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12 reviewers have given Jalsa an average rating of 4.2/5.0 (?)

9 yays 1 nays 2 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

A thriller on a slow-burner that mulls over the inequalities in society without getting preachy. Well-shot, well-performed, and even well-written, except for one last bit where it gets manipulative—thankfully doesn’t take away from the experience. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...All in all, director Suresh Triveni has given us a hugely satisfying film about choices that life offers us. Everything we chose has a consequence and that’s the point brought home by the film. The storyline is backed by solid performances not only by the two leads, Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah, but by the entire ensemble cast. Jalsa means celebration and the film truly is a celebration indeed of good filmmaking....

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...However, what kills the fun in Jalsa is the fact that the director takes his own sweet time to establish the conflicts. The cards are revealed quite early in the plot and to add more to it, the slow-paced narrative takes away some of your interest.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/jalsa-movie-review-vidya-balan-shefali-shah/articlecontent-pf325235-331516.html...

full review

Thumbs up by ANNA MM VETTICAD,

FirstPost

...Half the battle for Jalsa was won when Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah were roped in to share screen space. Balan has the ability to transport a viewer into the universe of her emotions, but rarely has she done so as thoroughly as in Jalsa, playing off Shah’s completely unself-conscious rendition of the distraught, progressively bitter Ruksana....

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Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Jalsa is a celebration of two powerhouse performers - Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah. To watch these two women go for the kill and make the most of what’s offered is a big enough reason to make this your weekend watch....

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Thumbs up by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Salsa gets its title from a trajectory you can’t even guess without watching the movie. It is a filmmaker evolving and two of the most prolific actors exploring their craft and maybe surprising their own selves as well. And the process churns out a film not just fresh but also an example of how a noir can be made differently....

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Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Despite the plot's incriminating tone -- peak effective in a symbolic moment where a huge tarpaulin cover is thrown over a press car -- Triveni is somewhat protective of his imperfect protagonists and wants to give them a shot at redemption.

The entire film is a lead up to a confrontation between wrong and wronged, but when the moment finally arrives, Jalsa leaves us in the cold and to mull over the state of things....

full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...The nerve-shredding feeling of being in a disaster film or a horror movie is enhanced by Maya’s recurring nightmares. One of these nightmares, if we have understood it correctly, is among Jalsa’s best scenes – a chilling moment of reckoning for an avoidable tragedy....

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Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...With a runtime of a little over two hours, Jalsa, a captivating drama with a complex moral center, keeps you on the edge of your seat for most part of the film. This one’s a must watch, all the more for its terrific climax....

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Thumbs up by IANS,

Zee News

...The film begins with a promise, but by mid-point, its tempo slackens and the pulse does not revive. In the final act, the narrative tries to resolve its multifaceted tensions neatly, but this appears like a flat-toned, rushed resolution, with Maya adrift with her own life and the bond with her maid resulting in conflict, and in this instance, the promise of potential understanding and reconciliation.

Overall, ‘Jalsa' is a well-made film at odds with its roiling emotions....

full review

So-So by Anupama Chopra,

indian express

...which develops the odd bump as the plot progresses, until it reaches a cathartic, if slightly designed end....

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So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...The casting coup is not limited to Vidya and Shefali; the most eye-catching performance is of Surya Kasibatla, as the physically disabled Ayush. Surya, who is reportedly fighting cerebral palsy in real life, is a natural performer with not a single shred of artifice. Not to forget Vidharthi Bandi as Rohini George, the seemingly harmless journalist found in every newsroom who cracks the biggest of black holes. Iqbal’s timbre adds weight and the seasoned Rohini Hattangadi immerses into the household....

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Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...Had the film been about the consequences of unintended actions, loyalty, sorrow and greed, it might have been emotionally affecting, but it inserts needless subplots and loses its grip on pace. There is also a bizarre reason why the relentlessly grim film is called Jalsa....

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