I read a couple of reviews about the movie and saw the trailer. Super excited to know what the story was all about, I convinced a friend to come along with me for the night show of Drishyam.
Having read that it is the fifth remake of the Malayalam film by the same name which was later adopted in Kannada ,Telugu and Tamil, I was curious to see and understand the reason why would a film be made 5 times and people would still want to see it.
The film is set in the Goan countryside where Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) lives with his wife Nandini (Shriya Saran) and daughters Anju (Ishita Dutta) and Anu (Mrinal). A fourth standard failed/dropout, Vijay runs a cable business and is a diehard movie buff. For him, films are his window to the world of educated people.
Director Nishikant Kamat shapes Vijay’s character in the most effortless manner possible. The scene where Vijay advises a group of villagers about Habeas Corpus (relief from unlawful detention) is a masterstroke of his characterization – a simple man with a razor-sharp mind and memory. You will laugh at him because you know that his knowledge is courtesy the small TV in his office, but, at the same time, he leaves you mightily impressed with him.
Ajay Devgn has done a good job in portraying the character of a sharp, yet simple husband and dotting father. I must say a good change and relief from his senseless comedy. His serious posture and half-hearted smile fits in perfectly with the character.
Tabu, as usual, is able to beautifully shift between two character of being a police officer and a tragic mother, looking for her only son. Rajat Kapoor too does his best to fit into the role of an urbane businessman. Though Shriya Saran fits in for a caring housewife, yet, I feel, she could have done a much better job as a mother. Ishita Dutta does justice to her role and is fully able to portray the trauma and vulnerability of a sexually threatened girl. Little Mrinal Jadhav as Anu is superb, especially the scene where she is made to watch as her family is getting beaten.
Kamlesh Sawant as Gaitonde, stands out amongst the characters. He is so good at being the bad cop, that you will wish the worst for him. You will laugh at his tragedy, as he struggles to avenge himself by trying to unfold the truth, but his history as a bully and a corrupt police officer gets him publicly beaten.
Stunning, engrossing, totally awesome – it is the kind of movie where in you will stop munching your popcorn, and start biting into your nails, in sheer shock of the plot as the story unfolds. Writer Jitu Joseph needs standing applaud for creating a flawless masterpiece that Bollywood will remember for a long time to come. Unlike most Bollywood movies where the thrillers are about finding the culprit, Drishyam weaves the story about flawlessly concealing the crime.
Nishikant Kamat has done absolute justice to the script and has the audience glued to the seat till the very end. It is definitely one movie that will restore your faith in the suspense genre.
The film’s climax is outstanding and I would say is the icing on the cake. Even though the film’s pace is slow, the mystery and the human dilemma will keep you hooked right till the end.
As I came out of the movie hall, the only word that I could manage to utter was WOW!!!
So what is my take on it? AN ABSOLUTE MUST WATCH!!!
Leave a Comment