Jackson Bazaar Youth Malayalam Movie
The Jackson Bazaar Youth is a group of men, young and old, who make a living by playing trumpets and percussion at public functions. Jaffer Idukki's Jackson Velayyan leads the gang. They live on a piece of land with no document to prove that they are entitled to reside there. The gang enjoys immense crowd support, but they struggle to get quality water for daily use due to the nature of their land.
It does not take long for us to realize that Shamal Sulaiman's film is a clash between the oppressed class and law enforcement. The first glimpse into the main theme of the movie comes when Jackson and his men go to their local police station to complain about the quality of the water. The cops humiliate them, especially Jackson, the leader of the pack. Soon, an untoward series of events takes place as Jackson and his gang face a powerful system and a possible case of eviction.
The makers of Jackson Bazaar Youth take a refreshingly novel approach to telling a familiar story. They recognize that law enforcement is all too powerful for a gang of oppressed men to take on. At some point in the film, we expect all hell to break loose, but things do not always pan out as we expect in Jackson Bazaar Youth. Unlike a film like Karnan, the oppressed class in the movie does not just barge straight into the station and vandalize it. Yet much of the action takes place in the police station itself.
Govind Vasantha's tracks lend heart and soul to the characters in Jackson Bazaar Youth. The mournful trumpet track alone will linger in your mind long after you watch the film.
The film is not without its flaws, though. One gets the impression that there are at least two unnecessary characters in the film. Take, for instance, the couple who are made to wait at the station for a public display of affection. The film spends a lot of time showing the moral policing that the couple are subject to. This has little to do with the story of the movie or its overall theme.
The use of a particular actor to play a character works as a mini-spoiler. If you are familiar with Malayalam cinema well enough, you will know where the makers will take the story. This is not to say the actor fails to do the job, though. I would have preferred a slightly different act of casting. But the movie has a lot going for it. There are some clever touches that make the proceedings interesting enough.
The climax has a predictable yet well-conceived idea, although the events require us to suspend our disbelief somewhat. Jackson Bazaar Youth remains an entertaining watch throughout and also benefits from some commendable performances from Jaffer Idukki, Indrans, Lukman, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, and Chinnu Chandini.