Movie: Talvar
Direction: Meghna Gulzar
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Neeraj Kabi, Sohum Sharma
Music Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Cinematography: Pankaj Kumar
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: ∗∗∗∗
What is it about: This one is based on the most controversial murder case of “Arushi Talwar”, the filmmakers were quite careful on handling the facts and made a film which is convincing to the audience. This movie is directed by Meghna Gulzar and is written by Vishal Bhardwaj.
Why it’s disappointing: Let this one be at rest for “Talvar”.
What to watch out for: The most notorious case in the history of CBI, which is been ongoing since 2008 still doesn’t have a solution and is wandering on the blame and appeal game. The movie throws a pretty good light on the events since the murder was committed. The facts were handled well with precise detailing.
What makes “Talvar” a great movie is the writing which keeps you hooked on to it, Vishal did a tremendous job in scripting this film. It does not lose its intensity at any point and keeps its course straight to the point without losing focus. Meghna Gulzar conceived the movie with great perfection which brings out the characters alive in all frames.
Irrfan Khan is no doubt a versatile actor and he can pull off anything you put on his plate. The best part is, he does it with his impeccable witty style which keeps the audience entertained no matter what role he’s playing. As Ashwin Kumar he did a great job which is laudable. His performance was matched by Prakash Belawadi as Swamy. Who has less screen space but does great impact.
Neeraj Kabi and Konkona Sen who played the role of Shruti’s parents were convincing and did a commendable job. Sohum Shah as ACP Vendant Mishra did a good job. Another noticeable performance was by Sumit Gulati as Kanhaiya, he did a great job and did stand out regardless of big artistes in the movie. Finally Atul Kumar as Paul who comes in the latter part of the movie completes the ensemble with great performance.
In spite of being a factual drama, it does not bore you at any point. The scene where argument within the agency happens is the most interesting one and highlights the vital points in the case. The dialogues were well written.
The cinematography by Pankaj Kumar was realistic which was well suited with Sreekar Prasad’s crisp editing. The movie had a subtle background score by Vishal Bhardwaj.
Verdict: “Talvar” is a well-constructed unbiased factual drama by Meghna Gulzar, who gives a solid make-over to the genre without defying the rules. Which has gripping narration and remarkable performance by the entire cast. Definitely worth a watch, don’t miss it.
