Jogi uncovers the gruesome outcome of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as the eponymous hero strives against all odds to deliver his community to safety.
Starring Diljit Dosanjh as the titular character, Jogi tracks the daring endeavors of Joginder Singh in the politically unstable milieu of 1984 following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and starring Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Kumud Mishra, and Hiten Tejwani in supporting roles, Jogi delivers an emotionally intensive glimpse into the horrors of communal riots and the power of unrelenting determination and friendship.
The Story
When two Sikh bodyguards assassinate Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in retaliation to the Operation Blue Star military mission, violent riots break out across the Indian capital as Sikhs are targeted mercilessly as an outcome of the ministerial assassination.
Joginder Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) finds his entire family and community inhumanely attacked as lynchers loot the Trilokpuri residents and set their colony ablaze. The corrupt official Tejpal Arora (Kumud Mishra) pursues political gain at the cost of innocent lives as he mobilizes convicts of the Trilokpuri thana, inciting thugs and police officers to target every Sikh left in Delhi.
Scrambling for refuge, Jogi is joined by his childhood friends Inspector Rawinder Chautala (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) and truck owner Kaleem Ansari (Paresh Pahuja) as they stealthily concoct a scheme to lead the remaining Sikhs to Mohali.
Chased by their vindictive friend Inspector Lali Katiyal (Hiten Tejwan) and Tejpal’s forces, the three friends mobilize forces as they risk their lives and families to preserve the Sikh community and faith.
Reasons To Stream
Offering a brutally honest glimpse into the Sikh riots of 1984, Jogi delivers an insightful panorama into a burning Delhi rift by communal conflicts. The historical drama revisits the horrors of a nation yet again divided by faith and religion as genocidal violence threatens countless innocent lives across the Indian capital.
In its evocative depiction of the Sikh massacre, an intense melange of emotions elicits woe and sorrow alongside anger and distress at meaningless death and suffering of communal violence. The film effectively captures the raw aggression of communal riots and the emotional and physical trauma faced by the Sikh community.
Diljit Dosanjh delivers an exceptional performance as the eponymous hero of the film. Effortlessly emotive and convincingly haunted by the horrors of the massacre, Dosanjh personifies persistent faith in the face of death in his commendable portrayal of Jogi. Dosanjh is laudable in his authentic rendering of Jogi’s vulnerability and the struggle between faith and survival.
Kumud Mishra efficiently essays his role as the vitriolic counselor, displaying his apathetic outlook on the violence rampant in the city. While Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Paresh Pahuja successfully portray their characters as pillars of support to Dosanjh’s Jogi, Hiten Tejwani adds depth to the plot in his intriguing portrayal of the grey character of Inspector Lali.
The outright violence of the riots is counterbalanced by the nuanced relationships depicted in the film, such as Lali and Jogi’s fraught bond. Subplots of redemption propel the plot forward as Lali’s redeeming act of calling the army at a pivotal point saves the hiding Sikhs.
The negative power of communal biases and riots is delicately counterbalanced by the united force of the three friends of different faiths. Their spirit of friendship transcends religion and faith as they risk their life, families, and careers, encapsulating the flicker of hope yearned for amid the raging riots.
Reasons To Skip
While emotional intensity is essential in capturing the sentiments of a nation rifted by communalism, Jogi toes the line between intensive sentimentality and outright melodrama.
The emotional catharsis generated by the film borders on excessive melodrama as constant repetitions of violent reminiscences makes use of the community’s suffering as fodder for entertainment. The excessive use of melodramatic devices additionally runs the risk of distracting from the reality of the mayhem.
The film also predictably introduces a subplot of a love story with Jogi and Kammo’s relationship while the extended focus on brutality and violence leaves the political aspects barely gauged. Tejpal seems to be the only functionary proffering orders, leaving the layered political background following Indira Gandhi’s assassination rather one-dimensional.
Furthermore, the film ends rather abruptly and anti-climactically. Moreover, Tejpal’s character is left unresolved with several unanswered questions about the repercussions the officials complicit in the riots face.
The Verdict
Diljit Dosanjh’s performance is powerful enough to sway audiences to emotion and rumination, as the film compels viewers to ponder the ruthless violence and destruction caused by communal differences.
Despite veering towards excessive melodrama in terse moments, Jogi makes a praiseworthy attempt at documenting the atrocities of communal violence in its depiction of the 1984 Sikh massacre.
Rating: 3.5/5
Jogi is now streaming on Netflix.
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