Last seen in Kabir Singh, Shahid Kapoor returned to the big screen with Jersey three years later. Adapted from a Telugu film of the same name that was released in 2019, the movie was written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, who also directed the original.
While watching the film, one thing that stands out is Shahid Kapoor’s appearance, which hasn’t changed much since Kabir Singh. His Arjun Talwar in Jersey, on the other hand, is considerably calmer and more contained than the raucous, enraged Kabir Singh. He takes the film on his able shoulders as a gifted but failing cricketer, a devoted father, and a husband trying desperately to keep his marriage from crumbling apart.
Jersey tells the story of Arjun Talwar (Shahid Kapoor), a very skilled Ranji cricketer who quits the game at the age of 26 and resolves to restart his career ten years later. In the process, Arjun hopes to fulfill his kid Kitu’s (Ronit Kamra) ambition of witnessing his father play cricket by purchasing a shirt. Along the way, Arjun has mental upheaval and clashes with his wife, Vidya Talwar (Mrunal Thakur), who shoulders the family’s financial burden.
Jersey is full of passion but lacks the fascination value that would keep you interested. And the film’s over three-hour duration adds to the misery.
To begin with, Arjun and Vidya’s passion, as well as their efforts to persuade her South Indian father to marry her daughter into a Punjabi family, becomes a little too strained. The gags fall flat even when the filmmaker tries to inject some lightheartedness into these moments by exploiting common stereotypes about North and South Indian cultures.
Throughout the first half, we only hear two things: the son’s desire for a jersey and the father’s struggle to come up with ₹500 to get one. Only in the second half does the tale begin to move ahead.
Furthermore, the film’s one significant surprise, which occurs near the conclusion, did not overwhelm me.
I wish the creators had created a unique twist to set the narrative apart from the original.
Jersey is about the complexities of relationships, not only sports. It’s about a father and a kid, a husband and a wife, a player, a coach, a failed cricketer, and his friends. And I thought it gave the film a lovely dimension. The appealing performances while demonstrating these relationships are the cherry on top.
Jersey relies on Shahid Kapoor’s shoulders when it comes to performances. He has given his all and immersed himself in his character’s role. His eyes do the talking in multiple instances, and it must be seen to be believed. Mrunal Thakur’s character isn’t fully developed. She does, however, perform admirably. Ronit Kamra is a lovely young lady. Pankaj Kapur is an excellent actor who has a terrific relationship with Shahid. His climactic discussions, on the other hand, are difficult to follow. Geetika Mehandru (Jasleen Shergill) is endearing and assured in her performance. Rituraj Singh (Mahesh sir) is a trustworthy individual. As Arjun’s sidekick, Anjum Batra (Amrit) is charming. Ravinder and grownup Kittu are both played by decent actors.
Shahid keeps his performance subtle and doesn’t go crazy. His expressions of rage, frustration, helplessness, delight, and triumph are spot on. Mrunal, who plays a working woman and mother, does an excellent job and does not appear forced in the screenplay. The film gives ample scope for her to perform, and she lets her expressions and eyes do most of the talking. Ronit Kamra as Shahid and Mrunal’s onscreen son is the same kid from the original and is as good in the Hindi remake, too. His scenes with Shahid are delightful, and you can connect with the bond this father-son duo shares onscreen.
To summarize, Jersey stays faithful to the sports drama genre in which it is set, striking a perfect balance between the game and a sportsperson’s emotional side. It would have been an ideal and crisp watch if the producers hadn’t copied the entire movie screen by screen and worked harder on the editing table to get it to two hours or so.
