Shaitaan Movie Review: With a Runtime of Two Hours and 12 Minutes Keeps You Engaged
Cast: Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyotika, Janki Bodiwala, Anngad Raaj
Director: Vikas Bahl
Where to watch: In Theaters
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars)
After the excellent trailer film, Shaitaan finally landed in theaters. Shaitaan, which is promoted as a supernatural thriller, the Tantrik has powers with the help of which he takes control of the teenage girls. Usually, in films, Hanuman Chalisa or amulet is used to get relief from Vashikaran. Shaitaan, the remake of the Gujarati film Vash based on Vashikaran, is not the same. The story of this horror film based on black magic and vashikaran is based on a happy family, who is overpowered by a devil and destroys their life. Kabir (Ajay Devgan) and Jyoti (Jyotika) are a happy couple, who are living a happy life in Dehradun with their two children Jhanvi (Janki Bodiwala) and Dhruv (Angad Raj). Everyone is going to their farmhouse to relax when Vanraj (R Madhavan) enters their lives.
Shaitaan Movie Review: The Story Plot
Kabir goes to a farmhouse with his family to spend his holidays. An unknown person knocks at their gate. Says that his phone’s battery is exhausted. Just charge the phone for 15 minutes and will be on your way. This person who tells his name as Vanraj is not going anywhere. Till Kabir and his family get exhausted, he sits in their house by kills them. When Kabir and his wife Jyoti try to push him out, they find that Vanraj has taken their daughter Jhanvi under his control. He puts a condition that Jhanvi should be allowed to go with him. Kabir and Jyoti do not agree. To get ‘yes’ out of their mouth, he makes their life hell. In front of his eyes, he asks his daughter to eat tea leaves. Orders him to kill his younger brother Dhruv. Jhanvi has no control over her mind. In such a situation, what does Vanraj do next, and how will Kabir save his family, this is the broad story of the film.
Shaitaan Movie Review and Analysis
Vikas Bahl, who has directed films like Chillar Party, Queen, Shaandaar, and Super 30, has tried his hand in the supernatural thriller genre for the first time. He set the story well in a house located away from the city, in a dense forest, and the monsoon. Before the intermission, most of the film was spent showing Vashikaran. Jhanvi obeys as Vanraj says. She even breaks her brother’s head. She slaps her father. She also opens the zip of her neckerchief. It makes one aware of its power. Scenes like Dhruv editing the video, and Jyoti hiding her mobile in a rice box indicate that they will be useful in dealing with the villain. The story keeps you engaged in the first half. It falters after the intermission.
Many questions related to Vanraj’s character remain unanswered. Like why does he think of taking Jhanvi away? Why does he need Kabir and Jyoti’s permission to take Jhanvi after Vashikaran? Vanraj had earlier captured 107 teenage girls. Does everyone have parental permission? How is he carrying out his work? Why is he trapping only rich girls? There is no mention of him. When Vanraj moves towards achieving his plans and stands in front of Agni and tells about his strength, the atmosphere is not scary at all. The dialogue of the film has also not been effective. Like the cliché of Hindi cinema, the police here are helpless and helpless. At last, the police came and praised the hero for his bravery. The climax of the film was its turning point. The writer and director have failed miserably there.
The responsibility of raising the element of any horror film rests on two things – sound and camera work. When we meet Vanraj (R Madhavan) for the first time, the background score gives a slight hint that this man will cheat. Further, the sound makes you uncomfortable both literally and figuratively. There is a scene in the film where Vanraj asks Jhanvi to laugh. He says to keep laughing until you die. Jhanvi starts laughing badly. Kabir starts feeling restless holding his head. Sitting in the cinema hall, you can also feel his restlessness. And it has nothing to do with acting. The sound is so piercing that you start feeling strange for a few seconds. The makers may have tampered with the frequency of the sound in that part. Gaspar Noe did the same in his French film Irreversible. In the initial part of the film, the frequency of the sound is set at such a number that people start feeling disturbed. Gaspar had given the reason behind this that he wanted to make his audience uncomfortable.
Reference to another deadly horror film can be seen in ‘Shaitaan‘. At one place Jhanvi is eager to take her brother’s life. He closes the door. Then Jhanvi tries to break the door by attacking it with a hammer. When she succeeds in her endeavor, the scene of Here’s Johnny from ‘The Shining’ flashes before your eyes. The atmosphere created by the film directed by Vikas Bahl does not allow it to be lightened. In some scenes, the camera work works to elevate this atmosphere. In one scene, Jhanvi stands on the swing and starts riding it fast. His family members fear that he might fall and hurt himself and his brother. In that scene, the camera appears to be moving at the same speed as the swing in some shots. Here the makers cleverly hide the stunt double and also make the scene gripping. The frightening atmosphere of the rest of the film has such an impact that at one point even the rubber crocodile floating in the water starts looking strange.
There is a principle in literature and cinema called Chekov’s Gun. He says that if we see a gun hanging on the wall then it is necessary to use it further in the story. That means every aspect has to add something to the story. Nothing can happen just like that. There were many such details in ‘Shaitaan‘ which the makers dropped randomly and then used them. Let us give an example of the kind of work that has been done on the detailing of the film. In the beginning, it is revealed that Kabir and his family had visited England. Then a key ring is seen in one place. There is a flag of England on it. It was as if you came from somewhere and brought a memento as a memory. Even if the makers had not kept this ring, it would not have affected the story. But things like this take you one step closer to being invested in the world of the story.
Ajay Devgan played Kabir in the film. He has done the work as per the need. They act under control. They don’t burst suddenly out of nowhere. Looking at his angry scene, it seems that this man’s mind was already boiling and he had come out in this way. Jyotika played the role of Kabir’s wife Jyoti. There is a scene where Jyoti has seen so much violence that it seems as if she will not be affected by anything gruesome. You are watching this disgusting thing happening before your eyes, but you just can’t do anything. Jyothika brings that helpless character. R Madhavan as Vanraj works like a switch. In a moment this man will scream and say, bow before me, I am your God. And the next moment, while sitting straight on the sofa, he will give orders to kill with a knife casually. R Madhavan brings that mysticism to his character, which makes him interesting, and in some places, you just get angry at the man.
Actress Jyothika has returned to Hindi cinema with the film Shaitaan. His comeback is quite strong. In the film, she is playing the character of Jyoti, who is in agony seeing the condition of her daughter Janaki. Jyotika has portrayed the helplessness of not being able to help her child and the anger of a mother to free her from the clutches of the devil very well. Along with his emotional scenes, his fight scene with Madhavan is tremendous. Ajay Devgan’s work in the role of Jyoti’s husband Kabir is also good. A helpless father who is trying to save his daughter at all costs but is getting nowhere. The film’s villain R Madhavan gives direct competition to Ajay’s powerful performance. There is no doubt that Madhavan is an amazing actor. But in Shaitaan, they scare you. Madhavan, who calls himself Lord Vanraj, makes the condition of Kabir and his family worse. Janaki Bodiwala has played the character of Jhanvi very well. In the original film too, Janaki played the character of Arya who comes under the control of the devil. Janaki’s performance is amazing. Angad Raj has also done a good job in the role of Janaki’s younger brother Dhruv.
‘Shaitaan‘ is the Hindi remake of the Gujarati film ‘Vash’ released in the year 2023. Janaki Bodiwala, who played the daughter’s role in the original film, has played the role of Jhanvi in the remake. This entire story was based on Jhanvi. Vanraj just had to speak the words. We would have got an idea of how dire their consequences could be by looking at Jhanvi’s condition. Janaki’s character could have gone over the top on many occasions. But she doesn’t let this happen. In some scenes, you will feel bad for his character and despite knowing the whole situation, on some occasions, you will also get angry at that character. ‘Shaitaan‘, made with a runtime of two hours and 12 minutes, keeps you engaged. At one point you get an idea as to how this story will end. But despite that, it does not let go of its hold on your attention.
Shaitaan Movie Review: The Last Words
The cinematography and background of the film are also good. Its editing is good. The biggest problem of the movie lies in its writing. Screenwriters Amil Kiyan Khan and Krishnadev Yagnik added suspense and thrill to it but forgot to add motive. No one has the answer to why whatever is happening in the movie is happening. In such a situation, you face difficulty in connecting with the film. You want to know who Vanraj is and why he is after Kabir’s family. Many more questions arise in your mind to which you cannot find answers. This is the biggest flaw of the movie, which spoils your enjoyment. The work of child artist Angad Raj is noteworthy. The background music of the film does not seem to be very helpful in increasing fear and tension. Shaitaan, based on Vashikaran, is not able to completely captivate after the intermission due to a weak screenplay.
Shaitaan Movie Review: With a Runtime of Two Hours and 12 Minutes Keeps You Engaged - Filmyhype
Director: Vikas Bahl
Date Created: 2024-03-08 14:16
3.5
