STARRING

Priyanka Kothari, Nitin Reddy, Ravi Kale, Ishrat Ali, Kali  Prasad Mukherjee, Harvey Rosemeyer, Rasika Duggal, Joy Fernandes, Gautam Rode and others.

DIRECTION

Ram Gopal Varma


STORY

The plot of this horror flick revolves around a film unit which has gone into deep jungles with its lead stars Sharman (Gautam Rode) and Aasha (Priyanka Kothari) to shoot for an important sequence. Unable to find anything better, they put up their camp for the shoot at Setu’s(Joy Fernandez )place. Though, Setu is somewhat quirky, but he knows the jungle like the lines on his palm, and so was very valuable for the unit.

However, the misfortune strikes the film unit as soon as the director JJ (Harvey Rosemeyer says action and cameraman Shakky (Kali Prasad Mukherjee) tries to start rolling the camera. In fact, their camera stops functioning and a replacement for the instrument was not possible before two days. Now, they had forty-eight hours and did not know what to do with it.

However, soon the whole unit decides to utilize this time for their entertainment and plan to go on picnic. Setu brings an old Jonga and the whole unit goes for picnic near a pond. The film unit has different people with different personalities.

While hero Sharman is obsessed with his muscles and heroine Aasha, who does not like Sharman but bears with it, as he is a bigger star. Then, there is assistant director Sujal (Nitin Reddy), who has a crush on Aasha, but does not have the courage to express his feelings.

On the other hand, there is Sameera(Rasika Duggal), the script supervisor, who has a huge crush on Sujal, but knows very well that he was fond of the leading lady Aasha, so there was is not much of a chance.

Producer Murthy (Ishrat Ali) thinks that he can make a very successful film without investing as much money as Yash Chopra does, but director JJ, who considers himself to be Indian Steven Spielberg, was spoiling the fun.

All these members of the film unit sit around a bonfire near the pond to enjoy the tour. However, a strange sound draws their attention towards it and Setu goes to investigate the reason.

But, when he does not return, the unit members become concerned and decide to go on a search mission. Soon they discover the dead body of Setu and become scared. Now, they want to flee from the place and start Jonga. But in the ensuing melee, the axle of the Jonga is broken and they feel trapped.

None of them were familiar with the jungle and so could not find the way out of it. In the meantime, another of their colleague is killed and they become convinced that whosoever it is, wanted to kill them all.

What they do to save their lives, and if they could survive the ordeal of this dangerous jungle, forms the rest of the story.


PERFORMANCE


Nitin Reddy, who plays the character of assistant director Sujal with a hidden crush on Priyanka Kothari, is impressive in his first bollywood outing. He has essayed the character of Sujal with a subtle understanding that suits the role perfectly.

Nitin is a superb dancer, which is obvious from the first dream song sequence itself. And Ram Gopal Varma has cashed in on the talent by starting the film with it. In any case, Nitin Reddy is an established name in Telugu cinema, and so his confidence while enacting the role in ‘Agyaat’ was befitting of his status.

Priyanka Kothari(who had worked with Ram Gopal Varma in his earlier films as Nisha Kothari) has thrown a real surprise in her character of Aasha, the leading lady of  the film.  Her acting in the Aasha’s role impresses and she looks alluring in the item song.

Guatam Rode, who has played the character of superstar Sharman, seems to have worked hard and comes out as a winner in the end. Gautam is completely successful in showing the so called starry air shown by our bollywood biggies on the sets of the film. His arrogance looks so natural, as if he was not acting but was in fact like that.

Rasika Duggal, who enacts the part of script supervisor Sameera with a crush on Nitin Reddy, is complete natural. Her portrayal of the character with complete understanding of the finer nuances is praiseworthy.

Similarly, Kali Prasad Pandey in the character of cinematographer Shakky looks at ease with his character and helps progress the story further. Others provide able support to the main cast of the flick.

The direction of Ram Gopal Varma is once again in an experimental mode. Earlier, Ram Gopal showed his mastery in directing horror flick ‘Bhoot’ and supernatural thriller ‘Phoonk.’ But this time he has attempted a completely new genre, which does not have any precedent in bollywood.

However this does not mean that Ram Gopal Varma is not in his elements. In fact, Ram Gopal Varma has excelled in canning this adventure thriller in the jungles of Sri Lanka. The viewer is completely engrossed in the film, once the characters have been established in the first twenty- five minutes of the flick.

The Ramu effect is seen in the second hour of the film after the murder of Setu. Ramu has made the film in such a way that the viewer is not scared this time, but goes with the flow of the flick. Ramu shows his mastery of the craft while depicting the murder of Joy Fernandez and Ishrat in the film.

However, Ram Gopal Varma’s vision of this flick would have been incomplete without the superb support from sound designer Dwark Warrier, who successfully mesmerizes the audiences. Similarly, cinematographer Surjodeep Ghosh has done a superb job. Amar Mohile’s background score adds final magic to the film.


STARDUST VERDICT

The film caters to that section of society which loves adventure thrillers (unlike RGV’s earlier flicks ‘Bhoot’, ‘Phoonk’ or ‘Kaun?’), and they will find it amazing. However, the absence of any big bollywood name can make it a slow starrer at the box office. An above average fare.



Star Rating: * *1/2