‘JC: The University’ movie review: After a brilliant start, this crime drama loses momentum

JC (Judicial Custody) begins with the gripping portrayal of the dark side of prisons. It illustrates how long-term imprisonment affects a person’s life in the outside world. A host of distinct characters playing notorious criminals with quirky names is the backbone of debutant Chethan Jayaram’s realistic reflection of the corrupt prison system. Add to it the violence, and you get the feel of the gritty realism of Suri films (Duniya, Kaddipudi), a pleasant imitation of the seasoned filmmaker who revelled in the noir genre.

Madhusudhan a.k.a Maddy, a college student, lands in jail following a high-profile murder. It’s a cold and dark place, where everything, right from people to the food, is far from ideal. As he struggles to break away from the brutal environment, he finds reprieve by mingling with rowdy Kumari (Thriller Manju) and his gang, which includes two shrewd criminals, A-Z (a hilarious name to signify the thorough knowledge of the field) and Jadeja. Kumari wants to eliminate Kavala, the most feared don of the city, who is shielded by reckless rowdies in Raaka and Twins.

Now, you can point to several reasons why Maddy commits a crime. You may attribute it to circumstances. He goes to a police officer for protection, but is met with ignorance. An opportunistic friend pushes him to take needless risks. It could also be because of Maddy’s brittle ego, as he can’t sleep without seeking revenge. A series of events leads to the execution of the big fish, and the proceedings are made gripping thanks to a host of actors who revel in their nicely fleshed out roles.

After a brilliant first half marked by solid world-building, the director throws his hands up in the air as JC comes crumbling down. What is the mindset of the hero? Why does he persist in the criminal world? Why isn’t there even a moment of introspection? Kannada cinema’s previous attempts (Jogi, Duniya) at young men drawn to the underworld were convincing because the protagonists hailed from small towns, desperate to make a living in the big city. Here, Maddy isn’t as naive as they are and, more importantly, is educated enough to know the consequences of pursuing rowdysm. JC needed to show the vulnerable moments of the protagonist as he commits heinous crimes. Instead, the film opts for heroic moments that border on glorification of gangsters.

Even if the real reason is ego, the idea goes on for too long in the second half, offering nothing new to the viewers. The clash of egos had to enter dangerous territories for us to feel gripped. JC settles for a verbal war between the hero and villain, which becomes tedious after a while. It’s surprising how the policemen have little to do in the plot. Apart from one scene, which shows the police’s active participation in the corrupt system, the men in khadi are largely absent in the violent world.

The relationships around Maddy had to be written with more emotional heft. The love story is the film’s weakest link. Maddy’s romantic relationship is introduced with a silly quarrel over punctuality. Scenes revolving around the relationship are uninteresting, including the romantic number. I wish Bhavana S Reddy’s character had more to do than just claiming to accept his boyfriend despite constant danger lurking around him.

The director also struggles to balance the father-son bonding with the gangster portions. Maddy’s sudden transformation, fuelled by his father’s shock at seeing his son almost commit a murder, feels too sudden. The scene reminds you of Mohanlal’s classic Kireedam (1989), where the protagonist drops his weapon in complete defeat after seeing his father, realising he has turned into what his father feared, a criminal. While that film had built up the deteriorating father-son relationship organically, the tonal shift in JC, while dealing with a similar trope is jarring, largely due to the melodramatic nature of the scenes.

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Some direct inspirations are apparent, such as the last scene of the movie, which is eerily similar to the final moment of Nithilan Saminathan’s (Maharaja fame) debut Kurangu Bommai. The film begins the announcement of the murder of the dread don by unknown assassin. He is later revealed to the protagonist, exactly how the opening portions unfolf in Jogi.

It’s frustrating to see a promising setup fall apart due to poor writing. JC settles to be a well-mounted portrayal of your usual innocent-turned-gangster who struggles to come out of the dreadful world, distancing his beloved ones in the process. Surya Prakhyath gives his all to a dense character, while Vijay Simha adds strength to the loose cannon Raaka despite the one-note nature of the character. JC needed to maintain the momentum of the first half, where the drama blended with very individualistic action sequences. However, it fails to reach the heights it aims for.

JC is currently running in theatres

Published – February 07, 2026 06:03 pm IST