JOJI is a Shakespearean tragedy, as it depicts that unbridled greed can destroy everything. This Malayalam language film is set on the rubber plantation of Kottayam, Kerala, India.
Its director Dileesh Pothan has said that this gripping crime drama movie is slightly inspired by Shakespearean classic literature titled Macbeth. However, it is interesting to note that the writer of the film Syam Pushkaran has not read the Macbeth play, yet he has written an engaging crime drama that has almost all the ingredients of a Shakespearean classic.
Synopsis of the JOJI (2021) movie
Joji (Fahadh Faasil), an engineering dropout and the youngest son of a rich plantation family lives with his aspirations of becoming a super-wealthy NRI. But his father sees him as a proper loser. Driven by greed and blind ambition, he finally decides to execute his plans following an unexpected event in the family. Will he succeed in achieving his dreams?
A brief spoiler-free review of the JOJI movie
Malayalam film & the Macbeth
In this Malayalam film, The inner dynamics of a wealthy family come to the fore when a son decides to get a much-desired freedom and a bigger slice of power plus wealth for himself.
This movie is somewhat similar to the original Shakespearean tragic play Macbeth in its central theme. So, allow us to share a summary note about Macbeth and a link below.
Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth kills the king, becomes the new king, and kills more people out of paranoia. Civil war erupts to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death.
Macbeth Summary
Discovering the world of new languages and subtitles
During the COVID-related lockdown period, many of our family and friends discovered the world of subtitles in movies and series. Also, our Keralite friends have spoken very highly of their Malayalam language films, including this film. So, a couple of years ago, we watched it and loved it. The blind ambition depicted in this crime drama is riveting and intriguing.
We too loved the script, direction and acting in it
Not only us but many people have loved this film. Not surprisingly, this film has won awards for the writers, the directors and the actors. Unnimaya Prasad, who won acting awards for playing the role of Bincy in this film, is from Kochi, Kerala. She has done an amazing job in this movie.
Dileesh Pothan won the Best Director Award for this film. He is known for his pioneering work in movies like – Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, Kumbalangi Nights, et al. It is worth noting that Fahadh Faasil (who plays the main character) did not win any award for his central character, but he won lots of appreciation. He is a class act. He has previously won awards in Malayalam movies like – Artist, North 24 Kaatham, Akam, etc.
The conclusion
From now onwards, we are going to keep an eye on Fahadh Faasil, Unnimaya Prasad, and Dileesh Pothan – their body of work.
This is a thought-provoking film from Kerala, India. We fell completely in love with this high-quality movie. It is a well-acted family crime drama – worth experiencing.
Ratings of the JOJI (2023) Movie
| FM’s rating | 4.05/5 |
| Rotten Tomatoes ratings as of the date | 86% Audience Score |
| Anna M.M. Vetticad / Rotten Tomatoes | Trust the man who wrote Kumbalangi Nights to write a tale of immorality rivalling amorality, and make it startling, tongue-in-cheek, whimsical and comical in equal measure. |
Poster of the JOJI movie
Key details about the JOJI (2021) Movie
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Language | Malayalam (Kerala, India) |
| Age restrictions | U/A (16+) |
| Released | April 2021 |
| Director | Dileesh Pothan |
| Writer | Syam Pushkaran |
| Cast | Fahadh Faasil, Baburaj, Shammi Thilakan, Unnimaya Prasad, Alister Alex |
| Taglines | Inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth. |
Trailer of the JOJI (2021) Movie
Awards won by the JOJI (2021) Movie
| Awards Names | Awards Winners |
|---|---|
| Swedish International Film Festival 2021 | Best international feature film – Dileesh Pothan |
| Kerala State Film Award 2022 | Dileesh Pothan – Best Director Unnimaya Prasad – Best Character Actress Syam Pushkaran – Best Screenplay (Adapted) |
| South Indian International Movie Awards 2022 | Baburaj – Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Unnimaya Prasad – Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
If you like this dark family drama movie from India, then go ahead and check out the FM article about Tarla – another family drama from India, which handles a lighter theme, too.
Featured & Other Images: JOJI | Amazon.