Bhaagamathie Movie Review
The most awaited movie of Anushka is out in theaters now. Bhaagamathie that has set high expectations with sensational promos is packed with a lot of twists and surprises. The film will surely leave its viewers with mixed feelings. It is not the film that we expect after seeing the promos. Director Ashok has written an intelligent screenplay for a regular revenge plot.
Story :
An honest minister (Jayaram) needs to be sacked by framing him as a scammer. For this CBI takes his former PA Chanchala IAS (Anushka) into custody. By then Chanchala is already in jail for killing her husband (Unni Mukundan). Police shifts her to a remote location to enquire about the minister. She is house arrested in an abandoned fort called Bhagamathi bungalow. It is a haunted house and Chanchala’s life is under threat. How does she and others escape from the clutches of Bhaagamathie forms rest of the story.
Performances:
Anushka has come up with a brilliant performance. She has done even challenging roles in the past that she is very much at ease as Bhaagamathie. Her performance in the interval scene is the highlight of the film. Jayaram shines in an important role. Unni Mukundan had a limited role but makes his presence felt. Asha Sharath is good as the CBI officer. Murali Sharma, Prabhas Srinu and Dhanraj did justice to their respective roles.
Technicalities:
Director Ashok who made Pilla Zamindar and Sukumarudu before came up with a very different script this time. Though it seems like a regular horror film at the beginning he springs in many surprises and impresses with his work. He made a quality product with the help of ace technicians. There are a few scenes where his inexperience is evident but it is a decent effort on the whole.
Madhie’s cinematography is top notch. Most of the scenes are shot in the dark and the ace cinematographer brings his A-game to the table. Thaman is in red hot form lately and he has come up with a brilliant background score yet again. Art work by Ravinder is top class and editing is neat. Production values are superb as the producers didn’t compromise on any aspect. Bhaagamathie is a technicians film with every department giving their best output.
Thumbs Up:
- Anushka
- Interval scene
- Twists in second half
- Music and Cinematography
Thumbs Down:
- A bit lengthy
- Too much focus on politics
- Hurried climax
Analysis:
Bhaagamathie seems like another Horror/comedy at the beginning. With the initial setup and a pack of comedians director prepares us for some laughs and jump scares. Political backdrop has given it a different look from the usual horror comedies. Interval scene totally prepares us for watching a horror comedy in the second half.
But Bhaagamathie turns out to be an entirely different film as it moves along. It switches genres and thrills us with unexpected twists and turns. Pre climax scenes in the Bhagamathie bungalow are wonderfully executed. However, a section of audience might feel cheated with the director’s take on the plot. There is a deliberate attempt to misguide the viewers so that the twists could pay off. In the process the director leaves the logic behind and there are far too many loop holes in the script.
First half of the film runs at a snail’s pace. Things don’t speed up even after Chanchala enters the Bhagamathie Bungalow. The build up to so called horror effect seems boring after a point. Even the political drama in the beginning lacks spice and Chanchala’s back story doesn’t have enough to hold the interest.
Bhagamathie gets interesting only towards the interval point. Pre interval scenes set up right build up for the nerve wracking interval scene. It is easily the best moment in the film. We expect second half to be as exciting as the interval episode and in fact there are a few moments that really pays off. However, director springs in a surprise with a plot twist and the movie heads for a thrilling climax.
This part seems a bit hurried without giving much insight about the revenge plot planned by the protagonist. There is scope for betterment but director Ashok seems to have convinced with what he has on hands. On a whole, Bhaagamathie isn’t another Arundhati for sure, but it has its moments to create a strong impact and give satisfactory feel to its viewers. The film is technically rich with brilliant performances from the main star cast. It should work at the box office too.
Verdict: Surprising Twist to Horror Tale!
