But the superhero aam aadmi's agenda this time goes beyond merely bumping off the powerful goons. Riding the mindless mayhem and melodrama is an activist's agenda. Salman Khan's new exhibition of box-office clout, drawing from every larger-than-life masala that ever worked, is a filmi sermon too on how to create better society.
That socio-political agenda is actually drawn from a Telugu film called Stalin, made in 2006 and starring Chiranjeevi, which Jai Ho rehashes frame for frame in many parts. Only, while Chiranjeevi's film was one among a bunch of biggies the southern star made in the run-up to launching his now-defunct political outfit Praja Rajyam, Jai Ho is a masterful commercial stroke to cash in on aam aadmi moods in the election year.
Crafty as the formula sounds, Jai Ho would remain a no-show without its superstar hero. Watching assorted plastic cliches unleash on the screen that by turns perhaps expect you will laugh, cry, get shocked or be angry, you realise again why Salman Khan matters. This is a one-man show squarely shouldered by the actor's charisma. Sohail Khan obviously must know who to thank if his braindead effort mints the crores in multiples of 100.
Salman is Jai Agnihotri, ex-Major of the India Army who devises a society self-help system that promotes the idea of people aiding each other in a chain format. It is a novel plan but it does not work. In the course of events Jai makes some powerful enemies.
These enemies are also enemies of the nation, your stereotypical Bollywood baddies - rich, corrupt political goons who snarl and swagger, and the hero's ambition in life, it would seem, is to out-snarl/out-swagger them till he probably gets bored and decides to finish them off for good. All of which will lead to plenty of action that is a shade more violent than most Salman flicks.
Stuffed into the excuse of a plot is a large, forgettable supporting cast including Tabu as the hero's sister. She is there to establish Jai's image as a caring bhai and also trigger off a series of events that will set up the clash between hero and villains. It is not a role that exclusively needs Tabu's calibre. You fail to find logic as to why an actress who forever claims refusing almost every other film coming her way should say yes to this one.
You wouldn't go in looking for logic anyway, nor for the naive aam aadmi message being hawked. It's quite a dumb aadmi party that goes on. Jai Ho clicks for you only if you are a die-hard Salman fan. If that works, be happy and bajaao seeti.
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