Movie review of ´DRISHYAM´

- Bhavikk Sangghvi           Let us know what you think about this story

Truth can be a mere illusion unless revealed along with hard evidence. How ethical is it to commit a grave sin if it’s required to protect your family’s honour?

A powerful thriller, Drishyam (meaning illusion) gives voice to a persecuted common man when he is required to do wrong to right a wrong. The film tackles these and many other issues with a strong story-line, tight script and slick editing that keeps the audience glued to their seats until the end.

Jeethu Joseph’s original story, has proved beyond a doubt that storytelling is at the core of a good film. The crisp script written by Upendra Sidhaye matches the knockout power of the story.

Although the first half is slow and tests your patience at times, the second half moves at a rapid pace with not a single dull moment. Director Nishikant Kamat has been faithful to the original and has delivered a masterstroke.

Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar is remarkably restrained while Tabu as Inspector-general Meera Deshmukh is terrific.

Vijay, a school dropout and orphan, is a film buff who has imbibed his education of life from the films he sees — and he sees many as the owner of a modest cable television business in Goa. A self-made man with a heart of gold, he dotes on his family — his wife and two daughters — and when circumstances put them through the toughest trial of life, he draws upon the scripts and dramas of thousands of movies of the crime and thriller genre that he had watched all this life, keeping a step ahead of the police and protecting his shell-shocked family.

The picturesque cinematography with idyllic scenes of Goa serves as an effective foil to the internal turmoil of the protagonist.

There are no loose ends in the plot; every character, every situation is well planned and visualized to perfection. The background score is evocative though a song that served to highlight the trauma of the characters seemed eminently forgettable.

Shriya Saran as Salgaonkar’s wife and Ishita Dutta and Mrinal Jadhav as the two daughters of the family have delivered sterling performances. A special mention needs to be made of Kamlesh Sawant who as Inspector Gaitonde personifies the corruption and malice that has made deep inroads into the Indian police force. A must-watch film that ticks all the boxes of entertainment.

Rating: * * * * (4/5)

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