Movie Review | ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey’ breaks romantic conventions with aplomb

After all, the fight has always been for gender parity and justice. So, we as a society, have gained much. Have we? Wait, it's not yet time to be complacent. The movie, 'Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey', reveals some stark realities, notions, and perspectives that are still ingrained in the social fabric and tamped down constantly by the so-called cultural conventions of the land.

With a captivating storyline, laced with comical elements, 'Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey', written and directed by Vipin Das, marvelously exploits the suburban style and Kollam slang and breaks several romantic conventions, both in cinema and in society.

It is near impossible to break free from those fetters and achieve real justice and freedom unless you are a 'Jayabharati' (Darshana Rajendran). As an ordinary girl born into a moderate middle-class family, Jaya endures all sorts of prejudices since childhood because of her gender. A failed romance and incomplete education leave her with no other choice than to marry a man who minds only his own business - Rajesh (Basil Joseph).

Meanwhile, Rajesh, who runs a poultry farm, is a slave of his nerves and blasts at anything that annoys him. What life has in store for Jaya in her married life constitutes the plot.

Seldom do we find situations in movies these days that we fondly relish long afterward. 'Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey' offers many such moments that we would love to revisit, whether it is the witty interlude, deadpan humour, action, or deep emotional scenes.

Coherent writing makes the dialogues and sequences fresh, intimate and relatable. Apart from Basil Joseph and Darshana, Biju Kalanilayam, the actor who played Jaya's father and Kanaka, who played Rajesh's mother, are outstanding. Aju Verghese, Azees Nedumangad, Sudheer Paravoor, Manju Pillai, Hareesh Pengan, Noby Marcose, Sharath Sabha and Anand Manmadhan stupendously essay their characters.

The background score and the songs composed by Ankit Menon complement and elevate the drama, and Bablu Aju's camera brilliantly follows the actions, hues, mood and nuances of the narrative.

The comedy, the sensible presentation of the gender topic, the magical performance of all the actors, the fluid narrative and a cracker of a climax make the movie a must-watch.