Okay to begin with, I’m this close to starting a petition against people making unnecessary South Indian remakes just for the sake of it. Like why try if you can’t do justice to the original? Grab your detective hat and buckle up for Gumraah (2023), a crime thriller that had the potential to be a thrilling ride but ends up taking a detour to dullsville. Inspired by the Tamil hit Thadam, this Hindi adaptation fails to deliver the excitement it promises. With OTT action, a predictable screenplay, half-baked performances and most importantly, no originality, Gumraah is another forgettable movie in the sea of remakes.
Plot
Picture this: one murder, two suspects who look exactly the same (cue ‘arrey mujhe chakkar aane lage hai’). Well, Gumraah attempts to solve this mess through the eyes of Inspector Shivani Mathur (Mrunal Thakur). Enter Arjun (Aditya Roy Kapur), the prime suspect, who’s already on Assistant Commissioner Yadav’s (Ronit Roy) bad books. But ruko zara, sabr karo, cuz there’s a twist! Sooraj (Aditya in a double role), a carbon-copy of Arjun stumbles onto the scene, adding another layer of doubt for both the police and the audience. Amidst all this confusion, can Shivani outsmart her superior to uncover the truth? Isi bhasad ke beech mein themes of addiction and mental health have been discussed too, but get lost midway just like those important files in police stations. While the story is intriguing, the execution is as cliché as it gets.
Performances
Bass yahi se is movie ka downfall shuru hota hai. The performances in Gumraah fall flat, leaving much to be desired. Aditya Roy Kapur, who absolutely killed us in The Night Manager, disappoints with an average performance. His attempt to distinguish between the two characters with nothing but taporigiri and accents that don’t land is about as convincing as TMKOC makers tricking us into believing Daya waapis aane wali hai. Mrunal Thakur feels like a cardboard cut out. No expressions whatsoever, just a poker face and always mad at someone or the other. This isn’t the Mrunal we know man. The only saving grace is Ronit Roy, who aces yet another police inspector role, injecting some much-needed energy into the investigation. But even his efforts can’t lift the film from its emotionally flat state.
Direction and Writing
Disclaimer- Things are just gonna get worse from here. Director Vardhan Ketkar must have lost his way because the film suffers from poor direction and bland writing. The build-up is so boring ISTG, you legit end up pausing it five times. Add to it bland dialogues and monotonous situations that do little to pique our interest. And that love angle, it feels so out of place and random. The second half somewhat picks up the pace, but by the time we reach the climax, we’ve lost faith in the film’s ability to deliver that sense of satisfaction. All in all, a very clumsy effort to support the storyline.
Screenplay and Cinematography
The screenplay is as predictable as it gets, robbing the film of genuine surprises. It’s like watching a magician who reveals all their tricks before the show even starts. While some action sequences are well-executed, it is that OTT type slow-mo editing that honestly makes you wanna puke. Like, if you wanna go 15 years back in time, why choose the cringe aspect of us zamane ki filmography? Instead bangers banana seekh lo na. The cinematography also fails to breathe life into the film. It’s like that soda bottle in its third day after opening it—no fizz, no excitement. Har cheez flashback mein jaake samjhana pade toh it doesn’t feel exciting na. The visuals lack innovation, and the overall execution feels more like a marathon episode of CID than an engaging feature film.
End mein, it boils down to the everlasting case of ‘Hindi remake of a South Indian movie jisne garam karke thanda chor diya.’ Gumraah sets out on a promising journey but loses its way along the path. With lackluster performances, amateurish direction, and a screenplay that fails to ignite excitement, the film falls short of expectations. It’s like expecting a thrilling roller coaster ride and ending up on a kiddie train. While Gumraah won’t bore you entirely, it won’t keep you on the edge of your seat either. I’d say skip kardo.
