Jigyaasa is a movie that deals with the casting couch situation in the film industry. The subject is sensitive and could have a great deal of potential. Jigyaasa attempts to give us an inside view of the workings of the industry; how newcomers have to fight their way to the top and at the same time compromise on many of their personal values. Unfortunately, Jigyaasa’s treatment of the subject is not up to the mark and quiet unsatisfactory.
Jigyaasa is directed by Faisal Saif and stars Hrishitaa Bhatt (Jigyaasa Mathur), Varsha Usgaonkar, Mukesh Tiwari, Milind Gunaji and Vikas Kalantri among others. Jigyaasa is an ambitious girl and wants to be a successful actress at any cost. She hails from a middle class family and is the daughter of a school teacher who believes in values and principles in life. When Jigyaasa realizes that the only way for her to become an actress is by using her body and sexuality, she compromises on her values and uses her body to her advantage.
Her journey into this big bad world begins when she sleeps with a topnotch director to bag a film assignment, then with a lady producer (lesbian) to get another film, next she even provides a male companion to a gay activist who is the organizer of film awards, she also sleeps with a gangster. Jigyaasa gets embroiled in taking drugs, she becomes a drug addict and accuses an actor-director of sexual molestation, her life is in shambles and she has lost sight of her goal and aim in life.
Jigyaasa finally finds herself alone, she has no personal relations and neither any professional ones, she is gripped by depression and ultimately commits suicide.
The film’s script as well as direction is of sub standard quality, the film’s look, feel and style are of very poor quality. It gives the viewer an image of a sleazy and B grade film. The film has not been promoted at all, and instead the director hopes that the subject alone can carry forth the film. However, his handling of the subject is below average, often indirect potshots have been taken at several known names in Bollywood. He has portrayed the entire film industry in poor light.
Also, the subject of the casting couch syndrome in Bollywood has been seen and read about in overdose by audiences. Many news channels and magazines have bombarded viewers with sting operations on the inside workings of the film industry. Many viewers could also have an indifferent attitude to this subject, which they would view as an occupational hazard and as one involving personal choice.
Though Jigyaasa deals with a contemporary topic, its treatment of the story is one sided, uninteresting and unenlightening. It seems merely to have used the topic of sex to titillate audiences. Even the music of the film, which has three songs by Ram Shankar, is simply boring and unappealing. Dialogues too are crude at places.
Hrishitaa involves herself in the role and tries to the save the film, but the direction and style are too crude for the film to make it. Vikas Kalantri definitely needs to start learning the basic nuances of acting and the rest of the cast were merely mechanical.
Jigyaasa is unfortunately not worth watching even for the subject of the film. It is a sub standard film.
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| Reviewed By: Rachel Fernandes |
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