If suspense-filled stories get you excited, then you might be able to sit through the dull and pointless first half and wait for the second half of twists and turns in Murder 3 — the latest addition to the Murder franchise.
The first half offers bad acting, bad one-liners and songs that make no sense. Like other films made under the Murder franchise, there are some recurring features: skin show, unexciting dialogues and lots of screen romance. However, the romance was snipped out before the movie was given a clean chit in Pakistan, so if you are going there only for the lip-locks, then standing in a queue for a ticket might not be worth the effort.
The storyline, which is an adaptation of the Colombian thriller La Cara Oculta (The Hidden Face), revolves around photographer Vikram (Randeep Hooda) and his lover, architect Roshni (Aditi Rao Hydari). After moving to India for a lucrative contract with his girlfriend Roshni, the two start living in a luxurious house when Roshnni suddenly disappears, leaving behind a recorded video message for Vikram. The police launch an inquest, suspecting Vikram’s involvement in her disappearance. However, they fail to find any substantial proof against Vikram.
Heartbroken, Vikram resorts to alcohol. This is when he meets bar waitress Nisha (Sarah Loren), who gives Vikram a shoulder to cry on. Eventually (read: expectedly), they fall in love. Nisha moves into Vikram’s house, where Roshni once dwelled, and needless to say, still lives in the form of spooky sounds.
Carrying the baggage of expectations owing to her extraordinary TV career in Pakistan, Loren fails to deliver what could have easily escalated her career graph in Bollywood. Her already ordinary role has been destroyed by flat and despicable dialogue delivery. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work for a medium as elaborate as cinema, where each detail matters. Her purpose of serving as eye candy also fell flat due to her somber make-up and childishly rainbow-coloured wardrobe.
Additionally, the wardrobe of Hydari — an actor who had left us crushing on her after her stint in London Paris New York — was also unimpressive throughout the film.
In his debut, director Vishesh Bhatt has created a few gripping moments. Unfortunately, he still does not manage to keep you engaged and leaves you waiting till the end for that one moment that pays off for your patience. The best thing about the film is its slowly unraveling plot — no brownie points for Bhatt here since it’s an adaptation! He manages to use some interesting intellectual montages, which gives you the impression that he is a thoughtful film-maker.
Bhatt doesn’t quite manage to bring the movie to its highpoint as the climax seems hurried. The overall music of the film is below average, so much so that the jaded tunes managed to make a magnificent singer like Shafqat Amanat Ali sound bad.
The only lifesaver of the movie is the song Hum Jee Lenge, by our very own band Roxen. The apt combination of Roxen’s rock-influenced rhythms and lyrics worked well in the commercial industry of Bollywood. The singer, Mustafa Zahid of Roxen, has improved significantly as a vocalist and this song makes your departure smooth as the end credits start rolling.
Verdict: If you manage to sit through the bland and pointless first half, then brace yourself for a thrilling second one. If you like twists and surprises, then this could be your cup of tea.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2013.
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