Till it’s not the whodunnit, it’s the philosophical nuggets that keep your mind glued to the screen. So that you don’t miss one. When it’s not the reflective musings, it’s the wry and dark one-liners that have you pegged to the narrative. When it’s not the humour, the thriller’s crux holds you to the story.

So much to hook on to, so much to wonder about.

Interestingly for a good 45-60 minutes, the mystery doesn’t even begin. But, you know it is there. And once you know what it’s about, you try to figure out how. Once you know how, you wonder how they will get out of it. And actually worry for the filmmaker. How are the makers going to wrap this up in 45 minutes!? And if they do, won’t it spoil the rhythm of the film, one they have created with so much tenderness? Of course, we needn’t worry, they do it. And do it with subtlety and panache, allowing you to put the pieces together.

My heart is so full of joy with the climax. Even though this finish is as subtle, as it is in-the-face. It manages to be both at once and yet not cringe. It just made me so happy—after 2 hours and 15 minutes of build-up, it doesn’t have the perpetrator narrate how smart they were and cockily run us through the steps. It isn’t even one person who does this unveiling. The suspense reveals itself through the situation, through the expressions and body language of the actors. 4 hours since I walked out of the theatre and I am still wowed by the last 15 minutes of the film more than anything else.

And all through the performances, the music, the ambience created don’t fall a notch. The consistency in all these departments is so, so rare in Hindi films. That combined with some ace character-and-situation writing and acts made this pulp thriller into a film worth repeat watches. Of course, a hat-tip and a bow to the novel that the film is based on*. At the same time, the writing team’s adaptation is first-rate. I absolutely loved the realisation that one of the things that annoyed me the most…“would a woman really do what this woman is doing?” had an answer! And what an explanation! Also, on the side, I really wish I got all the references they have sprinkled through the film.

No way for me to know how much of it is director Sriram Raghavan’s doing and what parts the rest of the writing team contributed—but I could watch the film for just the flair with which nostalgia is so adorably imbibed in each frame of the film. So much to hook on to, so much to wonder about.

Here’s a thought experiment that I have engaged in for the last hour or so…what if it wasn’t Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupati playing the leads? Ooooof…what a long, long way has Ms Kaif come. To even pick up a role as a mother of a 5-6-year-old is a huge step up. And Vijay Sethupati has his own style of creating chemistry with the other characters he shares the screen with. In this case, whether it is Katrina Kaif or Vinay Pathak, Sanjay Kapoor or Radhika Apte, you feel sense his character’s relationships with theirs.

What if the film had someone other than Tinnu Anand, Vinay Pathak, and Sanjay Kapoor playing their roles? I have this question for every Radhika Apte role, so that is not a great question here. But, even with just 5-10 minutes on screen, Ashwini Kalsekar stays etched in memory. Who else can do that? End of thought experiment. Sure, we can have many contenders. But, I don’t want to see any of them. I want to see this film with the same cast, the same faces, the same dictions, the same mannerisms and delivery style.

4 hours since I walked out of the theatre and I am still wowed by the last 15 minutes of the film more than anything else.

Yes, you got that right, I want to see this film again. For what I missed. To pat my back for what I caught. To smirk at how the writing team gave up at a couple of places and incorporated an explanation so that we “get” it. But to also see if I “get” the significance of Orlem and Merry Widow, of the Japanese references, or of some of the music, or of the paintings on the wall and the books on the shelf, and so on and on and on. So much to grasp. But also, to experience the film without my mind and body being on the edge.

~ ~ ~

Ps. I saw the Hindi version of this film.

*I was unable to catch the name of the novel. French and Le Monte… is all I caught. Wikipedia and IMDb didn’t have the information until the time this review was written. Readers, if you do know, please leave a comment. Thank you in advance.

– meeta, a part of the audience