Would you believe us if we told you that there’s a movie which provides social commentary on gender oppression and domestic violence while making you laugh till your stomach hurts and tears are rolling down your cheeks? No sane person can think that such a combination would be remotely funny, but you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise because we’re talking about the Malayalam blockbuster — Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022), a black comedy directed by Vipin Das.
We, the Sociology cohort of Grade 11 at DLRC, watched the film along with a few facilitators and friends from other subjects. It was a method of testing our memory regarding a few theories we had learnt over the course of the entire year, and an excuse to just have fun together after completing our syllabus. We were not just passive viewers of the film, but actively engaged with it.
Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey is a clever mix of satire and social critique, which offers a hilarious perspective on the gender dynamics and daily struggles of a woman in a patriarchal household. It offers an insightful yet hilarious screenplay, unique characters, and an amazing performance by the leading lady – Darshana Rajendran.
The movie starts with Jaya’s father, who claims that he will raise his daughter like Nehru raised Indira Gandhi. Does he actually?
Well, no.
That’s not really what the movie is about now, is it?
Flash forward a few scenes, we see a now grown Jaya standing in her room, in front of a mirror, listening to the conversation her parents are having regarding her higher education. She seems happy when the conversation seems to be leaning in her favour, but then their family is visited by Jaya’s maternal uncle – played by Sudheer Paravoor – and we see all the hope drain from her face. Her uncle is seemingly introspective and offers his advice to enroll her in their local college where he has a lot of contacts, and assures her that he will help her join the course that she wants (spoiler alert! He doesn’t.) So, under the guise of keeping her “safe”, the parents do exactly that. This is a stark contrast to her brother’s situation, where he was happily sent to a good college even though it was quite expensive.
Grade 11 Sociology students watching Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey
Jaya’s admission in the local institute prompts her to rebel against her parents, and one such rebellion involves getting romantically involved with a supposedly progressive teacher. But, he turns out to be a chauvinist, and Jaya’s parents think it’s best for her to get married before completing her education. This is the moment that acts as a catalyst for the movie’s plot.
She is then married off to Rajesh (Basil Joseph), a poultry farm owner, who won’t let you forget that he is one. Described as a mild-mannered and sweet person by his mother, he is a short tempered, controlling man with no regard for his wife’s needs and emotions. He does not even have a proper conversation with her (unless it’s about the poultry business). The character is extremely well-written and everyone will laugh at his antics without forgetting the cruelty he displays towards Jaya.
After an incident which leads to a seemingly endless cycle of Rajesh slapping her, feeling “guilty” for it, taking her to watch a movie of his choice, and then finishing it off with a meal of his choice yet again, Jaya turns to her parents for support but they just tell her to deal with it. This leads to her deciding to take matters into her own hands in an unconventional way.
We could see the concepts we had learnt in class from a chapter titled ‘The Family’ playing out in front of us.
An important concept, known as the ‘Warm Bath Theory’, was especially apparent all through the film. A Marxist perspective of this theory explains that men often take their workplace frustrations out on the women in the family. The exploitation that men face at the workplace under the capitalist system, is ultimately faced by the women. The stress that Rajesh feels in his poultry business is taken out on Jaya in the form of abuse and domestic violence.
The inherent dynamics of a marriage like this – microaggressive, misogynistic comments, dismissing the woman’s opinions, and lack of communication – are skillfully woven into the screenplay. The palpable sense of power imbalance between the two is so indisputable that it makes us think about what leads to a relationship like this.
“I think this was a very important movie. There is very little cinema, especially in India, that talks about issues relevant to society. I think this movie is a step towards the acceptance of open conversations about domestic abuse. I like how the humour maintains it being an entertaining watch, even as it deals with such a serious topic,” said Rangoli Garg, one of the students who watched the film.
Sociology is the study of human society, social behaviour and social relationships. The very existence of the society we live in, makes the subject relatable in nature. We are able to learn not just from the pages provided to us but also by observing the existence of these concepts all around us. This is also done through the media we consume. And there is no better source of media which can authentically capture the intricate nuances of society and human relationships than films.
Watch the trailer here: Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey | Official Trailer | Basil Joseph, Darshana Rajendran | 22nd Dec
“A particular moment from the movie that is most memorable is when Jaya has a fight with her husband. The funny commentary – in an exaggerated accent – coupled with the absurd moves she uses to beat up her husband worked for me as an effective form of satire. Throughout the movie, Jaya had been facing abuse from a variety of people, and her taking it out on her husband, the principal abuser of them all, was cathartic. It also highlights how absurd abuse really is, in that it shouldn't have any place in a relationship and yet society consistently normalises it,” said Mihit Mundada, another student.
Cinema is an integral part of postmodern culture. Some films act as an escape from the real world while some show us the truth of the real world.
Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey lies somewhere between this spectrum. It subtly highlights the plain truth: domestic violence exists. The desensitised nature of abuse is so prevalent that the supporting characters as well as the audience only find it unnatural when Jaya decides to fight back.
With amazing comedic timing, sharp dialogues, as well as clever screenplay, Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey definitely stole our hearts, made us laugh until we couldn’t breathe but also did not let us forget the dark reality that many women actually face in their daily lives.
Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey leaves the audience with a sense of satisfaction, empowerment, as well as reflection. As we see the credits roll, we can’t help but admire the humour as well as social commentary that was woven into the movie.
The film challenges how abuse is normalised in relationships, demanding introspection from its audience. Overall, it sends a powerful message that you should stand up for yourself, no matter who tries to push you down, to attain true freedom and self-respect.
“I loved watching the movie, not just because of the fact that it addresses such major issues but also that the comedy in the film was done in a way that did not offend,” said Suhani Shukla, our classmate. “It was amazing to hear the insights of my peers and I had a great time laughing along with my teachers and friends. I loved the part where he is back at the chicken farm and explains to the rest of the guys that women do not need men to run their lives, rather it is the men who do. I found it very funny watching the faces of his goons turn into confusion when he said it. I'm sure we would have had a better experience had we known Malayalam, but we managed to enjoy it with the English subtitles anyway.”
The film is available on Jio Hotstar.
By Sharanya Rao and Vanshika Tikekar (G11)
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