have come before it and bitten the dust at the box-office.
There’s a verbal skirmish when a stray hen waddles from under the barbed wire fence into the no man’s land demarcated along the Indo-Pak border by the LOC on both sides. On hearing the commotion, the squadron leader (Mukesh Tiwari) rushes out from on his way to a bath, to figure out what the noise was all about.
In an attempt to emulate the Ek Ruka Hua Faisla closed-in debate, the director/writer sets-up an eminent panel of stalwart actors to fill in the shoes of Parliament’s most lampooned faces. So there’s Om Puri as Pandeyji a notorious septuagenarian given to sexual peccadilloes, Seema Biswas emulating a well-known Bengali politician as Mohini
Devi, Satish Kaushik as a Jat strongman Chaudhury, Annu Kapoor as a former South-Indian judge and anointed chairman of this special committee Ramalingam, a lady Minister Mrs Bedi (Rajni Gujral) representing Punjab’s political family, Adil Hussain giving the North-East a voice as Major Baruah and Aamir Bashir, doing his bit as the voice of Kashmir as Bashir Baig.
It’s of course a pointless debate because the clueless panelists talk about being in camera to pass a crucial bill, as empowered by Parliament. Instead of discussing the matter at hand they indulge in personal back-chat that leads to an implosion.
The stereotypical representation of Parliamentarians allows for some display of skill but the actors are all found pretty much wanting. Annu Kappoor does a bad South-Indian impersonation; Adil Hussain tries hard to fit his act and appears labored. Aamir Bashir, Seema Biswas, Satish Kaushik and Om Puri are merely passable. Rajni Gujral has precious little to do. One expected better from a director who has an enviable record in theatre.