Presented by Mahesh Bhatt produced by Vikram Bhatt, Khamoshiyan is the launch pad for television heartthrob Gurmeet Choudhary and Sapna Pabbi. The film also stars Ali Fazal in the lead role. Now that’s the background, let me tell you something about the movie, which I caught at 9 am in an almost empty theatre.
Story
Kabir (Ali Fazal) is a novelist, who has written one book and left three incomplete. He decides to bring his life back on track when his girlfriend, played by Debina Bonnerjee who dumps him. Kabir takes off to Kashmir to find a story where he checks into an eerie looking house owned by Meera (Sapna Pabbi). Kabir is clearly smitten by skimpily clad Meera, but at the back of his mind, he knows she is hiding something. When he insists on knowing her story, she tells him that she is married to Jaidev (Gurmeet Choudhary) who is bed ridden. But Kabir soon starts feeling the presence of a troubled spirit in the house and is set on a mission to find out the reason of its existence. The chaos created by the ghost and its exorcism forms the rest of the story.
What’s hot
Sapna Pabbi is hot, now I am sure you gathered that with the promos. However, if you are expecting any more skin show in the movie, then you will be disappointed. Ali Fazal tries his best to give an above average performance and I’ll say he almost succeeds. Sapna Pabbi still has a hint of an accent, which I’ll let go, as she tries to make it up with a decent performance. And coming to the main attraction of the film according to me, Gurmeet Choudhary – well, I think the story doesn’t do justice or talent. But in the little that we saw of him, he is indeed enthralling. Cinematographer Nizam Bomzan has captured some picturesque locales, beautifully in the contrasting romantic and eerie scenes. The sequence of the moon between the clouds surely earns the makers a brownie point. Director Karan Darra did a great job at direction as he sends a chill down your spine even when there is complete silence, which is ideally the theme of the film. Even the steamy sequences have been shot very aesthetically, without making it look vulgar. Kudos for that!
What’s not
An erotic horror movie need not have so many songs, it breaks the narrative and I was left twiddling with my thumbs waiting for it to just get over. Like I said earlier, Gurmeet was the reason I wanted to watch this movie, but his minimal presence in the story was disappointing. If I sit to count, Gurmeet barely had ten scenes in this film. The story was not just about ghosts; it also spoke of satanic worship and had a hint of BDSM (read fifty shades of grey if you don’t know what that means) too. Khamoshiyan makes the ghost look so powerless, it’s like it took long breaks before every attack; seriously what were they thinking. A lot of things were left unexplained in the movie, which really tested my patience. I was waiting till the end to get some explanation, but got none. I definitely have a bone to pick with Vikram Bhatt. After watching Hollywood movies likeConjuring and Annabelle which also touch on satanic worship, ghosts and more this one seemed like a snooze fest. Okay, leaving Hollywood aside, the story lacked power and meat even in comparison to Vikram Bhatt’s earlier movies. The dialogues in the movie should have been kept simple, who talks in shayaris and riddles?
Verdict
If you are a Gurmeet Choudhary fan you will be disappointed, so I’d suggest you skip the movie and wait for the actor’s next film. According to me, the movie lacks soul i.e. the story, barring which it makes for a decent watch. See it only if you have nothing else to do this weekend.
Rating:2 out of 5