Jackpot could have been easily named as Gulebagavali 2, infact the character played by Revathy (as a con named Masha) is same. The film starts off with a scene where a farmer stumbles up on a vessel which gives back anything dropped into it in multiples (like an amrutha surabhi). Yes you guessed it right, the film is all about how the lead actors try to get this golden goose for themselves.
Akshaya (Jothika) and Masha are petty cons who fool people and make money. They meet an old lady in the jail who tells them about the vessel and its magical powers. The vessel is hid in the house of a local politician Manasthan (Anandraj). Akshaya and Masha take the help of a local workshop owner (Rajendiran) to enter the house and recover the vessel and how they do it is told in a typical mad cap fashion, where all actors attempt comedy.
There is no strong storyline and hence the director has to create interesting situations to push the story forward. He succeeds here especially by detailing the characters very well. Be it the character of Manasthan or Mota or Rahul (Yogi Babu) – all of them have a purpose and it goes well with the subject. The first half of the film is a breeze with lot of comedy situations. However, the film loses its pace in the second half. The scenes become repetitive and we are made to wonder when it will end.
Jothika is in full form and looks like she had a ball of time in shooting this film. She also gets to imitate several superstars including Suriya. The fights are little exaggerated but still enjoyable. You will definitely miss Revathy (as an artist) when you watch her enact the role of Masha, as she did in countless movies in 90’s. She also dances on par with Jothika. The big surprise in the film is Anandraj in a dual role. He has somehow carved a comedian out of himself in recent films and this is not an exception.
Two unwanted songs and a jarring BGM was a big negative. I don’t know why this film needed a Baahubali kind of score. Better to carry some ear buds with you. Editing and Cinematography is apt for this genre. The film works a great extent because of the screen presence of Jothika and Revathy. This combined with some genuine comedy scenes, keeps entertained to a large extent.
With two decent comedy films, Director Kalyan could be the next Sundar C in Kollywood. But hope he tries a different subject next time. Jackpot will not disappoint you if you are just looking for a time pass film with your family.
Rating – 2.75/5
