Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
Movie Reviews

Judgementall Hai Kya Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao Is Ideal Foil To Livewire Kangana Ranaut In Zany Psychological Drama

VINAYAK CHAKRAVORTY IANS, 26 Jul, 2019 09:05 PM

    Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Rajkummar Rao

    Direction: Prakash Kovelamudi

    Rating: * * *


    "Judgementall Hai Kya" celebrates the bizarre, at the cost of giving in to glaring flaws, much like the grammatical gaffe in its title.


    At the film's core is the tested good-triumphs-over-evil formula, although done in a way few Bollywood efforts have ever tried. Quirky storytelling mixes black humour and moody suspense with a sombre subtext that draws from the "Ramayan" to drive home its comment on violence against women.


    This is a very different Bollywood film. Which also means it may not fit everyone's definition of entertainment.


    Bollywood debutant director Prakash Kovelamudi probably isn't worrying on that count, what with Kangana Ranaut heading the cast along with Rajkummar Rao. The duo sets off intriguing chemistry in what is essentially a story of hate rather than romance. Together, they remain the biggest asset of the film.


    Kovelamudi makes interesting use of psychedelic colours and an arresting background score to highlight the bleak world of his protagonist. Wanton hues of Holi soak the screen in the opening scenes, ironically taking you through the disturbing back story of the film's central character Bobby as a little girl.


    That contrast between the screenplay and its audio-visual impact continues as the story moves forward. The grown-up Bobby (Kangana) is now a struggling voiceover artist, and clearly all is not well with her. She has been to the mental asylum and back, is prone to hallucinations, and brutal childhood memory has left the scar of acute psychosis in her mind.


    The first half builds up well, blending drama with humour and introducing interesting characters such as Bobby's manager-cum-wannabe boyfriend (Hussain Dalal). The story really takes off when the brooding Keshav (Rajkummar) and his wife Reema (Amyra Dastur) move in as tenants in Bobby's house. Even as Bobby somehow starts suspecting Keshav is not the nice guy he pretends to be, the plot introduces a wild spin. Reema is killed, and Bobby is convinced her husband is the culprit. No one including the police, however, will believe her.


    You go into the post-interval portion hoping for fireworks. However, Kanika Dhillon's writing seems less assured moving into the final�. The drama gets serious, but the story never quite sets up an engaging cat-and-mouse between Bobby and Keshav. Unconvincing coincidences are forced into the screenplay in order to create scope for twists, and Bobby's hallucinations get repetitive.


    For a film that seeks to shock with an ending that virtually turns the story on its head, the climax is a predictable one. The writing and execution should have been sharper towards the end.


    The film has very few characters, which means the lead players - particularly Kangana - gets to occupy most of the screen space. The actress has made a career essaying characters that are off their rocker, and she brings alive the tailormade Bobby effortlessly. Rajkummar Rao employs trademark screen-presence to keep you guessing about the mysterious Keshav.


    Among the prop cast, Amrita Puri and Hussein Dalal are impressive in minor characters, while Jimmy Shergill's tryst with unimportant roles inexplicably continues.


    Satish Kaushik and Brijendra Kala are introduced in the first half as the cops investigating Reema's murder. Despite their instant impact upon entry, they don't get beyond a couple of scenes.


    "Judgementall Hai Kya" has its flaws. The film's novelty factor, however, is simply too tempting to gloss over. Don't be too judgemental about its flaws, and you might just love this one.

    MORE Movie Reviews ARTICLES

    'The Accidental Prime Minister': Nothing Accidental About It

    If you enjoy political satires, "The Accidental Prime Minister" may not be the film that its makers would recommend for you.

    'The Accidental Prime Minister': Nothing Accidental About It

    'Zero': Performances Outshine The Narrative

    While the film opens with an intriguing and engaging scene, the overall packaging despite being fantastical, lacks the punch.

    'Zero': Performances Outshine The Narrative

    'Namaste England': Outdated and cliched

    'Namaste England': Outdated and cliched
    Those expecting to see the beauty of England would be disappointed. Overall, the narrative is slow with sensibilities of the late 1990s.

    'Namaste England': Outdated and cliched

    Badhaai Ho: Refreshingly Honest And Entertaining

    Badhaai Ho: Refreshingly Honest And Entertaining
    The film sidesteps stereotypes and tells a quiet, firm, deeply humanist story about doing the right thing. It is a film that avoids any message or statement and yet shows us

    Badhaai Ho: Refreshingly Honest And Entertaining

    Love Yatri Movie Review: Poor Writing – A Lacklustre Romance

    Love Yatri Movie Review: Poor Writing – A Lacklustre Romance
    With the poor writing, one does not feel the need to intellectualise or make sense of the technical qualities, which are naturally ace. The songs and music too do not elevate this film.

    Love Yatri Movie Review: Poor Writing – A Lacklustre Romance

    Andhadhun: Ayushmann Khurrana Has Never Been Better, Tabu Is Astounding, Radhika Apte Pitch-Perfect

    Andhadhun: Ayushmann Khurrana Has Never Been Better, Tabu Is Astounding, Radhika Apte Pitch-Perfect
    Director Sriram Raghavan's "Andhadhun" is a taut, skillful and surgically effective murder mystery. It is the story of a man who finds himself trapped in a surrealistic nightmare.

    Andhadhun: Ayushmann Khurrana Has Never Been Better, Tabu Is Astounding, Radhika Apte Pitch-Perfect