Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah film has one of the most tightly-executed beginnings, which develops the odd bump as the plot progresses, until it reaches a cathartic end.
Jalsa - 2022 Indian Hindi-language drama film
The principal photography commenced on 12 August 2021 and wrapped up on 12 January 2022.
Needless to say, the stunning photo received an abundance of love on social media. Among the first to comment was Abhishek Bachchan who dropped a heart emoji under the picture featuring his mother, sister and niece.
The film was premiered on Amazon Prime on 18 March 2022 coinciding with an Indian festival called Holi.
- Maya Menon (Vidya Balan) is a star journalist who lives with her mother (Rohini Hattangadi) and physically challenged son. Rukhsana (Shefali Shah) is her cook. Drastic, unforeseen circumstances lead to their lives spiralling in uncontrollable ways.
- Two Mumbai women, occupying diametrically opposite sides of the financial and social divide, are impacted by a terrible accident that takes place one night. ‘Jalsa’, which reunites the ‘Tumhari Sulu’ team of director Suresh Triveni and actor Vidya Balan, for this emotional drama, has one of the most tightly-executed beginnings I’ve seen recently, which develops the odd bump as the plot progresses, until it reaches a cathartic, if slightly designed end.
- Vidya Balan has spearheaded the imperative movement of female-centric films like few others have since 2010 in Bollywood. The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica, Tumhari Sulu all have immensely contributed toward bettering the core of women-oriented cinema in Bollywood. Likewose, Shefali Shah has proven that age has no bar in being recognised for quality work with her roles in Dil Dhadakne Do, Delhi Crime, Human and more.
- Now, the two stalwarts finally join forces for Amazon Prime's Jalsa, helmed by Vidya Balan's Tumhari Sulu Director, Suresh Triveni. Does it create the same impact? Maybe not, but that doesn't mean it doesn't merit a decent watch.
Renuka Vyavahare of The Times Of India gave the film a rating of 4/5 and wrote "Jalsa, a captivating drama with a complex moral center, keeps you on the edge of your seat for most part of the film. This one’s a must watch, all the more for its terrific climax". Shubham Kulkarni of Koimoi gave the film a rating of 3.5/5 and wrote "It is a filmmaker evolving and two of the most prolific actors exploring their craft and maybe surprising their own selves as well". Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times stated "Suresh Triveni's film stars Vidya Balan as a journalist and Shefali Shah has the caretaker of her son"
