- Rating: 3.5/5
- Director: Vikas Bahl
- Cast: Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyothika, Janaki Bodiwala, Angad Maholay
- Run-time: 132 minutes
- Storyline: When a family lets a mysterious man into their farmhouse, he gets mysterious power over their teenage daughter. No matter how strange or dangerous he says, she does what he says. How can this family get out of the stranger’s cruel game? What dangerous secret does he keep?
My Honest Review of Shaitaan
Plenty of seasoned action stars are still clinging to the hope of raking in cash at the box office with tales of dads swooping in to save their daughters. This is the third movie in a row that Ajay Devgn has played the part of an overprotective dad who has to hurry to save his kid from a monster, after Drishyam and Bholaa. In Shaitaan, like in Drishyam, the action star fights a fearsome wall named R. Madhavan. This levels the playing field and makes for a more interesting match than in Bholaa, where it seemed like the star would be unbeatable.
The Thriller’s Premise: Home Invasion with a Twist: When the villain R. Madhavan enters Devgn’s (good) life, he brings evil intentions with him. From that point on, the tension in “Shaitaan” grows rapidly. Instead of the usual “good guy vs. bad guy” story, this one has a complicated conflict that makes you reevaluate your values and the importance of family. A disconcerting presence from Madhavan’s character disrupts the typical routine of a caring father and establishes the foundation for an intriguing drama..
Deep Dive into Character Dynamics: I’m most interested in “Shaitaan” because of the characters’ inner pain and deep psychological depth. Ajay Devgn plays the hero Kabir Rishi, who wants to be a father more than anything else. He does a great job of playing a father figure who provides for and cares for his children. At the same time, Madhavan does a great job as the bad guy, giving him a scary charm that makes him both appealing and repulsive.
Handling of Genre Tropes and Narrative Execution: Sometimes, the movie fails because it sticks too closely to tired mystery tropes. At times, the focus is too much on showing violent and mental pain in a graphic way, which takes away from the subtle terrors caused by the characters’ inner turmoil. The screenplay tries too hard with each new scene, which brings down what could have been a great plot.
Cinematic Techniques and Directorial Choices: The big dream of director Vikas Bahl is to make films that are both scary and psychological dramas. The film’s unsettling mood is helped by great photography and sound design that create a vivid and enveloping setting. A complicated plot, on the other hand, throws the story off track at times and doesn’t let up until it’s all wrapped up.
Performances That Stand Out: The acting of R Madhavan in ‘Shaitaan’ is outstanding. You might still recognise him from his role as Maddy in “Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein,” but he plays the devil in a more natural way here. His sloppiness and erratic behaviour give him an even more nasty impression. However, authors, why did you force him to intermittently switch to English in the middle of his dialogues?
There are parts when you want Ajay Devgn to step up and lead, but instead, he plays the role of a defenceless father. His genuine self isn’t revealed until the very end. Hats off to him for embracing hatke flicks and parts that are typical of his age, especially while the majority of heroes are simply focusing on romances. Having said that, the final scene appeared to be staged, serving only to elicit an emotional monologue from Ajay.
‘Shaitaan’ is salvaged by its two female leads, particularly Jyotika’s striking performance. The performer makes a lasting impression by conveying the mother’s anguish as she watches her daughter run away and then delivering a devastating blow to rescue her. Returning to the role she played in the original Gujarati film “Vash,” Janki Bodiwala successfully evokes pity in her portrayal of the young girl.
As Janki’s Jhanvi is compelled to “laugh” and “cry like a child” by Madhavan’s character, those are likely the sole unsettling moments in the film. The part where Jhanvi foolishly eats the cursed sweet that Vanraj offers her brings back a memory of your parents warning you about eating anything from a stranger. To their credit, the creators had Kabir’s (Devgn) little boy scold his dad for body-shaming his mom.
“Shaitaan” is a big movie that does a lot of different things with its style. It’s a good movie to watch if you like thrillers and Ajay Devgn’s ability to balance sensitivity and passion. However, it doesn’t really change the genre. Even though the movie has some issues, it’s still fun to watch because the supernatural isn’t the only thing that can break up a family. “Shaitaan” is an exciting adventure for readers who like thrillers with a supernatural twist, as well as readers who like emotional depth and tension.