Khazana

Khazana - an interesting movie directed by Rahul Nath. Vaidehi (the wife), really gave it all to them equally, this is what I call absolute and perfect revenge. Amar (the husband) and all his friends are so cruel, Neelima, that bad mother-in-law and her childish daughter who took after her mother deserves to experience the same on earth instead of the death which i think was actually a quick and better option. I love this movie because it actually speaks true life stories. Women should not be abused, in any way they have come as a wife; they should always be cared for in the arms of their husband and listening ears should be rendered from the husband too. Haters will comes from the family, work place, old friend but if the husband is wise he will snub them all... I learnt a lot of lessons from this movie actually - Rahul Nath has really done a great writing job here. Oh, you haven't watched Khazana? Go and watch it please, it is highly recommended (smiles).

What happens when you force an innocent person into hopeless submission? What lengths can a human being go to when he or she makes up their mind to take revenge from their perpetrators? When you break a person to such an extent that they are forced to become corrupt, are they actually the culprit? Or are you? Find out the answers to these controversial questions and many more in Rahul Nath's movie, Khazana, which is a dark film that makes you realize that your actions can resonate and come back to you in the worst of forms. Rahul Nath does a good job at portraying the dark part of the society in this feature film. You know that feeling when you are watching a scene in a movie and it becomes so shocking that you find it horrifying to even breathe? That's how the last 30 minutes make you feel. The movie does not have a huge cast and the best cinematography. But it sure does have a huge impact on how you view society. Every character is realistic and you realize that these people exist all around you. The cast did an amazing job portraying their characters especially Vaidehi (Ulka Simone Mohanty) whose character development from victim to culprit is smooth and convincing. She played the multilayered character of the newly-wed bride, who is a victim of every kind of abuse by the hands of her husband, Amar (Ahmed Lucan) and his mother (Shruti Tewari) and sister (Sasha Timo). They merge into their characters so beautifully that it becomes hard not to hate them. Her doctor (played by Rahul Nath himself) and psychiatrist (Bahram Khosraviani) try to help her but gloomy circumstances and human desires come in the way. The movie does not seem to show any unnecessary details or scenes that seem useless. Every scene of each character perfectly represents their inner thoughts and the sound effects balance each scene. This thriller may seem like any other South Asian drama out there but the end will leave you in shock. It's horrifying because it happens in real life.

Khazana speaks to you through muted expressions and stifled screams. It tells the story of a mistreated wife who is tortured to the point of a horrifying albeit grand climax. It repulses you with its socio-cultural walls, invites you with an ever-tightening grip, and then plunges you into a purgatory.

The protagonist suffers closed-doors domestic abuse and lives in a shell impenetrable to empathy. Vaidehi is entangled in a loveless marriage with Amar who does little to veil his affair with Neelima. His mother disdains Vaidehi's humble origins and pushes Amar to abort his own child. He complies without remorse by blackmailing the local doctor Arun, played by Nath himself.

Vaidehi's plight is not an extreme or obscure example of what long-standing gender inequality assails on the life of women around the world. Her reaction to it, however, impresses and abhors you in equal measure.

Khazana wraps around you with references to itself. You'll ask questions which will fall to the deaf years of a smiling young woman. Vaidehi's revenge is a disturbingly delicious consummation which will bring you back to watch the movie again. I promise.

Khazana, written and directed by Rahul Nath, is a tragic story that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the film. Spousal abuse, unmet expectations, misunderstandings and revenge are the main themes of this film, but other than that, it delves much deeper into human psychology. It is the story of a young woman, Vaidehi (Ulka Simone Mohanty), who is married into a wealthy family but never fits in. She faces mental, physical and verbal abuse from her husband, Amar (Ahmed Lucan). Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, do everything possible to bring her down and manipulate her husband against her. Multiple injustices happen to Vaidehi, converting her into a broken woman, until she cannot take anymore, so she decides to fight back. Initially, the film highlights all the difficulties women face, after marriage, in the society of South Asia and the emotional toll it takes on them. But the film takes a disturbing turn near the end, and it darkens. There is a story behind every crime and usually the victim, who eventually becomes the culprit. That's what Khazana shows. The sound effects are relevant and keep the viewer glued to the screen. The performance of the entire cast is admirable, especially Ulka Simone Mohanty. Her facial expressions clearly represent her inner-conflicts and how she is trying to keep her sanity together. Combined with a beautiful script and dialogue, this keeps the viewer engrossed throughout the film. It highlights the dark truths of our society and a must-watch if you are interested in psychological thrillers; and while it may be a controversial issue for some, certainly does stand out from the typical films from South Asia.

The root concept is fine. The execution is not. 'Khazana' is not a good movie. More than that, it's generally so rotten that I spent most of the runtime actively regretting that I'd begun watching.

Screenplay and direction alike are almost totally bereft of all subtlety. Most every scene and line of dialogue is inescapably blunt in its realization; I counted two instances of plot development that were unanticipated in any small way. Meanwhile: I tend to give actors the benefit of the doubt and assume they've been forced into a lacking performance by some element of the film-making. To be sure, I'm extremely skeptical of the capabilities of director Rahul Nath and producer and co-writer Noah Potter, both in terms of overall skill, and when it comes to providing material for or otherwise guiding their stars' portrayals. At the same time - while another point of comparison would be necessary to more completely ascertain the talents of all involved, 'Khazana' is such a mess that I'm not inclined to seek out other pictures of the cast or crew. Judging by this feature alone, the assembled players are an incredibly mixed bag at best.

Star Ulka Simone Mohanty, as protagonist Vaidehi, and Reem Kadem, as Neelima, are the only two actors to immediately impress as demonstrating a measure of range and nuance in their performances. On the other hand, Sonam Arvind Dhage turns in one of the least convincing performances I've ever seen as Sapna, and Laikh Tewari's acting as Dhaman is so unbelievably ham-fisted as to genuinely recall John Reynolds or possibly Tom Neyman in 'Manos: The hands of fate.' Everyone else before the camera is pointedly overacting, and it's up for debate whether all these depictions are an illustration of the limited extent of the actors' craft, or just a matter of leaning into the material and direction they're given.

Against all odds, 'Khazana' isn't entirely putrid through and through. Once more, I do like the concept; the abuse of every variety that Vaidehi suffers from all those around her is abhorrent, making her retribution gratifying. At that, despite the limitations of screenwriters, direction, and cast alike - and a jarring shift in tone - I think the climax is pretty well done... if a little too drawn out. And that's a key here: the movie is scarcely over an hour, and the narrative itself does mostly feel whole. Even so, adept writing, direction, and editing could have trimmed this full-length film into a short of perhaps 20 minutes without losing a significant amount of substance. Why, a shorter treatment of this same material may have actually made it more impactful: While the extra length pads out the story, making characters, their motivations, and the broad arc more complete, it feels like the greatest effect of making 'Khazana' as a feature film was to highlight the deficiencies and weaknesses of all involved.

There was promise in the basic premise. It's undercut by excruciatingly forthright and dubious acting, writing, and direction, while the movie tries unsuccessfully to varyingly embrace genres of sly thriller, domestic drama, and dark comedy. What minor value this movie possesses can be found elsewhere, unspoiled and in greater quantities. I feel bad being so critical, but it's painful to behold. I simply cannot recommend 'Khazana.'