Monica O My Darling

The moment the movie starts you know that you are in for a roller coaster ride. Slick editing, retro music, background score immediately engages the audience and the guessing game starts on who is the hunter and hunted. I would suggest that if you are going to watch in a group then raise a wager.

On the acting front it's a Rajkumar Rao show ably supported by the other actors most notably Huma Qureshi. Radhika Apte has very little to do but delivers with usual gusto.

Some chinks though in terms of too much background music, could have maintained more suspense etc. Could have shown more of Pune city and its vibrancy.

A few blink n miss cameos from actors who have played a couple in one move.

You will get the feeling of Johhny Gaddar and Andhadhun while watching this movie.

Seldom comes a movie with a story, screenplay, acting, direction etc. That's a perfect 10. Monica O My Darling just misses it's mark by a whisker.

Sameer lodaya

The movie will make you feel that Monica is a real darling

What a format and the director Vasan left no corner to make it a perfect one..the Dark comedy is of out class with a good pace and amazing twists..such dark and sharp scenes will give you goosebumps..the aesthetics were exactly designed to the format..the overall glance is very stylish..the core part of the movie is the background score which plays the Monica song and slow classical songs takes to the movie to a high class level

Huma was outstanding with her 3rd performance in a row after maharani and double xl raj kumar well supported her and no less radhika came brilliantly with her new comic role

Glance of sriram raghavan direction was felt in each single frame

Outclass cinematic experience.

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of my analysis, I shall convey my sincere admiration for Vasan Bala and the stupendous job he has done as the Director here! Black Comedies are quite tough to pull off, one little mistake, and the whole shebang could go off the track at any given time, at any given moment.

Not to mention the Writing has to be precise and it should also conserve a tonal equilibrium between the comedy and the heart-stricken calamities. Any presence of incompetence in its supervision will spoil the party and the film will end up being a middling affair filled with nothing but mediocrities.

Vasan Bala, however, is one unique force to be reckoned with, especially in this specific realm that employs tragedies and their subsequent results. Not only is he aware of his mastership, but it also is one such genre he's quite familiar with, and let me give you some assurance here, he owned it, and he did not disappoint; on the contrary, I do feel this is his best work to date.

P. S. One of the finest usage of Background Music I have ever seen (or heard) in my entire lifetime. Now, some of you might argue that it's overstuffed, matter of fact, it probably is, yes, but Mr. Bala's approach served the narrative nonetheless!

You have learned from the masters like Federico felini, kiesloski ... This is a masterpiece in Indian cinema like your last movie ... I loved that from the bottom of my heart.. every frame of this movie is unique thanks to your cinematographer.. This is surely having reflection and refrences of Johnny Gaddar... I enjoyed this movie totally.. Keep it up... You have grip on every frame and every music bit .. keep up the good work .. I have to write alot about this movie but at this moment I am speechless.. beauty lies in the eyes of watcher... This is a movie that shift the course of Indian cinema.. Kudos.. Take a bow..

Monica O My Darling review :

Basically a crime thriller with a humorous twist; Vasan Bala's Monica O My Darling premiered on Netflix this week instead of taking the theatrical route. Looking at the fate of his earlier Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (2019) which bombed despite being its brilliance, a direct OTT seems to be a wise strategy.

Cut to the film, it starts with an accident suspiciously looking like a murder and then time-travels six years ahead. Jayant (Rajkummar Rao) is the newly crowned director of a Robotics company Unicorn. He is dating the CEO (veteran Vijay Kenkre)'s daughter Nikki (Akansha) until the secretary Monica (Huma Qureshi) drops the "Main tumhare bachcha ki maa" bomb on him. Then the game of blackmail and murder starts and soon enough, Unicorn becomes the epicenter of crime as each one of its top executives are bumped off one by one!!

The screenplay is wonderfully woven in to a tight two hours ten minutes of thrilling ride which keeps you hooked and engaged throughout. There are plenty of pop culture references like a hotel named Prince Amar after Dev Saahab's immortal character in Jewel Thief (1967) and Dharmendra's iconic moment from Johnny Gaddar (2007) appearing at a crucial juncture. Vasan Bala even references his own movie by adding a fleeting appearances of his two leads. Its all fun, its pure retro and its highly entertaining.

The performances are also first rate. Huma Qureshi is super duper as Monica Machado, the sexy secretary who has an affair too many for her own good. Rajkummar Rao is assuredly competent in a complex role where he doesn't know whom to trust!! Sikandar Kher springs a surprise as the CEO's sidelined and silently conspiring beta. It's good to see Shiva Rindani on screen after eons.. he's referred as Captain Zattack in one scene. Waah!! Radhika Apte as the investigating cop, doesn't get much scope but still leaves her solid mark.

Monica O My Darling indulges in multiple genres at the same time. There is black humour, murder mystery, office politics, survival drama etc all mixed together perfectly. I loved the moment when Rajkummar and Huma get in to a deadly physical brawl, stop at one point and then reconcile. It reminded me of Sriram Raghavan's far brilliant Johnny Gaddar (2007). Incidentally here, a pivotal character is called Johnny too. Oh yes!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.