#YehSaaliAashiqui #BollywoodFilmMovieReview #PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas Rating: * * *
Johnson Thomas
Impressively Twisty & Thrilling Debut Vehicle
Film: Yeh Saali Aashiqui
Cast: Vardhan Puri, Shivaleeka Oberoi, Ruslaan Mumtaz
Director: Cherag Ruparel
Rating: * * *
Runtime: 138 mins
A family production, this Amrish Puri films’ effort for the grandson (Vardhan Puri, who has been gifted the lead here) of the famed International actor, is an awe-striking surprise. Forget the nepotism involved and the trite-romance indicating title, this film will make you rethink on all those damaging stereotypes heaped on the small-budget mainstream film.
The narrative starts off rather hesitantly with well-off orphan Sahil Oberoi (Vardhan) striking up an amour with fellow classmate Mitee Deora(Shivaleeka Oberoi), at a Hotel Management Institute. They claim to be in love but then Mitee is caught red-handed in compromising situations and Sahil is left reeling. Won’t go further into this intriguing story because that would be telling too much but needless to say Director Cherag Ruparel has fashioned a thriller that twists and turns and twists again and again before playing out the final reveal. The plotting could have been sharper in the first half but one can’t quibble about that when the eventual resultant is a shocker. Ruparel engages us with a play on light and colors, suggesting darkness in a seemingly unthreatening realm of romance.
The actors grow in confidence as the story takes form and the helming gets more and more assured as the theme of romance expands into vengeance and counter-response. The influences and references ( Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and many others) are obvious but that doesn’t take anything away from the overall enjoyment. Despite the negative shades apparent in the two lead characters you get totally hooked and want to know what’s going to happen next. And it’s largely to the credit of the actors, the director, smart scripting and dialogues, thumping background score and some energy giving songs, that this film grows on you strongly enough to leave you impressed. Havaa Banke, Sanki and Bewaqoofi are songs that impress, resonate with emotions that lift-up the narrative as the telling solidifies into something substantial - even though far-fetched. Vardhan and Shivaleeka pull off amazing debut performances here and make this film far more intriguing and engaging than it might have hoped to be.
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