EK
THI DAYAAN is a movie that was well expected to be unconventional. Does it turn out
to be unconventional? Here’s my take.
The
witchcraft and wizardry is an age old superstition, Vishal Bharadwaj brings it
to the contemporary world by telling the story of a magician, whose tryst with
destiny begins when he gets addicted to a book, he brought unbeknownst to his
father, which surprises him by guiding him to the gates of hell (as described
in the movie).
The
film starts well with the Bobo (that’s our protagonist, funny name in such a
story), played by Emraan Hashmi, showing off his magician skills to a room full
of people in awe of his tricks. In the middle of his famous rope act he gets distracted
by a haunting voice, which sets the pulse racing because of the girl
participating in the act being suspended in the air. Bobo regains his composure
albeit at the urging
of his girlfriend Tamara (Huma Quershi), but the incident forces him to revisit
his past. His past being tied up to his childhood home which he visits again,
reveals further more regarding
hauntings of
his childhood where we get know that magic was Bobo’s childhood passion and introduces
us to his widowed father, sister and Diana (Konkana Sen Sharma). The introduction
of Diana into the family changes the happy family to the one which faces a
tragedy. Out here in the present world Bobo starts experiencing all signs of
his past with introduction of Lisa Dutt (Kalki Koechlin). What was the tragedy
that he experienced in his childhood, the one he fears about now, who is the
dayaan (witch) and how is dayaan related to the tragedy forms the crux of the
remaining story.
Emraan
Hashmi gives the role his sincere best to pull one of the best performances of
his so far career. How many times have I thought and people say this about him?
Numerous times in the past few years, he just keeps improving from one movie to
his next. He might have been a candidate to the performer of the year with
slight changes to his mannerism in the scenes where he performs on-stage magic.
Huma Quershi performs decent enough as the adoring, care-taking girlfriend. Kalki
Koechlin, brings in the required freshness to the grim screenplay till then.
Konkana Sen Sharma does what she does best by delivering her performance with such
an ease, she makes it seem as though the role was tailor made for her. If only
the casting of the psychiatrist had been done with an extra care the cast would’ve
been impeccable.
Debutant Kannan Iyer does more than decant job as a director, but this film passes off a Vishal Bharadwaj movie, so Iyer remains an hidden name. Vishal
Bharadwaj after the honest effort of Matru Ki Bijili ka Mondola, gives another
good earnest effort with this story. But falters with the climax, which is so
underwhelming that it destroys the intensity built till then. Screenplay is
good in parts, better switching between emotional, comic and horror (yes, that’s
the first time I have mentioned the word till now) would have made it
exceptional. He more than makes up to his stumble in screenplay by delivering
one of the albums of the year, where all the songs remain with you when you
leave the hall, especially Yaraam, and a haunting background score which is the soul of the
effects, in horror movies.
There
are enough spooky moments in the movie to make you jump off your seats, in this
sense the movie comes in horror genre. Story wise, a whipping at demons, witches
and science related to it.
To answer my own question. Does it turn out to be unconventional? Yes. Is it because of the story? No. It's because of the Emraan Hashmi-Vishal Bharadwaj combination.
All
in all, a decent movie which is worth for the bucks you spend on this. If you are
forgiving regarding the ending, get ready to be spooked by one of the best
horror and unconventional movies in Hindi cinema in recent times.
So 3 out of 5 for this one.
Feel
free to give me your thoughts regarding my review.
Cool bro... Film seems to be interesting. Good write up, well balanced critic.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not wrong, you have forgotten to mention about Balaji(Ekta), they have also given one good horror film in past.