RAHASYA Movie Review
Director: Manish Gupta
Producer: Monica Vimul Maluka & Robinson Duggal
Starring: Kay Kay Menon, Tisca Chopra, Ashish Vidyarthi,Ashwini Kalsekar, Meeta Vashisht and Sakshi Sem
Music: Ranjit Barot
Cinematography: Faroukh Mistry
A well-executed police procedural drama in Hindi films is a rare sight. Manish Gupta’s Rahasya is just that- making for a gripping watch.
This film had ran into legal hassles over the Noida double murder case. Actually, while the central premise is loosely based on the Arushi murder case that hit headlines in 2008, the plot has few parallels between the film and the high profile case. The film plays out in Mumbai.
As this is a suspense thriller, I say as little as possible about the plot. A teenage girl gets murdered in her plush home and her father is arrested as prime suspect. Both parents are wealthy doctors who would rarely be viewed as criminals. ( played by Ashish Vidyarthi & Tisca Chopra). A maid of 30 years and a manservant are part of the household. There is a friendly neighborhood couple in the mix. As the case become complicated, an ace CBI officer, played by Kay Kay Menon, is brought in to solve this ‘rahasya’. He is honest and therefore, finds it tough to make ends meet in Mumbai. The murderer keeps throwing his off the right path, until he solves the crime.
This film’s strength is in its sleek writing that wastes little screen time and even fewer words. The CBI cop is human and uses his thinking abilities to solve the case. He investigates and looks for clues. He does not have superhuman skills of battling 5 people or simply crashing goons through brick walls. Most of the film’s drama depends on the conversations between its able cast of character actors. And it’s biggest advantage is it’s length- it is short. Personally, I found it very refreshing to see a typical Hercule Poirot style climax that Agatha Christie has immortalized and David Suchet has played and literally owned since 1989 (BBC and ITV).
In its narration, ‘Rahasya’ subtly contrasts the honesty of it’s leading man to the murky underlying secrets of the well off characters in this murder mystery. I found this aspect of the film’s treatment endearing.
There are a few flaws that stand out. Kay Kay Menon’s character is given a rather artificial mannerism, a la Karamchand. That could have been done away with. At times, he does get theatrical. Quite a few silhouette shots and dark frames have a Ram Gopal Verma hangover. However, these are minor flaws. Perhaps it is time that Bollywood filmmakers wake up to the concept of natural sound and ambient audio rather than an endless, in loop, background score to build tension.
I recommend ‘Rahasya’ as ideal weekend viewing for anyone who loves good cinema. That a good script and solid acting can rise above budgetary constraints is heartening. And it keeps you engaged right till the end.
Ticket Price Value 75 Per cent.
