Murderbaad – A Dark Twisted Tale That Keeps You Hooked Till the End
Read: Murderbaad featuring Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kanikka Kapur, Sharib Hashmi, and others is out now. Is it worth watching? Read the full review here.
Film Details
- Title: Murderbaad
- Director/Writer/Producer: Arnab Chatterjee
- Cast:
- Nakul Roshan Sahdev
- Kanikka Kapur
- Sharib Hashmi
- Manish Chaudhari
- Saloni Batra
- Ravina Sharma
- Amole Gupte
- Aanjjan Srivastav
- Masood Akhtar
- Subrat Dutta
- Barun Chanda
- Kamaleshwar Mukherjee
- Vibha Chibber
- Uday Tikekar
- Duration: 143 minutes
A New Kind of Thriller
It is no small secret that the audience loves to watch thriller movies. But when a director brings in an unconventional thriller, it becomes a treat for all.
Murderbaad is the kind of edgy and intense thriller that immerses you in a world of mysteries, emotions, and suspense. Do not come looking for your typical murder mystery. The movie gradually breeds its dark and tense atmosphere in its own style, allowing you to be both curious and uncomfortable at the same time.
The Storyline
The film kicks off in Jaipur, where a young (and friendly) tour guide Jayesh (Nakul Roshan Sahdev), high on love, has the hots for the NRI tourist Isabelle (Kanikka Kapur).
Their tender love story quickly takes a dark turn when one of their group disappears and turns up dead. From there, the narrative hurtles through the bright streets of Rajasthan, over the misty Maguri hills in Bengal, and reveals more sinister truths.
Direction and Writing
Director Arnab Chatterjee, who has also written and produced the film, clearly has a good hold on storytelling. He has taken a big risk with his first movie, mixing romance, mystery, crime, and psychological drama, and it has actually worked.
There are no easy answers in the film, which makes it even more powerful. It demands you to think, feel, and pay attention.
Performances
It’s a consistent set of performances, and they are really the flesh of the film:
- Nakul Roshan Sahdev looks charming and carries a mystique to his role.
- Kanikka Kapur is natural and convincing.
- Sharib Hashmi shines as a man caught between good and evil.
- Amole Gupte stands out as one of the most viscerally repulsive characters in the film.
- Manish Chaudhari, as the no-nonsense cop, gives the story some spine.
All of the performances are first-rate.
Technical Brilliance
One of the finest aspects of Murderbaad is how it has been shot. The cinematography by Binod Pradhan is both lovely and gritty. Whether it’s the hot Jaipur sun or the cold, silent hills of Bengal, the visuals seem honest and alive.
The pacing by Dev Rao Jadhav is tight, despite the over 2-hour length of the movie.
Stunts (Sham Kaushal) are raw and believable, not at all flashy or action-packed in the typical sense.
A Cultural Twist
Its concluding segment opens up an unexpected link to Bengali culture, providing gravitas. This could have been jarring and bizarre, but instead, it adds depth and resonance to the story. They’ve done it very tastefully.
Final Verdict
Like with many movies, it’s not for everyone—neither overly intense, nor too dark, though it is slowed a bit with themes throughout.
But it’s worth the watch for those who enjoy serious, well-crafted thrillers.
Summary
Murderbaad is not your average Indian thriller—it’s different. It is not for faint hearts. You have to listen to the movie if you can take in something different, grave, and haunting.
