Drishyam, a thriller that eschews the standard trappings of the suspense genre, is replete with surprises.
That, however, is true only if you haven’t seen any of the four southern versions of the film.
The narrative nub of the 2013 Malayalam mega hit – which stretches from the sudden flash point that triggers its key dramatic conflict all the way to the shocking final revelation – is intricate and taut.
So in this faithful Hindi remake, there is little room for any major tweaking of the plot.Director Nishikant Kamat and writer Upendra Sidhaye still managed to throw in a few new elements.
But the additional twists, except for the relocation of the story to Goa, have negligible impact on the shape and substance of the film.
Director of photography Avinash Arun harnesses the visual potential of the locales to great effect.But Drishyam steers clear of the Goa beaches and bars that Bollywood loves to distraction.
For Ajay Singham Devgn, Drishyam represents a return to a long abandoned terrain dotted by such critical hits as Zakhm, Gangaajal and Omkara.
The actor brings the full force of his brooding presence to bear upon the role of a common man who does not lift a finger to fight his opponents, but stops at nothing to protect his wife and elder daughter from harm.
Tabu is caught between two stools – underplaying her emotions and overdoing her swagger to the accompaniment of loud background music. All in all, must must watch movie