Drishyam

“DRISHYAM” is a gripping suspenseful drama!

With a subdued first half which merely builds the plot up, the film leads you to an extremely nail-biting second half, marked by an absorbing and extremely compelling screenplay. Ajay Devgn’s restrained act and Tabu’s magnetism keeps you glued to the screen for nearly quarter to three hours, culminating in a satisfying (albeit a tad feigned) climax, making this film worth every penny you spend.

Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) runs a cable TV network in a remote and hilly village of Goa. He lives a happy life with his wife Nandini and two daughters. In an awkward twist, a teenage boy goes missing. He is the son of a headstrong & no-nonsense cop, IG Meera Deshmukh (Tabu). As it turns out, the Salgaonkar family is the prime suspect in this case. Violent investigation forms the rest of the story leading to an unexpected & shocking climax.

The film is a remake of the 2013 Malayalam All-time Blockbuster film of the same name. After that it was remade in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil in the last 2 years. What sets this film apart from the hoard of other suspense dramas, is its ability to keep you consistently hooked in without giving a sense of disbelief at any point. The story is believable, the plot is riveting and the screenplay is cliff-hanging. There definitely are flaws in the overall presentation, but pointing those out is more of nit-picking in a commercial project like this.

The first half too is unappealing, with its treatment akin to the 70’s era hindi cinema and a non-conclusive intermission. But it’s the second half that takes you by a storm and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. There are twists, turns, revelations and intriguing sub-plots that despite their inconsistencies, make for an extremely involving watch. In the end, it’s a gratifying experience.

The performances are good. It’s the two leads, Ajay Devgn and Tabu who expectedly steal the show. Ajay Devgn has a knack of delivering flawlessly in roles like these and he does it yet again. His eyes speak a thousand words and his body language is consistently appropriate. The controlled aggression that his character demanded is portrayed exceptionally by this veteran. Tabu on the other hand appears only at the cusp of intermission and takes things forward from there as the powerful opposite force to the compelling character of Ajay Devgn. She attracts eye-balls whenever she appears and her demeanor is absolutely perfect. The supporting cast does adequately well too.

In all, “DRISHYAM” is a riveting drama that succeeds in arousing curiosity and maintaining interest throughout its runtime. It isn’t perfect, but is extremely engaging. Go for it!