A Scandall review: The absence of logic is scandalizing

Film: A Scandall (A)
Director: Ishan Shrivedi
Producer: Let’s Ring The Bell Productions
Cast: Reeth Mazumder, Manav Kaul, Johnny Baweja, Puru Chibber, Vasundhara Kaul, Tanvi Vyas
Music: Bapi-Tutul, Ikka Arko and Amjad Nadeem
Runtime: 111 minutes
Rating: 1/5 

Debutant director Ishan Shrivedi’s A Scandall is promoted as an erotic thriller with lots of sleaze. The title too gives an assurance of the same. However, this is a case of the makers taking the audience for a ride. So, the film is bound to disappoint those who would line up for the obvious reason. But, unfortunately, even otherwise the film doesn’t work on account of various shortcomings.

The story takes place in Nainital where Manav (Kaul) stays with his wife (Vyas) and 9-year-old daughter Kuhu. Once when Manav takes his daughter for sightseeing, they accidentally fall from a steep mountain cliff. Kuhu dies after falling in the lake but Manav is somehow saved. The incident leaves Manav mentally ill and he starts hallucinating about his dead daughter.

Koya (Mazumder), Manav’s wife’s niece, reveals her aunt’s story to her boyfriend Vibhu (Baweja), who has just learnt filmmaking. Vibhu decides to film Manav and his wife’s experiences as he is eager to make a film on the subject. Koya, Vibhu and their friends Prabal (Chibber) and Asmi (Vasundhara Kaul) set out for Nainital hoping to find some interesting material for their film. They aren’t aware that the trip will change their lives in ways they would not have liked. 

In recent years, Manav Kaul has emerged as a high-quality performer with some commendable performances in Kai Po Che (2013), City Lights (2014), Wazir (2016) and Jai Gangaajal (2016). In this film too he shines while playing a complicated psychotic patient. But he is the only silver lining here. So, along with appreciating him, you also wonder what compelled him to do this film.

The other plus points are the pleasing, rich visuals and the effects, which are also, unfortunately, wasted. 

The first half is still watchable since the narration is mildly intriguing and it leaves you somewhat interested in knowing the final outcome. However, whatever little hope you had is shattered in the second half. After a point, you hardly care for the climax, which is anyway absurd.

Here are some points worth pondering over if you want to watch this film: 

– The film is promoted as one of the few Hindi films to explore the issue of incest. But that, too, is hardly true.

– Why would a couple agree to speak about their most personal issues in front of a camera? In one of the scenes, the wife also reveals that her husband has lost interest in sex.

– Once the wife catches her young guests secretly installing CCTV cameras in her bedroom. But she lets them off with just a scolding. 

– A girl kisses her friend in front of her boyfriend. Later, when asked about it, she says she just wanted to tease her boyfriend.

– The two songs are more like promotional music videos, which are randomly included. It appears as though someone suddenly switched channels while you were watching the film.

– There is a character of a tantrik whose extra-curricular activity includes playing Ravan in Ram Leela. At one point, he starts reciting Ramayan shlokas inside a church.

Apart from Kaul, Reeth Mazumder shows some promise. The rest of the cast make no impact. 

On the whole, A Scandall scandalizes you with the complete absence of logic.