EK HASINA THI is one of the BEST THRILLERS to come out of Bollywood in recent years. Not only that the film has Urmila delivering a performance which will be talked about for many years to come. It takes Indian cinema altogether to a new level.
Story is absolutely mindblowing. Right from the very start the scene is set and the film moves at a breakneck pace keeping the viewer completely engrossed. The film is no doubt a very tense thriller, but its got a strong emotional quotient which comes across with total perfection as well. The film never slackens in pace and never does it ever lose its grip over the audience.
Above all director Sriram Raghvan never takes the audiences intelligent for granted which is what most Bollywood thrillers do. This film on the other hand leaves the audience constantly thinking. Note: Where most thrillers these days are direct rip-offs of Hollywood films EK HASINA THI is a orignal story, inspiration maybe drawn from numerous sources, but the content of the film is orignal which again works in the films favour.
Sriram Raghvan is no doubt one of Ram Gopal Varmas BEST proteges to date. He makes a thoroughly brilliant debut and not once do you get the feeling that this is his debut film. The director is no doubt comfortable in the genre he is making and has complete command over the medium from the very start. He portrays the events on screen in the most realistic manner. The film has some amazingly tense and nail biting moments and Raghvan directs them in the most emmaculately intense manner.
The first half is stunningly rivetting and deserves FULL MARKS. The second half too is excellent, but the focus here shifts from being a hardcore thriller to showing the journey of a women on the run which takes the graph to a low level! . There are numerous moments in the film the viewer will take him with them long after the credits have rolled...these include
The argument between Saif and Urmila in first half, the sequences that follow right after and how Saif ditches Urmila . The entire climax sequence and above all the last scene of the film which completely moves and mesmerises the viewer.
Given the fact that the temptation is always there being a Varma protege to rehash Varmas style, manages to completely avoid that. Yes-EK HASINA THI has all the common traits of a RGV film including being a fast paced thriller, being intense and gritty, having dark and fascainating characters and being technically superlative...but Raghvan creates a niche of his own and gives the thriller genre another dimension which hasn’t quiet been touched in Bollywood before. Quiet an achievement for a first film huh? HATS OFF TO Raghvan. The talented director is all set to direct a story in RAFTAAR [Amitabh, John].
EK HASINA THI belongs to Urmila completely!Without a doubt the film is completely performance based and without the performance of Urmila EHT wouldn’t have been what it is. In my humble opinion NO actress in Bollywood can play Sarika Vartak how Urmila has. Urmila has always been an actor who has struck back despite all odds and delivered some knock out performances. It EASILY RANKS IN HER TOP 5 PERFORMANCES EVER (some may even say it is her career best). Urmila gets right into the skin of her character and delivers a completely believable performance that strikes a chord with the viewer.
Definitely one of the most complex characters one has witnessed in recent times, Urmila does full justice. Most other actress would ham such a role, but Urmila is completely natural throughout. Her delivery, getup, and the intensity of her eyes are simply amazing. This is no doubt a performance that remains firmly etched in the back of the viewers minds and reminds us yet again why Urmila is a perfect actress!
Another actor who shines in his role is Saif. With each film Saif has proved that he is one of Bollywoods most versatile and talented character actors and he adds yet another feather in his cap. As crude lover, Saif adds a different angle to the usual Bollywood hero . The actor is in complete control and totally natural when it would be so easy for him to go into his typical comic mode. He does throw in his usual trademark smile or two but even they gel with his character.
Seema Bishwas leaves a unforgettable mark as a cop. Despite having limited footage the viewer will remain her performance. Pratima Kazmi is fantastic!
Technically the film is fantastic as expected from a RGV production.
The two aspects of the film that act like characters of their own and heighten the film in every scene is the camerawork which adds a dark and gloomy ambience to the film which is FLAWLESS. Secondly Amar Mohiles background score is one of the best scores in recent times. The score is truly of International class and enhances the impact in many scenes.
Worth watching again and again. It’s failure at box office is a proof of the fact that we do not appreciate quality cinema !