7 Khoon Maaf

Incidentally, this happens to be Vishal Bhardwaj's 7th directorial effort. And, he makes a great beginning: First shot, a revolver, second, a haggard Priyanka Chopra holding it to her head; third, shots heard and blood on the wall. Ergo, no time wasted in getting his audience warmed up! But if you thought that the title itself is amply clear on what it offers, i.e. 7 murders, wait; there is a bit of it that is left hanging in the end.

Adapted from Ruskin Bond's short story "Susanna's seven husbands", it moves along the narrative by Arun (Vivaan Shah), who secretly admires his benefactor, Susanna Anna Marie Johannes (Priyanka Chopra) as she goes though a series of weddings. It is a tale of Susanna's tryst with love and disappointment with each of her husbands who meet their doom when they don't match up!

The men are introduced; there is romance, then repulsion followed by death. The first is a cruel, suspicious and impotent army man 'Adamkhor Major' (Neil Nitin Mukesh) followed by plagiarizing rocker addicted to drugs 'Ek Duje Ke Liye' (John Abraham). She finds her third in Kashmir, a sadomasochistic poet 'Musafir' (Irfan Khan). Three down, she is tired of marriage and just wants to be in love.

Fourth of them is a two-timing Russian spy 'Amar Prem' marrying her to be able to stay in India but having a wife back home (Aleksandr Dyachenko). Fifth, a lustful and corrupt cop 'Pyaar ki Keemat' who is hell-bent on marrying her (Annu Kapoor). Most lethal of them all is a doctor who plots to kill her 'Mushroom da' (Naseeruddin Shah).

The seventh which is supposed to be a suspense (not revealed here) was possibly the only way the story could have ended. Bhardwaj calls him 'Prem Pujari'.

The problem here is that the movie doesn't go deep enough into Susanna's mind. Barring the sixth guy, there wasn't enough reason to kill them when she could have simply parted ways. But as the anecdote in the story goes about Susanna killing a menacing dog on her way to school, murder was the only problem solver she knew.

Set in Panchgani, the setting is a large farm-house where horses are bred and has its own chapel. Since the locale is rather secluded, it offers the right scenery for a period flick. The mansion is stuck in stuck in a time-warp as is its narrative forcing the film-makers to voice-over or show news-clips of events to mark the time-line

Clearly, 7 Khoon Maaf is not a thriller. There is not much of suspense either! She isn't a femme fatale either. When wronged by all wrong men she falls for, she embodies the quote 'hell hath no fury as a woman scorned'. But she was strong enough not to give up hope in her hunt for love or to turn herself in for murder. The men too found her charms irresistible ignorant of the fate that awaited them!

The leading lady deserves applause for portraying a complex character driven by passion. Aging from twenties to sixties, Priyanka Chopra looks her part, but her expressions hardly change; probably because her quest for love remained a mirage. Her best is when she laughs menacingly saying 'this time I will drink his blood'.

Her men had to crunch in as much as they could in the few minutes they had. Annu Kapoor is showcased well as Irrfan Khan and Naseeruddin Shah emerge second best. Neil Nitin Mukesh and John Abraham were just about okay. The Russian was forgettable. Vivaan Shah delivers a fine debut performance.

Supporting cast had meatier roles. Usha Uthup as her maid, Shashi Malviya as jockey, Gunga and Harish Khanna as the butler make their presence felt. Ruskin Bond has a cameo and Konkona Sen Sharma is seen in a guest appearance.

Priyanka Chopra has established herself as a serious and multi-faceted actress. But what doesn't clinch the deal for this flick is that it lacks flow. Also, it hesitates to show murder brutally and relies on flash-backs, slow motions, et al. A bit of editing could have saved it. Nevertheless, for what it is worth and with songs like 'darling', 'bekaraan' and 'awaara', '7 Khoon Maaf' makes for a decent watch.

The movie Zooms from 1984 era to current day, from sepia to Eastman color to the current times, the viewers are spell bounded and with pin drop silence, waiting for the fate of Susanna's husband.

Like Sin City and other movies in related dark noir genre, 7KM will definitely stand out from all other contemporary Bollywood offerings. Kudos to Vishal Bharadwaj for marvelous cinematography and the equally apt music score which have kept the flow intact. Roles are also executed in perfection with great acting by all the Husbands,. From Neil Nitin Mukesh as general with a Dark side, John with a 80's hippie cum Rock star avatar, Irrfan in his usual best with eyes speaking more than his words, Aleksandr (Russian TV actor) with accented Hindi statements ( "MAIN TUMSE AMAR PREM KARTA HOON" usage in three different situations and moods shows the writer's situational understanding ), Anu Kapoor with all his 32 teeth intact and generously displayed, Naseer as Bangali Doctor (very less screen space) have all shown that the roles were thoroughly crafted for them. Usha Utthup and Vivaan Shah (Naseer's Son) were surprise packages and the later acted well throughout the movie (Though his makeup for the age of 40 plus was not very impressive). Now the Actor deserving a Standing ovation, after 12 different roles ( In Wats your Raashi), Priyanka has proved that she indeed is one of the most matured actors present in current bollywood era. Her character is shown with multifaceted shades, one moment you feel pit for her and the next you will hate her for what she just did. From bubbly 20 plus, enchantress at 30s, composite at 40, desperate at 50 and finally in salvation, she have swayed across the roles as a seasoned actress. Watch 7KM if you need to see and enjoy movies with a substance and the rating "A" given in the movie really means it.

Saat Khoon Maaf is a daringly different film that falters under the weight of its own ambition. Bhardawaj has taken great care in crafting the aesthetics; every frame is splendid, from staging to cinematography and costume/sound design. From the panoramic vistas of Pondicherry, Kashmir, and Moscow, to the hushed, dark tones used for the grittier portions of the tale, the film is dripping with ambiance and style. In Bhardawaj style, this is a dark, brooding work in lieu of other genre favorites such as Sympathy for Lady Vengeance & Kill Bill. Though not as hyper-stylized as those films, 7 Khoon Maaf has a far more engaging, drawn out plot that is involving and emotionally fulfilling, yet ultimately disappointing due to a few of the stories being half-baked. At times, it seems that Susanna's (Priyanka Chopra) faults with each husband she eventually murders is of her own vocation, stemming from rushing into one affair after another. For the majority of the film, however, the outcome of these relationships is rightfully on the masquerading male, each with a fatal flaw that is hidden until the knot is tied. The ultimate problem with the narrative is not with the flaws, but the majority of her husbands are not fully developed, for the most part their personalities and actions seem archetypal and single-minded. To Bhardawaj's credit, the majority of the supporting characters are three-dimensional, especially Susanna's adopted son Arun & her servants. Moreover, Susanna's emotional plight resonates and the conclusion is affecting and satisfying. Priyanka Chopra owns every frame of the film. Susanna's character is one that is rarely seen in Hindi cinema, her ability to display the complexity and various shades of Susanna across a period of sixty-years cements her position as an actress of great depth. While this is by far her best role, this is not Bhardawaj's most accomplished film. As daring and innovative as the theme and treatment of the film are, the lack of depth afforded to Susanna's husbands ultimately affects the films narrative and emotional quotient. Even so, the screenplay is engaging, the film looks decadent, and Ms. Chopra's brilliant performance is worth a watch and a few accolades.

Based on Ruskin Bond's short story "Susanna's Seven Husbands," 7 Khoon Maaf stands out as a brilliantly crafted Bollywood movie, setting itself apart from the typical light-hearted rom-coms that often grace the industry. It ventures into the realms of a dark crime-thriller, weaving in dark humor and featuring a formidable female protagonist.

Priyanka Chopra's portrayal of Susana is exceptional, as she undoubtedly takes center stage with her powerful performance. The well-executed cameos by John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Annu Kapoor further enhance the film's appeal.

The script is skillfully written and masterfully directed, maintaining a dark and engaging tone throughout the narrative. Susana, one of Bollywood's darkest female protagonists, possesses a depth that captivates the audience. Her relentless pursuit of a good life and an ideal life partner gradually transforming into a dark and intriguing character is a sight to behold. Susana's complexity lies in her potential to embrace darkness, making her a mesmerizing presence on screen.

While the majority of the film shines brilliantly, the performance of Arun Kumar (Vivaan Shah) emerges as one of the few weak links. Nevertheless, the movie remains a rare gem in Bollywood, showcasing one of its darkest and most enigmatic female characters with commendable success.

Firstly, I would like to applaud Vishal Bhardwaj for pulling off this caper. Adapting books into movies is hard enough but to adapt such literary dark comedy into Indian cinema is even harder. He has made everyone in this film act, and not just deliver their lines as seen in most Hindi movies these days.

I don't think the Indian audiences have seen something like this before. How many dark comedies are made here anyways? Coupled with concepts that most people would not relate to.

Priyanka Chopra has shown her acting prowess before. But in this movie she has really pushed herself. I think there are movies that show a person's acting talent and this movie really explores Priyanka's acting skills and does her justice. I think only she could have carried a role such as this. I would not like to pick apart her work, but the only thing in her acting that bothered me - was as she aged, even though the makeup did a great job of depicting her age, her mannerisms, speech showed no changed. She could get up easily even when she played a much older woman. But besides that Priyanka's work is definitely a 10/10.

Vivaan Shah who is a central character in the movie is fresh faced and fun to watch on screen. I really like the scene in which he laughs nervously at a funeral.

All the actors who played Susanna's husbands did a great job. The one that surprised me the most was Neil Nitin Mukesh. He outdid not only his contemporaries but also some of the senior actors in the movie. John Abraham has also played his role of a cocaine addicted, hedonistic, musician of a husband to his best. In an industry were most young established actors would consider such roles as career suicide, these two actors (John & Neil) have ventured out of their comfort zones to play such complex roles. So special kudos to them.

The other actors (Naseeruddin Shah, Annu Kapoor, Irfan Khan, Aleksandr Dyachenko) have all played their part well, some have more smaller parts than the others. Some of their exits not entirely justified by the plot. Among them one of the most challenging roles maybe the poet/pervert husband played by Irfan Khan, but then again few actors can do justice to a role like Irfan does.

I don't see this movie being a blockbuster but definitely a movie that will be talked about for a while. It may not bring in the big bucks but its definitely brought out the talent in this cast. The cinematography is superb especially the scenes captured in Kashmir, the ones through the carved wooden frames bringing in the right feel and atmosphere to the movie.

I think this movie will be for Vishal Bhardwaj what The Village was to M Night Shyamalan. Not everybody will get it but those who do will most certainly enjoy it!