Name: JugJugg Jeeyo (2022)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2022-06-24
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani, Anil Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Maniesh Paul

JugJugg Jeeyo is an Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by Raj Mehta and produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani in the lead roles alongside Prajakta Koli and Maniesh Paul.

JugJugg Jeeyo (2022)

Bollywood Hungama

Times of India

When was the last time a Hindi film juxtaposed a serious issue like divorce with dollops of humour? Generally speaking, most storytellers take the safe route: the estranged couple bury the hatchet and move on in life, as a couple. All’s well that ends well.
JUG JUGG JEEYO - directed by Raj Mehta - takes a parallel route. We got an inkling of its plot when we watched its trailer, but there’s more to this family saga than romance, laughter, heartbreaks and heartaches. Sure, the problems are very, very real, but the culmination is very unconventional too. More on that later.

Also, JUG JUGG JEEYO isn’t one of those traditional movies with an orthodox look at relationships, although the characters are very desi at heart. That’s one of the reasons why JUG JUGG JEEYO works. Now let’s give you a gist of its story, without spoilers, of course.
JUG JUGG JEEYO is about two couples caught in extraordinary situations. Kuku [Varun Dhawan] and Naina [Kiara Advani] are childhood sweethearts. They get married, Kuku’s family - father Bheem [Anil Kapoor], mother Geeta [Neetu Kapoor] and sister Ginni [Prajakta Koli] - are in a celebratory mood as well.

Five years later, Kuku and Naina - who have relocated to Toronto, Canada - are on the verge of separation. They fly to India for Ginni’s wedding and decide to inform the family of their plans [of divorce], after the marriage celebrations conclude.

The story takes a dramatic turn when Kuku learns of his father’s plans of divorcing his mother, soon after Ginni’s wedding. What happens next?

Crumbling marriages and legal separation have been depicted umpteen times on the big screen, but the writers of JUG JUGG JEEYO offer something hatke this time: the goings-on are soaked in humour, although the subject is very serious by nature.

The graph of the story, again, doesn’t take the beaten path. The writers pepper generous doses of humour and witty lines in the first hour, even though uncomfortable and unpleasant situations crop up now and then. It’s at the pre-interval point that the wheels start moving and things get serious.

The fireworks are reserved for the middle act, soon after the intermission. Four episodes in particular - that occur one after the other - take the film to a dramatic high:

*The family meeting at the temple.
*The heart-to-heart conversation between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law [Neetu Kapoor, Kiara].
*The massive showdown between the young couple [Varun, Kiara].
*The revelry as the parents renew their wedding vows [Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor] and the aftermath.

The writing is, without doubt, the soul of JUG JUGG JEEYO. Besides the above-mentioned sequences, a number of moments in the narrative catch your eye and it’s not limited to the dramatic ones. Even the humour injected at regular intervals - especially the sequences involving Varun’s brother-in-law [Maniesh Paul] - is sure to bring the house down.

However, it’s the finale that will meet with diverse opinions. Will the conservative audiences - especially in the heartland - accept it? Was an easier way out, a more conventional finale the need of the hour? Will be interesting to see the reactions once the film releases.

Raj Mehta’s direction is top notch. GOOD NEWWZ [2019], his directorial debut, dealt with two couples caught in an unusual situation. JUG JUGG JEEYO is in the same zone, but the couples are inter-related and that makes it even more interesting. His execution is simple, but effective.

The soundtrack is one of the USPs of the film. 'The Punjaabban Song' is enticing. 'Rangisari', played at the end credits, is soulful. 'Dupatta' works because it comes at a crucial point.
The performances are of a high order. Varun Dhawan essays his part with precision. Watch him in the dramatic confrontations, you will realise he has come a long way as an actor. Kiara Advani looks gorgeous, but that’s not all. She gets the opportunity to make a strong impression in portions that show her lose temper.

Anil Kapoor is flawless. He balances the dramatic highs and lows like a true veteran and puts up a sparkling act. It’s wonderful to see Neetu Kapoor on the big screen again. She’s brilliant. After DO DOONI CHAAR [2010], this is yet another film that stands out in her repertoire.

Maniesh Paul is in terrific form, his comic timing is spot on. How one wishes one saw more of him in movies. Prajakta Koli is lovely and an absolute natural. Watch her heartbreaking moment with her family towards the finale, she is super. Tisca Chopra is delightful in a cameo.

On the whole, JUG JUGG JEEYO is a winner. It works for varied reasons, the most important one being it balances drama, humour and emotions seamlessly. The strong emotional quotient, in the second hour especially, is one factor that’s sure to attract families in hordes. Watch it with your loved ones, this one’s worthy of a recommendation.

Right from the time Kuku (Varun Dhawan) sets his eyes on Naina (Kiara Advani), he knows she’s the one. From childhood to adulthood, theirs is a textbook romance, but five years into the marriage and things begin to fall apart. So much so that the two decide to part ways, but the biggest challenge is to break the news to their families. Especially, to Kuku’s loud and boisterous family that is all geared up for their younger daughter Ginni’s (Prajakta Koli) wedding. It sounds like a simple plot, but wait till director Raj Mehta and his writers rapidly throw one relationship issue after the other at you. The makers take every stereotypical Indian problem and give it a comedic twist. From pesky aunties torturing newlyweds for ‘good news’, to a young girl getting married to a man she doesn’t love just because she wants to be “settled”. The film throws light on several issues softly, and always with a sense of humour. Raj Mehta’s flawed and real characters and their problems are relatable. The entire narrative is a roller coaster ride of relationship issues that aren’t easy to be resolved, but handled with enough tact to never make this film a tedious watch.
Anil Kapoor is the absolute life of the party here. The actor is in top form as the loud and colourful family patriarch Bheem. The role is tailor-made for him as he makes you root for him despite all his eccentricities. Varun Dhawan exercises commendable restrain in an all-out family drama that uses comedic respite to come out of every difficult situation. Kiara Advani looks stunning in every frame and pulls off a fine performance. Neetu Kapoor is extremely endearing and likeable and fits the role beautifully. In the second half, when her character gets to lead from the front, she is in her element. YouTuber Prajakta Koli makes a confident debut, but has a lot of room for improvement in the expressions department. Maniesh Paul fits the bill, as the flashy and over-the–top Gurpreet.
While most of the jokes in ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’ land pretty well, there’s background score to push you to laugh, in case some don’t. The film’s music is catchy with songs like ‘nach punjaban’ already becoming a rage. This family drama starts off well and ends even better. The runtime is slightly problematic and it could have done with a tighter edit. What really draws you in are the powerful performances and quirky dialogues. Just like its characters, ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’ too has its flaws but at the end of the day, it’s all in the family and this is just the kind of wholesome family entertainer that we need to watch in the theatre.

Born on April 24, 1987 in Mumbai, Varun Dhawan is the son of veteran filmmaker David Dhawan. Before beginning his acting career, Varun worked as an assistant director for Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer My Name Is Khan (2010). In 2012, he made his big screen debut with Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year. Varun is best known for movies like Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014), Main Tera Hero (2014), Badlapur (2015), ABCD 2 (2015), Dilwale (2015), Dishoom (2016), Judwaa 2 (2017), Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017) and October (2018). Interestingly, Varun, a die-hard fan of WWE wrestler The Rock, Dwayne Johnson always wanted to be a wrestler.

Varun Dhawan

Neetu Singh is an Indian actress who was one of the popular leading ladies in Bollywood in the 1970`s and early 1980`s. She started out as a child actress, appearing in movies like Waris (1969) and Do Dooni Char (1968). Neetu debuted as a lead actress with Rickshawala in 1973, and subsequently appeared in a slew of popular movies which included Deewar (1975), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Doosra Aadmi (1977), Kaala Patthar (1979) and Yaarana (1981).

Neetu Singh

Anil Kapoor is one of the most celebrated actors of the Indian cinema. The recipient of two National Awards and six Filmfare Awards, Anil’s acting career spans almost four decades. His debut movie was Vamsa Vruksham (1980). Since then he has delivered numerous blockbusters like Meri Jung, Janbaaz, Mr.India, Virasat, Pukar, Awaargi, No Entry, Taal and Dil Dhadakne Do. Anil has also featured in the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire (2008). A global icon, Kapoor has also played a crucial role in the American TV series “24” & adapted the same for the Indian audiences too.

Anil Kapoor

Kiara Advani is a well-known face in Hindi & Telugu film industry. She made her acting debut in 2014 with the movie Fugly. Kiara is a trained actor from Anupam Kher's training institute- Actor Prepares. Kiara has been part of blockbuster movies like M.S Dhoni: The Untold Story. She made her Tollywood debut in 2018 with Bharat Ane Nenu opposite superstar Mahesh Babu.

Kiara Advani

Maniesh Paul is an Indian television presenter, anchor, model, singer, actor and comedian in Bollywood. Starting his career as an RJ and VJ, he moved to acting before taking up stand-up comedy and hosting.

Maniesh Paul

Tisca Chopra

Prajakta Koli, known for her YouTube Channel Mostlysane, is an Indian YouTuber and actress who makes comedy videos. Her videos are focused mostly on relatable and observational comedy related to daily life situations. 

JugJugg Jeeyo (2022)(2022)