Everytime there’s a Vidya Balan thriller on screen, I really look forward to it. And most of the time she strikes gold. But sadly, it’s not the same this time. Despite its promising premise and atmospheric setting, the film suffers from a messy plot, and the huge number of characters make the film a slow burner. Haan, ngl there is an overall intrigue to find out the killer throughout the movie, but it tests your patience sooo muchhh before the climax that you’re left with a bittersweet taste in your mouth. Such a bummer man.
Plot
Toh kahaani hai about the mysterious death of billionaire Ashish Kapoor (Ram Kapoor) during his birthday celebration at a Scottish castle. As CBI Officer Mira Rao (Vidya Balan) arrives to take Ashish to India for his frauds, she finds herself investigating the murder instead. She begins to interrogate the entire guest list, with each one of them fcked up in their own ways, and with a motive to kill the billionaire. But, too many characters mean too many subplots which mean too much confusion which means the main storyline gets forgotten. Plus it takes frustratingly long to unveil the truth, making you regret your choice (ye kaunsi nayi baat hai waise). The climax, along with that (wink) cameo is out of the box, but cannot make up for the raita that has already been phailaoed by this whodunnit.
Performances
With these many characters on board, the cast performances are a mixed bag. Vidya Balan, does her best to navigate through this messy plot as the quirky-but-clever CBI officer, Mira Rao. But having seen her ace such goated roles, this one does not stand out. Ram Kapoor is as stylish as it gets, bringing the swag and style of a rich business honcho, while Neeraj Kabi adds some much-needed maturity and gravitas to the khichdi. Talented actors like Dipannita Sharma, Shahana Goswami, and Rahul Bose come up with the L-most performances, coupled with poor writing. Wahi surprisingly, it is the younger actors who come up with their A-game with Shashank Arora, Prajakta Koli, Amrita Puri, and Danesh Razvi managing to leave an impact, even with their limited screen time.
Screenplay
Where do I even begin? It’s like they threw every possible subplot into the mix and hoped for the best. There’s so much happening everything everywhere all at once that you won’t know where exactly your focus should be. Sab kuch intriguing lagta hai and yet nothing feels in-depth. It’s like you trying to cover your syllabus a day before exam– you just don’t know where to focus! But the cinematography is what kinda saves the day here. The stunning castle setting and the dark atmospheric scenes add a level of suspense and thrill, elevating the experience.
Writing
Omit 3-4 characters, remove some subplots, and rewrite the story– you just got yourself a very strong movie that keeps you hooked till the end. Also what’s with the convenience of it all? Vidya Balan legit pass se ja rahi hai and you’re discussing important secrets? Itne sus documents are hiding at the most childish places? They really did spoonfeed Mira while she was trying to solve the case. The climax tries to repair the damage, but jab puri movie mein hi fck ups ho, toh last ke 5 minute kya hi ukhaad lenge.
In a nutshell, Neeyat is a wild, bumpy ride that will leave you scratching your head in confusion. The slow pacing will test your patience, and the screenplay will have you questioning your own sanity. If you’re in the mood for spectacular views and don’t mind being left scratching your head, then Neeyat might still be worth a watch. Just don’t go in expecting a tightly woven thriller or you’ll be sorely disappointed. Proceed with caution, Watson.
