Jul 30, 2015 09:33 PM
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What constitutes right or wrong? What if you do something that you feel is right but can be wrong for someone else, maybe for everybody? But your doing is inevitable to protect yourself or your folks. Drishyam comes up with one such and many other intriguing points while telling a very superb tale in a very superb manner. A remake of a 2013 Malayalam film(that has also been remade in other languages), Drishyam surely ranks as one of the best films of 2015!
The story of the movie: Vijay Salgaonkar(Ajay Devgn) runs a cable service in the small town of Pondolem, Goa. He leads a simple, content life with his wife Nandini(Shriya Saran) and daughters Anju(Ishita Dutta) and Anu(Mrinal Jadhav). Their lives are going great until one night changes it all. On the other hand, Sameer aka Sam(Rishab Chaddha), son of IG Meera Deshmukh(Tabu) and Mahesh(Rajat Kapoor) goes missing suddenly. Meera will go to any lengths to search for her missing son and she has strong reasons to believe that Salgaonkars are behind the whole mystery.
Drishyam is very similar to the Malayalam original and hence those who have seen the original won’t find anything new as such in the Hindi remake. However, what one notices is that the Hindi remake is quicker especially in the first half. However, in a way that’s a slight flaw as well because the realism at places goes away which is intact in the Malayalam version from start to finish. Having said that, the Hindi version also has its own charm. The crisis that the Salgaonkars face comes across subtly and nicely and not very suddenly. The intermission point is explosive. The film gets better even in the second half. What’s amazing is that the makers don’t make it clear what exactly is going on. One just looks at the proceedings and wondering what’s exactly happening. And the makers reveal the whole truth at the correct moment that leavers viewers spellbound and amazed! The confrontation in the finale is quite shocking and makes for a great watch. Again, the twist in the tale at this juncture is out of this world! But wait, the best is yet to come which happens in the very final scene! And it’s so powerful that most viewers are bound to break into claps and whistles as the end credits start rolling!
Drishyam boasts of some great performances. Ajay Devgn is terrific and delivers an award-worthy performance. This is not a commercial or masala film – the characters need to be real. And Ajay remains in his character and yet, makes a great impact. And his intense eyes are like a gift for this character. The manner in which he’s watching films in his office, planning his moves and bonding with his family – it’s all done so brilliantly! Way to go Ajay and I hope he does many more films!
Tabu, known for some impactful performances, continues with her tradition. She enters the narrative a bit late but once she does, she takes the film to another level. Her scenes with hubby and police officers make for a riveting watch. And in the end, one gets to see a new side of Meera which also is nicely performed by the actress. Lastly, she keeps the balance so nicely that one won’t hate her totally because in a way, she’s helpless as well. Hence, it’s a very detailed performance. Shriya Saran does get a bit overpowered by Tabu and Ajay’s powerful performances. But she maintains a strong position and makes her presence felt with her fine performance. Ishita Dutta has a very crucial role and she delivers an excellent performance. An actor to watch out for! Mrinal Jadhav too puts up a good show, especially in the interrogation scenes. Sharad Bhutadiya(Martin) plays a very lovable character with ease. Kamlesh Sawant(Inspector Gaitonde) is quite superb. He has a very important part and does it so well. One can’t help but hate him immensely! Rajat Kapoor as always delivers a fine subtle performance. It’s not an in-your-face performance and yet, the impact is made. Prathamesh Parab(Jose), who has made a mark in Marathi films like with films like Timepass and BP - Balak Palak, is funny and is quite a nice actor. Rishab Chaddha is quite decent. The actors playing senior inspector Rane, senior inspector Prabhu, contractor Rane, Nandini’s parents and brother, the restaurant owner and Swami Chinmayanand do a very good job.
Vishal Bhardwaj’s music is okay as songs don’t have an important part to play in the film. There are only 2 songs in the film – Carbon Copy and Dum Ghutta Hai – and both are relegated to the background. Dum Ghutta Hai however stands out thanks to its catchy tune. And it refuses to leave the mind long after the film is over! Sameer Phaterpekar’s background score alleviates impact in some crucial scenes, especially in the final sequence. Avinash Arun, who made the acclaimed Marathi film Killa, rocks as the cinematographer. Some of the hill and seaside scenes are beautifully captured by Avinash. Aarif Shaikh’s editing is sharp. Jeetu Joseph’s story is marvellous and what’s also praiseworthy is that it’s an original concept. Who said Indian film writers can’t come up with great content? Upendra Sidhaye’s screenplay is sharp and highly engaging. His dialogues are simple and very much to the point. Nishikant Kamat’s direction is highly effective. He could have done a bit better in the first half but no complaints, especially for those who haven’t seen the original. And great to see that Nishikant can come up with such diverse, great films – From Dombivali Fast to Mumbai Meri Jaan to Force to Lai Bhaari to now Drishyam. Hats off!
Some of the best scenes:
Vijay gives the ‘Habeas Corpus’ idea
The songs Carbon Copy and Dum Ghutta Hai
The fateful night for the Salgaonkars
Vijay goes alone to Panaji
The intermission point
Vijay instructing his family on how to move ahead
The family gets interrogated
IG Meera Deshmukh realizes the truth
The last 20-25 minutes
The final scene(masterstroke!)
On the whole, Drishyam is a spellbinding film and emerges as one of the best drama-thrillers of Bollywood. Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Kamlesh Sawant rock the show but the real winner here is the script and direction. At the box office, the film can work big time thanks to a great word of mouth. Go for it – it’s one of the finest films of 2015!
My rating - 4.5/5!
