Andhadhun Review: After a long time, a fresh and twisted thriller!

Seldom do we see thrillers that go beyond the usual elements of “Who did it?” and “How did he do it?”. Andhadhun brings an entirely new angle to the concept of thrillers. The thought is simple. What happens if the only witness to a crime happens to be a visually impaired man? Now that’s a thought, but to delve into that thought and develop it into a full fledged film with situations, characters, revelations and twists, is a challenging and impressive task if done successfully. Thankfully, Andhadhun is one of the best thrillers in recent times. In fact, one can call it a mix of thriller elements and black comedy. As an audience, we literally feel as if events are being unfolded and revealed through the eyes of a visually impaired man.

While this film also describes itself as a suspense, it is less of a suspense film since the audience sees the murderer and knows the motive in the beginning, and more so a twisted journey of the protagonist from then onwards. It is through his that we see the with our eyes (or lack there of) the actions of the perpetrators, the witness, the police, the opportunists. The way the scenes are constructed, the various revelations, the witty dialogues, and the performances is what keeps our attention from the beginning till the end.

The first half is replete with a blend of chest thumping tension, suspense and dark comedy in the classic Raghavan style. There are constant rush, and a wonderful sense of music, working as a plot point to subtlety bring context to the moments.  We see certain moments of irony which make us question the motive of humans at large.  The second half slows down a bit. The plot becomes a tad bit too chaotic as opposed to its terrific build-up. Too much ends up happening. But still, all the new twists in the second half also come out smoothly, and leave us baffled. Perhaps the biggest strength of “Andhadhan” is that everything is revealed in a believable manner, and nothing seems out of place. Yet, it still surprises and keeps out attention intact. From a narrative standpoint, this film keeps us glued to the screen.

From a technical standpoint, the camera work and the lighting goes perfectly with the mood of the film. In all Sriram Raghavan films, the cinematography plays an important role in building the tension, and giving the film a distinct look. The editing is crisp. The music is melodious in its own way. The production design adds on to the auro and overall vibe of the film. All in all, from a technical and visual stand-point, the film is flawless. Now to the acting. Ayushmann Khurana is extraordinary and definitely has a knack of selecting unique subjects. From “Vicky Donor” to “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” to Shub Mangal Savdhaan”, all the films he chooses are fresh and endearing. With “Andhadhun” he once again proves himself as a versatile actor, willing to take on different subjects. He just seems so comfortable and natural in front of the camera. Tabu is brilliant as always.

Overall, “Andhadhun” is a well-made, taut, and exhilarating film. It’s been a while since we have seen something like this.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars