Story: At 38, Jayesh is desperate to find a bride, but maybe he needs to find himself first
Review: Oru Jaathi Jaathakam feels like one of those Dileep films of the ‘90s with body shaming and misogynistic jokes, with the difference that the joke is on the guy, who is seen as a bit of a fool. And it also goes to show that education and money doesn’t really mean a person is civilised or progressive, as we are, sadly, seeing in society today. But the problem is that the film labours the point with old-fashioned humour, that doesn’t always click.
Vineeth Sreenivasan plays 38-year-old Jayesh, who with his various old-fashioned demands about what his wife should be like, has rejected several marriage alliances, but is desperate to get married. In the midst of this, a prospective bride reads his palm and tells him that there is trouble ahead for him. Through the ‘comedic’ narrative - including a subplot where everyone wonders if he might be gay - Jayesh learns more about himself and how society is changing. Will he learn to give up his misogynistic notions and accept people for who they are, forms the story.
Oru Jaathi Jaathakam has some lighthearted, good moments, and some lessons, but the second half just stretches out endlessly. And with Malayalam cinema today being appreciated for fresh content, brilliant actors and its technical standards, this film feel a bit old-fashioned, like Jayesh’s views.