Jackson Bazaar Youth review: A powerful musical that speaks about relevant social issues faced by the underprivileged

For a movie based on the traditional band troupe, Jackson Bazaar Youth has all the elements to be an interesting one. In this brand-new movie, debutant director Shamal Sulaiman has something different to tell the audience.

The movie starts with an impressive anthem of Jackson Bazaar Youth, a band that has an animated version of Jackson Velayudhan, the troupe leader played by Jaffer Idukki.

Amen (2017) was a similar movie based on a band troupe and fantasy elements. If Amen was based on fantasy, Jackson Bazaar Youth deals with the realities faced by the underprivileged.

Drinking-water problems and shelter of common people are some of the burning issues faced by the people of Jackson Baazar, located in the Kollam district of Kerala.

The director has chosen all cinematic liberties to tell his story.

Critical of the system 

The name Jackson Bazaar Youth suggests that the movie is an entertainer with elements of comedy and songs.

But it’s the other way: The movie speaks about the serious issue of displacement of people from their houses in the name of development.

Jackson Bazaar is a colony identified by the National Highway Authority to be taken over for the widening of roads.

The members of the troupe — Jackson Velayyan, Shankaran (Gopalan Adat), Appu (Lukman Avaran), Rameshan (Fahim Safar), and Rekha (Anagha Ashok) — live in this colony.

Jackson Velayyan is the leader of the troupe and is an ex-Army person. His love towards music has made people in the colony join him with the band and perform shows at local festivals and other occasions and places.

Also read: Anni Manchi Sakunamule review

Conflict

But the real problem faced by these people is that they fear being displaced by the authorities in the name of development.

We are familiar with such situations, and the chaos that ensues, through news reports.

Jackson Vellayan turns out to be a martyr in the fight against the right to live. His death is caused by the brutality of the police in their custody.

However, police brutality has to be taken as something that has happened in some cases. Or else it will be generalised and give the impression that the police department is against the common people.

As mentioned, Jackson Bazaar Youth mainly discusses drinking-water problems and the right to live on one’s land.

Telling this story against the backdrop of a band is apt, as they are underprivileged and work for daily wages.

A mirror to the society

The director has taken a strong stand to show similar custody death happenings in Kerala.

Jackson Bazaar Youth, written by Usman Marath, has struggles and protests that are a mirror to the happenings around us, which privileged people choose not to watch.

The minute details in the movie can be connected, and the subplot of a hit-and-run case and the involvement of Sub Inspector Aravindan (Abhiram Radhakrishnan) in it were all good.

The performances

Jackson Bazaar Youth has power-packed performances by the lead actors. Jaffer Idukki as Jackson Velayyan delivers one of his career-best performances.

Despite being in fewer scenes, the emotions — both as a passionate musician and a helpless man struggling to retain his shelter — he brings to the screen were good.

Lukman Avaran as Appu plays an important role. It’s good to see the young actors getting good roles. He got critical acclaim for his previous films Saudi Vellaka (2022)and Sulaikha Manzil (2023). Gopalan Adat as Shankaran had an important role to play as Vellayan’s friend.

Chinnu Chandni as Sub Inspector Shafna has her problems at home. She was a witness to an untoward incident and that is haunting her.

Her performance as a young police officer has to be appreciated. She received a good role after her debut movie Thamaasha (2019).

Indrans steals the show

Indrans is the show-stealer in the movie as a policeman with a special character. Some scenes were similar to that of a mainstream hero.

The first half of the movie sets up the momentum, and Indrans (Sadhashivam), a pivotal character in Jackson Bazaar Youth, is introduced just before the interval. The veteran actor takes the movie to another level with his mannerisms and dialogue delivery.

His character as the Circle Inspector has many dimensions in the second half. The real motive of Sadhashivam is only revealed at the end of the movie, which is another interesting plot point.

Sadhashivam’s entry and his mission to join his colleagues to take revenge on Shankaran, who is part of the group that attacked another policeman, is a tricky one. That policeman was pivotal in murdering Velayyan. The audience will also be in two monids: Is Sadasivam a saviour or the villain? Revealing that would be a spoiler.

One major weak point in the movie would be the sudden transition of Indrans. But commercial cinema demands gimmicks to woo the audience.

Also read: ‘Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir’ review

Technically sound

The music by Govind Vasantha goes well with the movie. It has two songs, and the fast number is not the usual Dappankuthu song, but a mix of slow and fast music.

The background music with importance to trumpet gave a different mood to Jackson Bazaar Youth.

The cinematography by Deepak D Menon was good. He very well utilised the picturesque location in Kollam.

The final take

Jackson Bazaar Youth  deals with some important social issues faced by underprivileged people, accompanied by amazing performances.

(Views expressed are personal.)