After delivering two heartwarming stories with Nil Battey Sannata and Bareilly Ki Barfi, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari returned to the silver screen with Panga – a tale of mothers, kabaddi, and second chances.
Unlike her first two films, Panga does not resonate with the same level of emotional depth. And yet, the power-packed performances and the film’s sporadic but relatable humorous incidents keep the interest alive.
Kangana Ranaut owns the role of a woman caught between ‘motherhood’ and ambitions, and Yagya Bhasin’s precocious wisecracks are a delight.
But the true surprise is Jassie Gill’s adorable performance as the supportive, humorous husband Prashant Shrivastava.
With multiple Punjabi movies under his belt, Jassie Gill is clearly no novice when it comes to facing the camera. But while his Bollywood debut, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, may have been a forgettable comedy, his role in Panga is definitely memorable.
As Prashant, he is the supportive husband whose sense of humor is as adorable as his video-game matches with his son. In the midst of it all, his innocent flirting just adds to the charm. He is, for the want of a better expression, the ideal partner-in-crime.
However, Jassie Gill’s true win is that even in the scenes where he remains on the sidelines, his one-liners or expressions draw your attention.
In a movie where the small moments win but the climaxes let you down, Jassie Gill delivers a consistent, winning performance. Ultimately, it’s all too easy to see why Jaya would choose Prashant, because we would too. In a heartbeat!