Jogi is a Bollywood movie from India in the Hindi language that was co-written by Sukhmani Sadana and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The film, which centers on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was launched on Netflix on September 16, 2022. It stars Diljit Dosanjh, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Hiten Tejwani, Charu Kumar, and Amyra Dastur.
It’s a survival thriller based on real-life incidents, but most of the part is fictional, as made clear at the starting of the film. For many people who were directly affected by the riots, especially Sikh viewers, Jogi is upsetting and emotionally charged. People who are sentimental will undoubtedly cry one or two tears at the conclusion of Jogi.
The film Jogi, which is based on the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots, depicts the tale of a Sikh man named Jogi, who seeks to protect his loved ones from a slaughter that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Sikhs. The public’s attitude against the entire clan altered overnight as a result of the murder of the Indian Prime Minister by two Sikh men, and people began to become more thirsty for blood.
Cast and Characters in Jogi
- Diljit Dosanjh plays Jogi
Diljit Dosanjh, an Indian musician, actor, producer of films, and television host who works in Punjabi and Hindi cinema, was born on January 6, 1984. Some of the highest-grossing Punjabi films ever made starred him, including Jatt & Juliet 2, Punjab 1984, Sajjan Singh Rangroot, and Honsla Rakh.
He made his debut in Bollywood in 2016 with Udta Punjab, then he appeared in Good Newwz. He has the most PTC Awards for Best Actor, with five, as of 2020. Additionally, he has participated in three seasons of the reality competition Rising Star as a judge. Dosanjh reached the Billboard Social 50 list in 2020 after the release of his 11th album, G.O.A.T.
The character Joginder, often known as Jogi, is portrayed by Diljit Dosanjh. A Sikh who does everything to save his loved ones from the massacre done to the community.
- Kumud Mishra as Tejpal Arora, MLA
Indian actor Kumud Mishra performs in Hindi films. While he frequently plays supporting roles in films, TV shows, and web series, he has also appeared in certain starring roles like in the 1995 Doordarshan drama Swabhimaan. He advanced to cinema acting in 2011 with the releases of Rishi Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor’s Patiala House and Rockstar, respectively.
In addition to Tiger Zinda Hai, Mishra has appeared in supporting parts in the movies Filmistaan, Jolly LLB 2, Raanjhanaa, Airlift, M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, De De Pyaar De, Article 15, Thappad, etc. He also played the title character in the Sony LIV original Ram Singh Charlie in 2020.
Tejpal is the antagonist in the movie, a local politician who tried to exploit Sikhs based on the sudden situation which rose because of Political link. This made the whole country against the Sikh community.
- Rawinder portrayed by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub
Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub Khan is an Indian actor who performs in Hindi movies is. Over the course of his eight-year career, he has been in more than 25 films and is regularly featured in supporting parts. Additionally, in 2008, he contributed to the Hindi television series “Kyunki… Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai,” which was shown on Doordarshan. He has worked on four films with Aanand L. Rai as the director.
With No One Killed Jessica (2011), directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Ayyub made his feature debut and was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.
A police officer and Jogi’s Hindu buddy who helped and supported him throughout the film.
- Lali, a misguided police officer, played by Hiten Tejwani
Indian television actor Hiten Tejwani is well-known for his roles in a number of dramas. In Ghar Ek Mandir, Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii, Kutumb, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, among other films, Tejwani had a part. Tejwani and his wife Gauri participated in Nach Baliye 2’s second season in 2006, and they later returned to host Season 4 in 2008. After that, he appeared in a no. of shows.
If we talk about his recent works, then Tejwani participated as a competitor in Bigg Boss 11 of the Indian version of the reality TV series Bigg Boss in 2017. He appeared in Star Bharat’s Gupta Brothers from 2020 to 2021. In 2022 he joined in a new serial Swaran Ghar, on Colours TV.
Plot and Storyline
The movie is set in the Trilokpuri, neighborhood of east Delhi. Which tells the story of a three-day period immediately following the death of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 in 1984, four months after Operation Blue Star. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots are the focus of the fictitious characters’ storylines in the movie.
For the three generations of Jogi’s typical working-class Sikh family, this morning is like any other. While women prepare parathas and men sit around the table cracking jokes, kids get ready for school. They are completely unaware of what is going to occur. By the time Jogi and his father board the bus to go to work, word has spread that Indira Gandhi was murdered that morning by her two Sikh bodyguards. This led to some people attacking the Sikhs present on the bus. Thus Jogi and his father were also caught up in the incident, beaten up by attackers.
Further details of the Plot
Jogi asks the guys beating him and his father, “what is their fault for being treated like that”, and in response, they blame them for being born as a Sikh (Sardar). Sikhs are used as a scapegoat throughout the course of the next three days, and scenes show pockets of violence directed at them.
Tejpal Arora, the local MLA, promoted this. He pointed out how Sikhs can be identified by their distinctive features and by names on the voter list. As he opens his store, Jogi’s brother is attacked and set on fire. People rush through the streets, burning down structures. A picture of a man wearing a turban fleeing and screaming for aid while on fire.
Jogi was forced to cut his hair, a pure and holy symbol for Sikhs, and to remove his Kada, a symbol of Sikh swordsmanship, off his hand, it emphasized that Jogi was completely helpless without these. Nevertheless, he made every effort to preserve his people, which makes the film a tale of the triumph of good over evil and justice over wrong. With its subdued portrayal of a ferocious and terrible murder, this film occasionally comes off as unfinished.
This film seems very refreshing since Diljit portrays a character who is fairly subdued and soft-spoken. He is portraying a real person who is suffering from a painful life event rather than the noisy and annoying cliché of a Sikh that Bollywood has created. The finest casting decision, in my opinion, was to use a real Sikh, and Diljit truly won fans’ hearts with his portrayal of Jogi.
Review of Jogi
The first 10 minutes of the movie are enough to grab one’s interest and confirm that you’ve chosen a watchable movie that won’t have you nodding off in the middle. Even though it just showcased three or four days of the incident but didn’t feel too off.
The citizens of our nation should not forget the historical catastrophe that the community has never forgotten. Fans have to admit that Diljit Dosanjh gave a solid performance in this film. While Kumud Mishra also delivered a stellar performance as the film’s adversary. During his parts, viewers could definitely feel their rage building.
Jogi’s first half is engrossing and thrilling, while its second half is emotionally taxing. The Sikhs who were left to burn and die in cars, on the street, and inside their homes were all quite upsetting. The film seeks to emphasize the concerns important to the Sikh community through its sophisticated photography.
Conclusion of Review
The suspense is maintained throughout the whole film. With the addition of the protagonist’s sad love story (because Bollywood just cannot do a single movie without it), it felt like the love plot was a bit forced, or it should have been introduced in the beginning only to make more sense. Jogi contains an emotive background soundtrack, just as many other films with a patriotic theme. With a religious mood that is suitable for a movie like this, the speech is strong but not overpowering.
Even though he did it in a very Bollywood fashion, the director did a terrific job of depicting the chaotic times and the people’s desperation. And the cast also did an incredible job. The Sikh Massacre ended up becoming the movie’s focal point, despite the fact that the final line of the movie makes it clear that the original plan was quite different. It needs more drama or mayhem to support the bittersweet conclusion, in some viewers’ opinion. The unexpected romance element with Kammo looked surprising because the slaughter was the major emphasis of the film.
The movie will cause you to cry, and you can’t help but feel your heart heaving with the feelings you will experience while watching it. Not only that, but the fact that this is based on actual occurrences only exacerbates your feelings.
Even if the film might have done a better job of highlighting the historical tragedy, it is ultimately just another film that seeks to obscure such atrocities with themes of friendship and other things. Overall, this is a watchable film for people who wish to learn about our nation’s horrific past while simultaneously making some effort to escape it.