"7 Khoon Maaf" is Disappointing

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One of my favorite movies of all times is “Requiem for a Dream”, which is an extremely dark and disturbing movie to say the least. But what makes the movie so impressive is that it connects to the viewer emotionally, and you and I can feel the emotions that the characters feel. The problem with Vishal Bharadwaj’s “Saat Khoon Maaf” is that while it focuses too much on its darkness, very little attention is paid to the emotions that the tale was supposed to convey.

Vishal Bharadwaj is one of the finest filmmakers in India, and there is no denying that you do get glimpses of his finesse in “Saat Khoon Maaf”. The locations, tone, cinematography, dialogues, and background score do impress, but it is the script that fails to do so. While I personally haven’t read Ruskin Bond’s “Susanna’s Seven Husbands”, but from what I have been told by other readers, the story tells of the emotions of Susanna, how complex those emotions are, and how they lead her into killing all of her husbands, one by one. On the other hand, “Saat Khoon Maaf” fails to do so, and here Susanna simply appears to be desperate for love, stubborn and ruthless. Even the reasons that lead her into murdering her husbands are portrayed as completely cold and earthly, and not a single moment in the movie shows Susanna in the middle of an emotional conflict. The movie is extremely dark, and often too disturbing. Especially the part where Irrfan Khan steps in has some of the most disturbing scenes I have personally ever seen in a movie, and would never like to see again.

Having said all that, the characters in the movie are really interesting and realistic, and the complete cast deserves a great applause for performing these characters so beautifully. There are several moments in the movie that are very involving, amusing and entertaining, but inconsistency breeds in. However, the best thing about the movie is Priyanka Chopra, who takes her acting skills to the next level and gives an outstanding performance, aging and passing through all stages of life, and sinks into the character with great ease at each stage. Another surprise package is Vivan Shah, who gives an intriguing performance for a debutant. The other strength of the movie is its music; be it the subtle and soft melody “Bekaraan”, rock-inspired “O Mama”, or Sufi style “Awaara”, the music is fresh and impressive.

Overall, “Saat Khoon Maaf” has its strengths and its weaknesses, but coming from the director of movies like “Omkara” and “Maqbool”, it is a disappointment. Watch it if you must, but try doing that on a weekday when the tickets would cost less.

Comments

Unknown said…
`thanks for saving my bucks......!!!!
10:38 AM
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