Jug Jug Jeeyo, helmed by Raj Mehta and Dharma Productions, follows the same template of their previous collaboration Good Newwz, (2019), which dealt with a sensitive and pertinent issues for fertility and massaged it with dollops of humor and entertainment. With their latest outing , Jug Jug Jeeyo focusses on marital conflicts and infidelity, and how three generation of the same family ( Father, Son, Daughter) cope with it.

So we have Kukoo ( Varun) who falls head on heels with Naina (Kiara), her childhood sweetheart. They grow up with their love, and finally tie the knot- but fast forward to 5 years, they are on the verge of breakup. Kukoo is struggling in Canada, while Naina is rising in her corporate ladder. Unable to resolve their issues, they decide to seperate, but only after Ginni ( Prajakta Kohli), Kukoo’s sister wedding back home in Patiala. While they prepare themselves to declare their impending divorce amidst the cacophony of a boisterous punjabi wedding, an absolute shocker lies for them when Kukoo’s father Bheem ( Anil Kapoor) is planning to end his 35 year old marriage with Geeta ( Neetu Kapoor).

Much like Good Newwz, the makers fraught this film with stereotypical relationship issues that an Indian family goes through and renders it a comedic flavor. We have pesky relatives going after Naina for child birth, to their daugther getting married to a man she doesn’t love just because she wants to be settled in her life . The first half sets the tone of the marital conflict between Naina and Kukoo, and makers project it well – with vibrant colors in India and sepia tones when struggling in canada. Its a typical bositerous punjabi set up, including a flashy and nosy brother in law Gurpreet( Manish Paul) to Kukoo .Its a roller coaster ride of relationships , with their flaws which is extremely relatable.

But where the film fails is in its superficial treatment of the core issue its trying to address, as it never really tries to dig in the nature of the conflict between the couples. We never really get to know what exactly is the problem within Naina and Kukoo till the later part of the film, where one confrontation scene between them kind of summarizes their issues in general. With Bheem and Geeta too, the plot conveniently circumvents the reason why Bheem digresses to Meera (Tisca Chopra) . The focus is purely on providing entertainment which it does, but unlike Good Newzz, the lighter parts are not engaging enough to keep your interest alive in the proceedings. Its the second half of the film where the film is more sure footed in the dramatic scenes, but a clumsy climax dilutes the impact to a large extent.

Jug Jug Jeeyo succeeds mainly due to the acting chops from its principal cast, who are in top form. It was great to see Neetu Singh after aeons ( last being Do Dooni Chaar) and she is in terrific form. She comes to her own in the second half mostly and nails her morally correct role – especially one of the scenes with her daughter in law Naina where she pours her heart is heartbreaking. Kiara Advani is gorgeous in almost every frame, and is confident as Naina who is practical yet vulnerable. Her chemistry with Varun Dhavan is bang on, and both the actors are pitch perfect in one of the scenes which is filled with anguish and anger. Varun seals the deal with his usual charm, and is sincere in the film’s emotional moments . Anil Kapoor is a masterclass though, and is in absolute rib crackling form here. Despite all the eccentricities that Bheem has, he never makes it a caricature . He is life of the party for sure, and his father-son equation with Varun is the hallmark of the film. Manish Paul springs a surprise, with his garrulous and flashy Gurpreet who has a trademark punchline for every situation.

Running at a run time of close to 145 mins, Jug Jug Jeeyo has all the elements of a big family entertainer, with dhols and songs ( a catchy Nach Punjaaban) and is inundated with quirky dialogues . But a little more deliberate treatment of the message its trying to deliver and inspiring comedy would have made it a solid watch. I am going with 3 out of 5 for Jug Jug Jeeyo, currently running on cinemas. While its definitely a one time watch, you will feel the spark missing ..