Religious violence has been a part of the Indian Subcontinent for centuries. Even in modern times, people still nurture hatred against people of other religions and commit atrocities in the name of God.
Still, in those turbulent times, people from different religions can come together and save others from violence, even in the face of constant death threats. This is the story of Jogi, a period drama which depicts the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India and shows humanity can still bloom amidst hatred.
The main protagonist is the eponymous Jogi, played by newcomer emerging actor Diljit Dosanjh. He was a Sikh living with his family in the Trilokpuri constituency of Delhi in 1984. His family's world turns upside down when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards.
This murder becomes the sole reason behind the call for the culling of Sikh people. Angry mobs throughout India act together to kill members of Sikh communities en masse and commit more heinous acts.
As Jogi and his family are also targeted, he has to flee to a safe place with his family. But Jogi isn't a selfish person. He cares not only for his family but also for other Sikh people in his community.
Thus, he embarks on the daunting task of rescuing people while evading murderous, angry mobs and police forces under the influence of a corrupt politician. Can he pull it off? Actor Dosanjh carried the film masterfully.
Jogi depicts how brutality upon a certain group affects the victims' lives and how some corrupt politicians can exploit the mob sentiment to succeed in their selfish political schemes. Counsellor Tejpal is the main antagonist of this film, who seeks to eradicate every Sikh in his constituency to have the upper hand in the upcoming election.
He goes to the extent of releasing all convicts in the local prison and using them to inflict death and destruction upon Jogi and his community members, perfectly portraying this character's malevolence.
When savagery is rife, some people from different religions come together for the sake of friendship and humanity. Jogi, a Sikh; Inspector Ravinder, a Hindu; and Kaleem, a Muslim, are three childhood friends who act together to rescue the Sikh people from 6 No. Lane, evading Tejpal and his minions.
Their commitment till the end resonates as a strong voice against all kinds of political and religious exploitation. Director Ali Abbas Zafar does a brilliant job of keeping this as the essence of this film.
Jogi reminds the audience of the violent past when religious unrest is continuously increasing in this Subcontinent. This film bears a warning to take lessons from the past and forget religious differences in the name of humanity.
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