Taut, gripping and replete with twists and turns, yet underwhelming and lacking the punch. The 'wow' factor is singularly lacking in the much loved, highly celebrated and anticipated Drishyam movie franchise’s latest offering.
The narrative moves forward linearly, with the cops-turned-avengers still hunting for the middle-class family they are convinced accidentally killed their only son. Deciding who the true victim is in this scenario, the grieving parents or the family escaping their decade-long wrath, is a debate in its own right.
However, a sense of déjà vu envelopes one since the beginning. Consequently, the ‘conclusion’ lacks the feel of a befitting finale.
You root for the salgaonkar family, you wait for the regulatory authorities to fail abysmally in implicating the traumatised family in the murder they did commit inadvertently! You are impressed by the loopholes uncovered, the meticulous planning and the sheer ingenuity with which the family stays one step ahead.
Yet…Yet, deep down, the predictability dampens the thrill: you just know they are going to get away with it.
One more time.
One last time..
Perhaps.. perhaps not!
For ‘the conclusion’ seems distinctly open ended to me.
Hope the burial remains dignified and no more graves are dug (literally)!
When tropes are contrived conveniently and situations are deliberately manufactured, a smart audience (especially familiar with the previous 2 instalments of the movie ), doesn’t quite get enamoured by the suspense sequences.
The redeeming factors are the top notch performances. Devgan’s silence speaks volumes, Tabu and Rajat Kapoor portray the grief-stricken, stoic parents to perfection. The ensemble starcast is competent and fits the bill.
Joining them is Jaideep Ahlawat as the new investigating officer, who brings a highly stylised and sharp presence to the screen. In a baffling twist, he’s hardly seen in the climax, perhaps evaporating into the the very same thick plumes of cigarette smoke that followed him through every scene.
It has been one fine cinema outing spanning over 11 years. It started with a bang, ended with somewhere between a bang and a whimper.
A classic case of overdosing on a good thing until the magic wears off!
