🙄🙄✨ (2.5/5 – because I’m feeling generous today)
Time for a round of applause, ladies and gents! We have a new contender for the ‘Most Overstuffed Plot of The Year’ award. I present to you, Devang Shashin Bhavsar’s “Blackout.” A crime reporter, a drunkard, two thieves, and a mysterious woman walk into the dark streets of Pune. No, this isn’t the beginning of a bad joke, but pretty much the plot of this film. Let’s dive into this chaotic night, shall we?
Our protagonist, Lenny D’Souza (Vikrant Massey), steps out for some grub while Pune has decided to embrace the dark side (quite literally), thanks to a city-wide power outage. But our dear Lenny doesn’t just get his takeout; he gets a complimentary side of armed robbers and a stolen chest. Talk about a freebie gone wrong!
Add to the mix, a drunkard named Bewdya (Sunil Grover) whose main occupation seems to be creating chaos, and a couple of thieves, Thik and Thak (interesting choice of names, isn’t it?), played by Karan Sudhakar Sonawane and Saurabh Dilip Ghadge respectively. Oh, and let’s not forget the cherry on this weird sundae – a mysterious lady named Shruti (Mouni Roy).
“Blackout” had the potential to be a gripping dark comedy, but it ended up being a convoluted jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. The plot is as scattered as the city’s electricity, adding characters faster than I can say ‘Bollywood.’ Our dear Bewdya’s backstory seems to be a last-minute addition to the script, and the introduction of a mafia don, Mugil Anna (Sooraj Pops), makes as much sense as pineapple on pizza. And then we have Detective Arvind (Jeeshu Sengupta) who seems to be there just to add another piece to this chaotic puzzle.
Despite this hot mess, Vikrant Massey pulls off a commendable performance as Lenny. His comic timing is spot on and he manages to shine even in the most absurd scenes. Sunil Grover’s Bewdya, although amusing at times, feels like a character who’s lost in the plot. The film does manage to squeeze in some laughs, thanks to the antics of our petty thieves and their relentless pursuit of Lenny’s stolen camera.
In a nutshell, “Blackout” is like a fast-paced roller-coaster that has forgotten its track midway. It’s an overambitious attempt at dark comedy that falls flat due to its overpopulated plot and scattered narrative.
Well, that was my two cents on “Blackout.” If you’re into films that feel like a badly organized party where too many people show up uninvited, this one’s for you. Until next time, folks, remember – not all freebies are good, and every blackout doesn’t lead to an exciting adventure! 😉
