Suparna Thombare
Mumbai, 06 Apr 2018 9:30 IST
Director Mukul Abhyankar has failed to do justice to an interesting premise.
It is cinematic suicide to cast two brilliant artistes like Manoj Bajpayee and Tabu, and then lose the plot.
Director Mukul Abhyankar attempts a tight suspense-thriller where the narrative constantly changes as slow and steady revelations are made about the two primary characters.
Yes, the premise and the plot may be interesting, but the style of direction and execution is messy. In trying to do something different Abhyankar shifts the tone of the narrative constantly between mysterious, dramatic and dry humour. And that just doesn't work.
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A married couple, Sushant Dubey (Manoj Bajpayee) and his wife Aparna (Tabu), check into a resort in Mauritius. Their three-year-old daughter Titli goes missing in the middle of the night. The rest is a day-long investigation into who did it. But nothing is as it seems.
Something feels off about this couple right from the beginning. Their initial interaction is awkward, but one starts seeing why Sushant and Aparna behave the way they do as the story moves forward.
But each time a revelation happens it comes a bit too late in the day, because when you are actually watching it unfold, it just doesn't fit right. The hotch-potch screenplay becomes a major hurdle.
To top it, all the loose ends aren't really neatly tied up.
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Bajpayee is inconsistent in the role of a compulsive flirt, bordering on being creepy. He goes overboard with his expressions and mannerisms in several scenes.
Tabu tries her bravest best to be convincing as a distraught mother who becomes more and more mysterious as the story progresses, but the spark is missing.
Both have also been handed some amateurish dialogues that don't do them any good.
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The narrative gets a little more interesting in the second half with one long-drawn scene between Bajpayee and Anu Kapoor unfurling quite humorously. After a point, the second part also gets obnoxious, thanks to Kapoor's animated portrayal of a cop, which elicits unintentional laughter. His frequent use of French does not help either.
There are many plot holes that are hard to ignore too.
The acting, story, plot — it is all available. The premise is an interesting one too. What's missing is the right treatment.
Missing could have been a good thriller but it fell flat on its face.