Vidya Balan shines, but a thin script and weak climax hold Bobby Jasoos back.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Bobby Jasoos was mixed, with most reviewers acknowledging the film as a pleasant, clean entertainer but one that falls significantly short of its potential. Vidya Balan's performance was nearly universally singled out as the film's primary strength, with multiple critics stating she alone justified a viewing. The most consistent criticism was directed at the writing and script, with reviewers pointing to a weak and predictable plot, a meandering second half, a rushed and unsatisfying climax, and unnecessary songs.
8 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 31 critic reviews · may contain errors
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Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Bobby Jasoos has no item numbers, no cheap thrills, and none of the usual trappings of a wannabe blockbuster. But it has Vidya Balan in fine fettle, and that should be reason enough for you to go out and watch the film.
Top critic
Film review ·
Whether goofing off with her motley bunch of accomplices, or making an impassioned plea to her stubborn father, Vidya is consistently watchable without ever hogging your attention away from the story. It's a shame then that she's let down by the very script itself, which -- despite raising important questions about gender equality, financial independence of women, and parental obsession with marriage - fizzles out post-intermission. It needed more humor and more meat, but Vidya Balan comes out tops again.
Top critic
Film review ·
'Bobby Jasoos' works till the time Vidya Balan gets to lead from the front: the courtship with her reluctant suitor is one of the high points of the film. But I wish this amiable, light-hearted yarn had more 'zaika' and 'tadka'. And the songs are strictly unnecessary and uninteresting. Post-interval, the surprises leachout. So does the fun.
Top critic
Film review ·
Don't take it too seriously, and you'll dig Bobby Jasoosand forget about it. But if you're looking for a memorable film with a repeat value, you'll be disappointed.
Film review ·
The director creates a charming world that you are reluctant to get out of, even when the film is over. Now that is an achievement.
Film review ·
There are few things to complain about with Bobby Jasoos. It's a delightful caper with a lot of heart, and you root for both the film and it's protagonist all the way till the end.
Film review ·
Bobby Jasoos arrives as a rare clean, fun, mainstream entertainer that an entire family could watch together. What more! It delivers as nice message without being preachy for once. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised. This is one jasoos you might just like seeing more of.
Film review ·
Like Vidya's multiple disguises, the film's ability to surprise never flags. If Bobby revels in a sense of adventure then the narration doesn't lag behind. You can find flaws in Bobby Jasoos, but you won't hold them against the film. That's a guarantee.
Film review ·
It's a delectable biryani (you'll understand the reference better if you watch the film) masterfully prepared, and full of subtle flavours and heart. Don't miss!
Film review ·
...quibbles aside, Bobby Jasoos is a clever and joyful film. Should you watch it? Elementary, my dear friend.
Film review ·
Watch if for the firecracker that is Vidya Balan. Now only if she had solved the case of the missing plot!
Film review ·
Bobby Jasoos could have been a crisp, lucid and marvelous film but the overwrought emotional factor got the better out of the story. Plagued by an underwhelming second hour, sloppy editing and a conveniently done hurried climax, the film counts well only for Vidya's ability to carry a film solely on her shoulders. Her cutesy chemistry wit Ali scores too. But know that a detective story hasn't done well when you crack the story before the detective himself.
Film review ·
Does it matter that Bobby Jasoos takes far too many creative liberties so far as plot is concerned? Yes, it certainly would, if you went in only for a detective drama. Don't. It's a lot more than that.
Film review ·
...seems like a safe bet taken by the actress (Dia) after her initial failure with `Love, Breakups, Zindagi` in 2011. Because when you have Vidya Balan in the film, surely you don`t need any of the Khans. It`s not without a reason we say, Bobby, that you have always been an unsung `hero` of the script. P.S: Do watch it for Vidya Balan`s acting prowess again!
Film review ·
The movie, which begins on a promising but languid note as a thriller set in a vibrant metropolis such as Hyderabad, morphs into a reluctant love story. Bobby gets side-tracked and the climax scenes, which should ideally be a crackling clincher to the mystery, come across as an afterthought. The suspense to the drama was so lame that we felt bad for the feisty Bobby and Balan: both deserved a riveting, gripping ending.
Film review ·
Vidya Balan's Bobby Jasoos is a delight to watch, except for those who hold too much expectation from the film considering Vidya's last hit Kahaani.
Film review ·
Bobby Jasoos works only because of Vidya Balan and the strong supporting cast...
Film review ·
Other than Vidya Balan, Ali Fazal has some brief moments that work well. Arjan Bajwa has a screen presence even if it requires him to hold one expression. The rest of the cast too have their share of screen time which they do well with. None of this is good enough though given how many stories Bobby Jasoos, the film is trying to tell. Each distracting from the other, not letting the other come to its point.
Film review ·
...has an interesting premise, but the writing plays the spoilsport. The saving grace and also the USP is Vidya Balan for sure, but is that enough to salvage the film?
Film review ·
Shantanu Moitra has tried to come up with a simple yet sweet album, but the compositions are nothing too great. Tu is the only saving grace of the soundtrack, which is definitely the best classical romantic track in a long time. But the fall side is that it too will be loved only by the connoisseurs of good classical music. Jashn too is okay, but rest of the tracks fall flat.
Film review ·
A cute and simple story of a Muslim girl who goes against all odds to establish herself as a successful private detective. Vidya Balan, has pulled the film with her acting prowess proving her mettle as an actress, yet again. Bobby Jasoos is a decent watch, if you have nothing else planned for the weekend.
Film review ·
An average combination of fun and mystery...After a promising start, the story unnecessarily meanders into a family drama towards the end and you are left wondering where is the detective. But she is busy wiping off her tears with her dupatta.
Film review ·
What works for BOBBY JASOOS is the casting, what pulls it down is its writing. Had the cast been anything but this, the whole film would have crumbled like a pack of cards, because it is these actors that inject some semblance of respectability in a plot that goes all over before finally reaching its core substance.
Film review ·
Watch Bobby Jasoos, if you must, for Vidya's performance and the chemistry she shares with Ali. Sadly, the film could have done very well if it didn't waste too many frames on dealing with Bobby and her confrontation with her family. It looks forced and deliberate, a brazen attempt to reach a wider audience. Throughout the film, Rajendra Gupta (Bobby's father) does not talk to her because he does not approve of her 'jasoosi'.
Film review ·
The idea of Bobby Jasoos is good but the execution is not! The script is full of loopholes and is very predictable. Just when you feel the film is getting too long, there is a love song which is unnecessary. Music by Shantanu Moitra is strictly average. Bobby Jasoos could have been a winner but it lost track somewhere in between!
Film review ·
The third act seems to have been given step-motherly treatment, the writing team struggling to put together the pieces and dispel the confusion without resorting to shortcuts and convenient plot twists. The finale is a mess – and bizarre – undoing a great deal of expectations the film builds up to that point. You look back, then, and find loopholes every step of the way – never a good feeling to carry with you outside a movie theatre.
Film review ·
Despite the effort and the hype, 'Bobby Jasoos' just doesn't make the cut. At least, not for us, especially since we cracked the case even before Bobby did. Now, that's not saying much, is it? While 'Bobby Jasoos' is a fair attempt at women-centric characters, it fails to do much else because of its inability to break free from Bollywood stereotypes.
Film review ·
Bobby Jasoos is fun-filled entertainment. It suffers a bit with shoddy execution and writing. But it's nothing an expert like Vidya can't handle.
Film review ·
In short, Bobby's the sort of girl with whom you can't help but fall in love. So go see Bobby Jasoos. With a little help from her friends and family, she'll make you happier than you've felt in ages.
Film review ·
Though the film belongs to Vidya, Ali makes his own space with pride, confidence and his acting skills. There are no item numbers, cheap thrills and the usual trappings of a wannabe blockbuster. It just has Vidya and that should be the reason enough for cine-buffs to go and watch the film.
Film review ·
... is not half as funny as it should've been, and it is also very unbelievable. It is different from the usual masala films alright but that is simply not enough to entertain the audience or to keep the producers and distributors in good spirits. Flop.
Film review ·
The 121-minute movie harnesses the classic tropes of melodrama—coincidences, conflicts, the perfect resolution—to deliver a feel-good fairy tale of a remarkably mobile heroine who gets up and leaves whenever she feels like. The movie needed to have come with a "Don't try this at home but feel free to dream" disclaimer.
Film review ·
A feel good entertainer that chips a few clichés off the Bollywood rock.
From our readers
5 ratings · user score 6.0
Bobby Jasoos, a film by Samar Shaikh, could have been another Vidya Balan hit with the very novel concept of a female detective, a very unconventional profession for a female to be in, but something is amiss which hasn't worked in its favour. Post 'The Dirty Picture' and 'Kahaani', Vidya Balan has set her own benchmarking level of performance quite high. Her 'Ghanchakkar' was super flop, and 'Shaadi ke Side Effects' could do only decent business. Bobby Jasoos probably faltered as far as the script is concerned; otherwise, its concept had all the elements of another blockbuster in Vidya's kitty. But yes, it is a movie, which prompts us to pursue our dreams irrespective of challenges. Bilkis Ahmed aka Bobby (Vidya Balan) is so passionate about proving her mettle as a detective against the wishes of her family. Only her mother Zebo (Supriya Pathak) supports her whereas father (Rajendra Gupta) and others at home are dead against her detective job. Her father has a conservative approach and he feels that the house shall not be run with the girl's earning. He also feels that Bobby is a disgrace to the family due to her profession. Zebo does bring smile to our face while she tries to defend Bobby and her detective activities. Bobby keeps trying her luck at G-Force detective agency in spite of facing rejections from the agency again and again. She starts her own detective agency after challenging the agency. She handles insipid cases like worried parents, suspicious spouses etc. A tea shop person Munna (Aakash Dahiya) does help her to get clients. She dons variety of looks viz. that of a beggar, palmist, bangle-seller, astrologer, peon, a TV producer etc. as part of her solving cases effortlessly. She approaches every case on the basis of her intuition and gut feeling and chooses strange paths to crack the same. Her familiarity with the streets of Mughalpura Mohalla of old Hyderabad fetches her a strange case from Anees Khan (Kiran Kumar) to find out two missing young girls with strange birthmarks, followed by search for a guy as well. She is paid hefty amount. Anees just wants Bobby to do her job without raising any question about his motive in looking out for these missing people. Bobby goes ahead following her mind and heart, but then, she starts doubting the motive of Anees behind his search for the girls. The story moves ahead from there. Indeed, suspense is maintained till the very end. Ali Fazal as a TV anchor Tassavur Shaikh has given a very sweet performance. He is ambitious and does not want to settle down with girls of Mughalpura. And to escape from the marriage proposals brought to him by his father (Vinay Varma), he takes the help from Bobby to explore some stories about them so that he could conveniently deny those proposals. It is interesting to see Bobby and Tassavur together and how their relationship goes to the next level. What events unfold in the lives of Bobby Jasoos? Is she able to win her father's approval and love? Watch it
No doubt Vidya tries her best to deliver another great performance of her career as projected, learning the Hyderabadi accent well. But in reality, she not even gets close to the legendary Sanjeev Kumar doing nine different roles in NAYA DIN NAYI RAAT (1974), if only one wants to study the same in comparison terms. Hari Bhai (as fondly called) did that rare splendid act to perfection and Vidya's most of the getups were not even properly done with padding visibly coming out of her arms in one of the ugly ones. Plus keeping in mind her last venture GHANCHAKKAR, I am forced to assume that Vidya is now probably gone into the avoidable zone of over-confidence experimenting with many new concepts. But her vision is not being properly reciprocated and understood well by the directors she is working with. And BOBBY JASOOS is the perfect example of the same, evidently. Anyway in spite of all its big shortcomings, the two major positive points about the film remain that firstly it's a different genre (a detective film) bravely tried by the makers after a long time. And secondly where we did have many male detectives in the past like DO JASOOS (1975), GOPICHAND JASOOS (1982)and more, we never really had a lady detective portrayed as the lead character in a film as well in its title ever before in the history of Hindi Films. So BOBBY JASOOS at least deserves some extra marks for these two positive points alone but can also easily be skipped till its Cable or Home Video release in the coming months.
Bobby Jasoos. Vidya Balan sparkles as ever but everything else is so normal. As Bobby she is residing in the heart of Hyderabad and wants to a be a detective but such dreamy things never come easy. Movie scores in setting up the messy atmosphere of Hyderabad and many small struggles that Bobby faces. First half raises your curiosity as she deals with her big money client and when she consistently struggles to find her father's acceptance for her unusual job because she is a girl. Side characters initially help making things interesting but as time moves on they convert into unnecessary distractions from the main plot. Second half disappoints as things get more messy and too much time is spent on distractions. The detective movie starts wandering sometimes as a love story or family drama. Low production values becomes more visible especially in songs. The dream song is totally out of the place. And if it wasn't enough, the underwhelming climax leaves you unsatisfied at the end. I am going with not bad 6 out of 10 for Bobby Jasoos. It is recommended to watch under the comfort of home to enjoy Vidya Balan's strong performance.
This was a certainly offbeat year for Hindi cinema because we had the most convincing performances from the female superstars- be it the art and aesthetic of Alia in Highway or the sweep of Kangana in Queen. And Vidya Balan, with her interesting, swagger-drenched performance in Bobby Jasoos as a detective makes the film more charming. Although it is one film slowed down by clichéd choices of dance and music, it may be one of the easily glamorized movies this year, but it has content- and that's enough to like a film which comes with a strong performance from its lead and a bunch of those from the supporting cast, especially Ali Fazl. I'm going with 3 stars for 'Bobby Jasoos' and going as far as to say that it is one of the better Hindi films of the year.
Credits
Vidya BalanBobby
Ali FazalTasawur
Arjan BajwaLala
Supriya PathakAmmi
Tanvi AzmiKausar Khaala
Vinay VarmaAli Fazal's Father
Prasad BarveShetty
Anupriya GoenkaAfreen
Aakash DahiyaMunna
Zarina WahabAfreen's Ammi
Kiran KumarAnees Khan
Rajendra GuptaAbbaHindi films like Bobby Jasoos
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