DRISHYAM
DIRECTOR : Nishikant Kamat
CAST : Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran
CLASSIFICATION: TBA
RATING: ***
For those expecting an edgier and even better remake of the acclaimed original 2013 Malayalam film of the same name, this does not entirely pay a befitting tribute. While it is a gripping mix of melodrama and mystery, it’s flawed with uninventive film making technique.
The plot revolves around Vijay Salgaonkar(Ajay Devgn), who is a cable TV businessman, operating in a rural Indian area. He is married to Nandhani (Shriya Saran) and they have two daughters.
During a camp outing, Vijay’s elder daughter gets involved in a scandal involving the son of police inspector general Meera Deshmukh (Tabu). He is accidentally killed by the girl after trying to blackmail her.
Vijay is left with no other option but to save his family from the might of the law until Meera realises that her son has gone missing and starts to investigate.
The movie borrows heavily from the Japanese thriller The Devotion of Suspect X and proves to be somewhat disappointing in recreating some of its suspenseful moments.
The apt cinematography, crisp dialogue, engaging situations and characters contribute to the film’s most manipulative moments. As the harrowing interrogation involving the central characters takes centre stage, the intensity increases. This instantly rescues a sinking narrative, developing it into a suspenseful second half.
At 163 minutes, the movie suffers a staggering length, often allowing the narrative to run into trouble with the viewer’s attention.
Devgn shines in certain parts.
While this does not live up to his previous works, it is the vigour of his character that provides some hard-hitting moments.
Tabu is remarkable in her character as the brutal cop and uses every bit of her role to show off her acting prowess.
There are often times when Tabu’s performance becomes the absolute highlight, adding depth to the screenplay.
Kamlesh Sawant as the sub inspector is impressive. Shriya Saran and Ishani Dutta are average additions to the cast.
On the whole, Drishyam is a suspense thriller that is engaging in parts and will keep fans of the genre on edge.
l Celebrity journalist and media personality Varshan Sookhun presents the popular lifestyle show The Midday Spice on Lotus FM, 92.5 to 103.8 FM, Monday to Friday, 12pm to 3pm. He also presents Bollywood Billboard, from 2pm to 5pm on Lotus FM on Saturdays.