Directed by: Gowtam Tinnanuri
IMDb Link: Jersey (2022)
“Noor na rukhtey, saah vi na mukkdey.. ke agg bann gaya hai lahu mera.”
The “Copy-Paste” Problem
To start this Jersey movie review, I have to address the film’s biggest issue: it is a frame-for-frame copy. The story is identical to the National Award-winning original starring Nani. The only major difference is the setting: Arjun Talwar (Shahid Kapoor) lives in Chandigarh… and plays for the Punjab team. Even Arjun’s son, Kittu, is played by Ronit Kamra, reprising his role from the Telugu version.
This begs the question: If I hadn’t seen the original first, would I have enjoyed this more? Maybe. But when a remake is a scene-for-scene, dialogue-for-dialogue copy, you have to ask: What is the point? What’s frustrating is that the director didn’t attempt to fix the weak links of the original; he just replicated them.
Shahid Kapoor vs. The Ghost of Kabir Singh
As much as Shahid tries, two factors spoil his act. First, matching Nani’s raw, effortless performance was always going to be an uphill battle. Second, there is a distinct “Kabir Singh” hangover in his body language.
The vulnerability was missing, especially in the 1986 sequences where he needed to look innocent, not aggressive. Even the Punjabi dialect felt forced, lacking the natural flow you expect from a local Chandigarh character.
The Saving Graces: Ronit Kamra & Pankaj Kapur
The best parts of the film belong to the supporting cast. Ronit Kamra is excellent again as Arjun’s son. His innocence… especially the proud smile when he sees his dad’s photo in the paper… is the emotional anchor of the film.
Then there is Coach Baali (Pankaj Kapur). This track works beautifully because the real-life father-son dynamic bleeds into the reel-life one. The chemistry is visible, especially in the scene where Baali Sir warns Arjun not to get his hopes up.
(Though I have to ask: Why did they cut the crucial scene where Arjun goes to Baali Sir’s home to share the good news? That was a massive emotional miss).
The Music
The soundtrack is a winner. ‘Mehram’ is beautifully used (though it could have hit harder in key scenes), and ‘Jind Meriye’ perfectly captures the pain of unfulfilled dreams.
Comparison with the Original
It is impossible to write a Jersey movie review without comparing it to the 2019 masterpiece. While Shahid Kapoor clearly tries hard as Arjun, his performance often feels forced compared to the raw emotional silence of the original. In the Telugu version, Nani’s silence spoke louder than words. Here, the drama feels too loud and distinctly “Bollywood.”
Final Verdict: Jersey Movie Review
The Hindi remake struggles to capture the soul of the original. It feels polished but mechanical. Still, it’s a decent watch… especially if you haven’t seen Nani’s version.
My Rating: 5.5/10
Still undecided? If you want to see why the original is considered a classic, read my full review of Nani’s Jersey here.
