How often do we leave the cinema feeling genuinely entertained after watching a Pakistani film? Not often. And if entertainment is the criterion to judge a film by, ‘Mango Jutt’ definitely delivers. Starring Faysal Qureshi and Hareem Farooq in the lead, ‘Mango Jutt’ is certainly not among the finest commercial films to come out of Pakistani cinema. But it is not a bad one either. In fact, it’s far better than what we have been served so far this year in the name of commercial cinema, with films like ‘Bullah’, ‘Luv Di Saun’ and ‘Welcome to Punjab’. Let’s take a closer look at what works in its favour and where it falls short. Read on….
Mindless Comedy With Emotional Depth
‘Mango Jutt’ is essentially a ‘leave your brain outside’ comedy driven by over-the-top performances, action, songs, and romance. But it still attempts to delve deeper into some social issues without shoving them in your face. It portrays with surprising nuance how a survivor who has faced harassment and acid-attack threats in the past continues to live under that fear, even after escaping that situation.
Abu Aleeha’s Most Polished Work To Date
The film is originally written and directed by Abu Aleeha, though he later disowned the project following a fallout with the producer (Hareem Farooq). This is, by far, a better-written film than any of Aleeha’s previous outings. The story is simple and even when it doesn’t make sense at times, it works big time for a mass entertainer. The screenplay remains weak, like most of Aleeha’s scripts, but the dialogues largely make up for it. The humour works more often than not, though a few jokes do fall flat.
While ‘Taxali Gate’ remains a better film by Abu Aleeha in terms of story and characterization; ‘Mango Jutt’ is his most polished product to date (though he’s not credited for it as there’s no mention of him in the film’s credits). Aleeha’s films often suffer from poor editing, jarring and inconsistent background scores, and other technical flaws. Most of those issues are sorted here, and credit for that must go to producer Hareem Farooq. Having co-produced films like ‘Siyaah’, ‘Janaan’, ‘Parchi’, and ‘Heer Maan Ja’ with Imran Raza Kazmi, her experience clearly helped in maneuvering this project.
The Leads Steal The Spotlight
Performances are one of the strongest aspects of ‘Mango Jutt’. Much of the credit goes to Faysal Qureshi and Hareem Farooq for elevating many of the scenes that could have otherwise fallen flat. Faysal, with his experience in Punjabi cinema from the early days of his career in the 90s, understands the assignment perfectly. After decades of work on television, the shift in his performance for a mainstream Punjabi comedy is nothing short of brilliant as he speaks, walks, dances, delivers one-liners, and pulls off action sequences with effortless ease.
Hareem, too, looks apt for the part and does complete justice to the role. Two scenes in particular stand out: one where Shamoon Abbasi’s character tries to scare her by throwing water on her face, pretending it to be acid, and another just before the climax where her character is asked to settle the score with her offender. Though she slaps him, you can see lingering fear overpowering her rage through her body language. Hareem’s performance in both these scenes is nuanced and highly believable.
Supporting Cast: Hits And Misses
Shamoon Abbasi, despite playing the main antagonist, is let down by weak dialogue and is largely wasted. Ayesha Jahanzeb is simply terrible. However, the rest of the Punjab-based actors in comic roles, like Qaiser Piya, Honey Albela, Mohmmad Ali Moth Bhai, and Azhar Rangeela, all do a decent job with what they are given.
Lollywood Tarka Works Big Time
Music is another highlight, particularly the tadka of Lollywood songs like ‘Bijli Bhari Hai’ and ‘Mainu Dar Lagda’. The way these tracks are used in a number of sequences genuinely elevates the cinematic experience. The film also features three other songs that look and sound good on screen, but Zeb Bangash’s rendition of Noor Jehan’s ‘Mein Hoi Dawandol’ is the clear winner. The film’s songs had the potential to become chartbusters if they had been marketed better.
Final Verdict: A Fun Entertainer That Deserved Better
‘Mango Jutt’ is not a flawless film, far from it. But it never promises to be one. It’s a mindless entertainer with a dash of emotional depth, and it delivers exactly that. Barring the first 15 to 20 minutes, the film has no dull moments and keeps you engrossed and entertained despite all its shortcomings. It’s a sweet, one-time watch that was clearly made for an Eid audience and would easily have benefited from a festive release.
Comments
0 comments