Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey: The ‘massy’ version of The Great Indian Kitchen

The “enough is enough” moment comes right before the end of the first half. The shift in power dynamics hits like a devastating kick to our diaphragm and sends the narrative flying in a completely new direction. We are as shocked as Rajesh (Basil Joseph). And the chances are your shock watching Jaya’s transformation may invariably lead to a loud burst of laughter. Rajesh’s mother describing her shock at seeing her son getting trashed by her daughter-in-law is especially hilarious.

The realisation of what Jaya was doing all the time browsing on her phone hits you harder. She gets to access the education and confidence that was strategically kept away from her all her life. Once she opens her eyes to the possibilities, she becomes an unstoppable force. Vipin Das takes the sentiments of The Great Indian Kitchen and gives it the treatment of a mass-action film.

What’s the best way to fight back against an abusive husband? One can complain to the in-laws or parents in the hope that they will stage an intervention and straighten out the abusive spouse. But, what if the entire family is indifferent to one’s suffering? What if none of them was capable enough to see the wrong in the husband hitting the wife? “Don’t you hit your wife?” asks Rajesh’s mother to Jaya’s father. The implication is what’s the big deal when her son beats his wife. All men do that, no?

Rajesh’s physique lacks masculine features. His shoulders are not wide enough. His arms are not big enough. He is a short-framed man with an inflated ego. The only masculine feature that allows him to feel adequate in the conventional society of men is his moustache. And he keeps twirling it to compensate for his insecurities. And hitting his wife is the equivalent of constant moustache twirls that remind him of his manliness.

Rajesh benefits from his social stature, which allows him to assume a position of power and influence both in his personal and professional life. He makes the mistake of assuming that his authority at home and work cannot be challenged. But, it all changes when he receives a kick from Jaya to his gut. It’s a wake-up call for him as he begins to grasp the reality of what happens when people stop responding to the illusion of power that he wields.

Even though Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey charts the transformation of Jaya, Rajesh remains the focus of the film’s narrative. The movie is not just about the amount of change Jaya undergoes but is also about how men like Rajesh never change no matter what.