Bobby Jasoos

Cast: Vidya Balan  (Bilkis Ahmed / Bobby), Ali Fazal (Tasawur), Kiran Kumar (Anees Khan), Rajendra Gupta (Bobby’s Abba), Supriya Pathak (Bobby’s Ammi),Vinay Varma (Ali Fazal’s father), Gangadhar Pandey (Naeem), Anupriya Goenka (Afreen), Arjan Bajwa (Lala), Tanvi Azmi (Kausar Khaala), Benaf Dadachandji (Noor), Prasad Barve (Shetty), Aakash Dahiya (Munna), Zarina Wahab (Afreen’s Ammi), Raina Rao, Tejas Mahajan (Sohail), Sundeep Hemnaoni (Arif)

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama

Direction: Samar Shaikh

Production: Dia Mirza, Sahil Sangha, Reliance Entertainment

Screenplay: Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh

Music: Shantanu Moitra

Cinematography: Vishal Sinha

Editor: Hemal Kothari

Release Date: 4^th July, 2014

Language: Hindi

Duration: 2 hours 2 minutes

Bobby Jasoos, a film by Samar Shaikh, could have been another Vidya Balan hit with the very novel concept of a female detective, a very unconventional profession for a female to be in, but something is amiss which hasn’t worked in its favour. Post ‘The Dirty Picture’ and ‘Kahaani’, Vidya Balan has set her own benchmarking level of performance quite high. Her ‘Ghanchakkar’ was super flop, and ‘Shaadi ke Side Effects’ could do only decent business. Bobby Jasoos probably faltered as far as the script is concerned; otherwise, its concept had all the elements of another blockbuster in Vidya’s kitty. But yes, it is a movie, which prompts us to pursue our dreams irrespective of challenges.

Bilkis Ahmed aka Bobby (Vidya Balan) is so passionate about proving her mettle as a detective against the wishes of her family. Only her mother Zebo (Supriya Pathak) supports her whereas father (Rajendra Gupta) and others at home are dead against her detective job. Her father has a conservative approach and he feels that the house shall not be run with the girl’s earning. He also feels that Bobby is a disgrace to the family due to her profession. Zebo does bring smile to our face while she tries to defend Bobby and her detective activities.

Bobby keeps trying her luck at G-Force detective agency in spite of facing rejections from the agency again and again. She starts her own detective agency after challenging the agency. She handles insipid cases like worried parents, suspicious spouses etc. A tea shop person Munna (Aakash Dahiya) does help her to get clients.

She dons variety of looks viz. that of a beggar, palmist, bangle-seller, astrologer, peon, a TV producer etc. as part of her solving cases effortlessly. She approaches every case on the basis of her intuition and gut feeling and chooses strange paths to crack the same.

Her familiarity with the streets of Mughalpura Mohalla of old Hyderabad fetches her a strange case from Anees Khan (Kiran Kumar) to find out two missing young girls with strange birthmarks, followed by search for a guy as well. She is paid hefty amount. Anees just wants Bobby to do her job without raising any question about his motive in looking out for these missing people. Bobby goes ahead following her mind and heart, but then, she starts doubting the motive of Anees behind his search for the girls. The story moves ahead from there. Indeed, suspense is maintained till the very end. Shetty (Prasad Barve), Munna, Sohail (Tejas Mahajan) act as perfect aides of Bobby Jasoos. They do add lot of comic elements to the plot.  

Ali Fazal as a TV anchor Tassavur Shaikh has given a very sweet performance. He is ambitious and does not want to settle down with girls of Mughalpura. And to escape from the marriage proposals brought to him by his father (Vinay Varma), he takes the help from Bobby to explore some stories about them so that he could conveniently deny those proposals. It is interesting to see Bobby and Tassavur together and how their relationship goes to the next level. There is a nice scene, where Bobby is guiding Tassavur over speaker/earphone set to speak to his father in regard to his disapproval to marry Bobby.   

Bobby’s sister Noor (Benaf Dadachandji), Kausar Khaala (Tanvi Azmi) and Zarina Wahab as Afreen’s (Afreen is Lala’s love interest) Ammi have also added value to the movie through their presence.

What events unfold in the lives of Bobby Jasoos? Lala (Arjan Bajwa) as a local gunda plays a significant part in the movie and what is that? Does Ali and Bobby come together? What is the motive of Anees Khan? How does Bobby explore the same? Is Bobby able to win her father’s approval and love?

Cinematographer Vishal Sinha has captured the hustle-bustle of Hyderabad, Charminar, the very aroma of Biriyani also very nicely. Hyderabad is reflected well through Bobby’s accent. Vidya has really worked upon her Hyderabadi accent. One of her dialogue in typical accent is: “Inhi chotti chotti galiyon main teri kismat chamkengi Bobby, Bilkis Ahmed issi MughalPura main Bobby Jasoos banke dikhayegi.” Music by Shantanu Mitra is average. Although, I felt that the song “Tu Mera Afsaana...” picturized on Bobby and Tassavur with semi-classical touch is good.

Bobby Jasoos, though with not so-strong script / screenplay, is watchable for Vidya, Ali, and its other cast and their performances.

Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)