‘Tuck Jagadish’ movie review: Nani stars in a mediocre family drama

The film falls flat due to the underwhelming screenplay

Director: Shiva Nirvana

Cast: Nani, Jagapathy Babu, Ritu Varma and Aishwarya Rajesh, and Nassar

Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Rating: 2/5

Director Shiva Nirvana’s latest movie Tuck Jagadish had the potential to be an emotionally-gripping family drama but it ends up being a synonym for mediocrity. The film revolves around the life of a simpleton named Jagadish Naidu, played by Nani, who considers his relatives to be the most important part of his life. His world is turned upside down when his elder brother shows his true colours following his father’s death. The rest of the narrative revolves around his attempts to get things back on track.

Weak execution

The basic storyline lacks novelty but it has all the commercial elements—right from the ‘amma’ sentiment to a romantic track—that one would expect from a family drama. The premise, sadly, fails to reach its potential as the writing is not up to the mark.

Effective opening scene

Tuck Jagadish opens with a dark and gruesome sequence that has shades of the one seen in Narappa, which was a remake of the Tamil movie Asuran. Things, however, go downhill pretty fast as the makers are unable to add emotional depth to the narrative.

No emotional depth

A film with a family backdrop can work only if the characters feel relatable. Moreover, the dynamics between them need to be explored in detail. The 2013 release Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu is a case in point. The film hit the right notes as the bond between Venkatesh and Mahesh Babu felt relatable and heart-warming. Moreover, Prakash Raj’s portrayal of a caring patriarch gave the film a strong emotional fulcrum.

This is exactly where Tuck Jagadish fails to deliver. The multi-character setting makes it difficult for the viewer to relate to the dynamics at play. The problem is compounded by the fact that most of the characters haven’t really been fleshed out properly. While the track involving Nani and Aishwarya Rajesh is one of the highlights of the film, it too hasn’t been explored as well as it could have been.

Cliches galore

Tuck Jagadish, like most commercial films, sticks to cliches and templates. The track involving the cruel fate of an honest officer is a case in point. While this is not a cardinal sin, it dilutes the impact by making the film a bit too predictable even by the standards associated with mainstream movies. The twist involving Jagapathi Babu’s character too is quite unconvincing, to say the least. Most of the so-called lighter sequences feel forced.

Not a lost cause

That said, Tuck Jagadish is not an unwatchable affair by any stretch of the imagination. Punch dialogues such as ‘Mental Rowdy’ and ‘I am a local’ cater to Nani fans. The action scenes towards the end make an impact due to their organic intensity. A scene involving Aishwarya and her husband is quite intense.

Nani to the rescue

Nani salvages the film with his sincere performance. The star, who received praise for his work in the emotionally-draining Jersey, rises above the mediocre script to shine in the family sequences. His scenes with Jagapathi Babu, especially towards the end, click with the audience.

That said, ‘Jaggu’ is a bit under-utilised as his character does not do justice to his range as a performer. He does not get enough scope to emote with his eyes, the way he did in the Chiranjeevi-starrer Sye Raa.

Ritu Varma, who garnered attention with her work in Putham Pudhu Kaalai, makes a decent impact even though she is burdened with a half-baked character. The same applies to ‘Aishu’.

Nassar has time and again proved that he is an excellent actor who can make an impact even if he does not get enough scope. The Baahubali actor, for example, delivered the goods when he played Venky’s mentor-turned-foe in Narappa even though he appeared only in the flashback sequences. In Tuck Jagadish, again, he shines in a small role. The rest of the cast is adequate.

Musically inadequate

Family dramas usually feature a few hummable songs. Sr NTR’s Chitti Chellelu, for instance, boasted of the heart-warming Andala Pasi Papa song that attained cult status. Tuck Jagadish, however, is an exception as none of the songs register. The background score works in a few scenes but falls flat in others. The other technical aspects are up to the mark.