🌟🌟🌟🙄 (3 out of 5, and an extra roll of the eyes)
“A policeman with the memory of a goldfish sets out to solve a crime he’s already solved. What could possibly go wrong?”
Well hello, Bollywood buffs and masala mavens. This is your one and only Review Rani, back again to spelunk into the deep, dark caverns of Hindi cinema. And today, we’re diving headfirst into the convoluted labyrinth that is Rosshan Andrrews’ latest flick.
So, we’ve got our hero, Dev Ambre (aka Shahid Kapoor on steroids), playing a cop with the temperament of a grizzly bear. He’s got a murder case cracked wide open, but before he can spill the beans, he has a run-in with a vehicle (or was it a wall, who knows) and – voila – he’s got the memory span of a teaspoon. And thus begins an excruciating 156-minute journey of him dashing around, trying to piece together his past with the help of his, ahem, muscle memory.
The first half is slower than a snail on sedatives, as the makers painstakingly paint the grimy world of Mumbai and its denizens. There’s also a bromance brewing between Dev and his buddy Roshan D’Silva (Pavail Gulati in a role as stretched as chewing gum). As they tussle with the underworld, the film manages to wheeze along, despite the occasional yawn.
The second half sees our hero grapple with his memory loss, turning the film into an exercise in existential angst. But, the suspense is like a defibrillator – it shocks you back into the film every now and then, keeping you from flatlining out of sheer boredom.
The film comes alive, thanks to a frenzied background score by Jakes Bejoy that’s as hyperactive as a toddler on sugar. Add to that the action sequences, which are as explosive as a Diwali cracker shop. There are a few visual gimmicks, of course, because Bollywood doesn’t believe in subtlety.
Shahid Kapoor tries his best to be a two-for-one deal, playing Dev before and after the accident. But at times, his performance is as overcooked as burnt toast. Pooja Hegde is there too, playing his girlfriend and a journalist, who’s sadly given as much importance as a background prop. Kubbra Sait makes a brief appearance, flexing her acting muscles, only to disappear into oblivion.
The film is riddled with more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. Dev’s backstory, for instance, is hinted at but never really fleshed out, like a ghost at a séance. There are also some logic-defying moments that’ll make you laugh harder than any comedy. Overall, it’s a slow ride, but if you’re into that masala-mix of suspense, drama, and occasional absurdity, this might just be your cup of chai.
Rani’s Wrap-Up:
“If you’re in the mood for a thriller that’s as puzzling as a Rubik’s cube and as subtle as a sledgehammer, grab your popcorn and get ready for a wild ride.”
