Ek Hasina Thi

Ram Gopal Varma has of late been more focussed on producing movies rather than doing what he is actually known for. While his fans (like me) await patiently to see him pick up the megaphone again, he has fed us well in the mean time with a string of good ’small’ movies.

Supposedly inspired from multiple movies including Double Jeopardy, the suspenseful story of this movie has been generously revealed in several reviews. If you haven’t read one yet, let me too not give it out here and spoil your time. We’ll just say that a normal working woman is put into extreme difficulty and stress, and that she fights back. The title of the movie is one of the most apt ones that one can remember in recent times.

The initial wooing scenes between the lead pair are simply superb. The crisp dialogues and Saif’s natural acting work wonders. However, it becomes clear that a Hollywood-like situation has been adapted when the heroine is saved from small-time criminals on the street. In a short while, the movie takes unexpected turns and by climax-time, you are nowhere near the starting point. ’Realistic’ jail scenes are becoming more common nowadays.

The place where the movie falters is where it ventures to make certain scenes as simplistic as a common ’masala’ offering. That adds to the viewers’ growing impatience towards the end, which itself is quite hard-hitting though. The loop-holes in the screenplay are one too many and obvious to be listed here. Nevertheless, for most of the time, we’re kept glued to the screen, that too with just one song.

Matondkar acts within her limitations and disappoints only in one scene possibly. Khan is at it again, with a subtle act; no loudness for him this time, whether it is funny or serious stuff. Biswas is nearly wasted, but many unfamiliar faces make a lasting impression.

Background music and sound design (Dwarak Warrier of Bhoot fame) probably better the performances of the lead pair. Without these two, the movie would have been lifeless. Even the lone song suits the movie very well, serving almost as a continuation of the background score. Quick cuts in editing proceed smoothly, without jerks to make you sit up and notice them. Art direction is natural while costumes go overboard atleast in Matondkar’s case.

Sriram Raghavan makes a good debut, that too with very little influence of his mentor. Hopefully, appreciation for such movies will give them both confidence in the audience to give even better fare next time.