chand-suhas

Dani is married to psychiatrist Ted Timmis who doesn't believe in anything that cannot be reasoned with. While he is working, the night turns fateful to Dani as she is murdered. An year later, Dani's twin sister Darcy is doing her own investigation to get to the truth. Dani is a blind psychic and has an antique shop. She arrives at Ted's house where Dani was murdered. Ted's new girlfriend Yana welcomes her and Darcy has brought a wooden golem with her. She has deduced the deceasd accused in Dani's case was innocent and the truth she uncovers leads to another fateful night. Who is the real killer of Dani and does Darcy get her revenge, forms rest of the story.

Damian McCarthy's story is straight forward. There are no sudden twists in this tale as it is revealed earlier who the killer is and the narrative is all about Darcy stepping up to confront the truth herself. She is psychic but that's about it as her vulnerabilities are intact. The atmosphere Damian concocts is all too atmospheric and the effective jumpscares too are placed perfectly with no rush. Once the truth is revealed, it is all about knowing the culprit's reaction when confronted and the film does pay off with it the first time. The final act remains engaging leading to the obvious end which I did like but wanted to see more of the culprit's actual reaction to what has arrived. Overall it was definitely worth watching, with right amount of scares and the pace complimenting the narrative.

Dawn and her two sisters were raised by their grandmother. When she required medical treatment, Dawn had used her savings to help her out which the grandma doesn't approve of. Dawn who is an aspiring artist learns of getting accepted in an art school in Paris but due to her financial constraints, cannot afford to join the school without scholarship. Her sister Emily is a huge fan of the reality tv dating show The Honeypot and encourages Dawn to apply to be a contestant as the attendance fee would help Dawn fulfill her dream. She is told the show is scheduled to be shot in Paris. Dawn gets selected to the show but is lied to about filming in Paris, France while their budget only allowed to film in Paris, Texas. What happens when the legally obligated Dawn is forced to participate in the show, forms rest of the story.

The whole premise about setting up a love story against the backdrop of a reality tv dating show like The Bachelor with a small joke about Paris in Texas, this romantic comedy felt too artifical despite the various caricatures as supporting cast. The lead pair were decent and their first time meeting a bar was entertaining with Dawn owning the scenario. Sadly the story then moves to Paris, Texas and what could have been a proper satire on the reality show itself, the various supporting characters as fellow contestants get underutilized. The love story itself is undercooked and the narrative remains aimless. By the end of it, I felt like I was the wrong audience for this particular film.

Vani is heartbroken after her lover breaks up with her on their wedding day. Vani is shocked and pushed into depression by this betrayal. After months of isolation, she finally gathers courage to apply for a job as a journalist and spots Krish Kapoor on her way to the interview. He is a struggling singer with temper issues but he also notices her poetry while returning her book which she had left outside. They team up for composing a song and find themselves falling in love. She gets him to focus on his goal the right way while becoming a better person and he helps her to find happiness since her breakup. Tragedy awaits when their love story comes in the way of his success. Will their love triumph over all obstacles, forms rest of the story.

Mohit Suri and Sankalp Sadanah have the perfect recipe for launching two new faces. A romantic musical is a magical combo and if done right, it has always succeeded in creating overnight stars. Saiyaara is yet another example where the combo works out. The screenplay is not without it's clichés but the music makes up for it and the performances by the lead pair carry the story till the end. Both look confident on screen with Ahaan being impressive from the beginning and Aneet Padda impressing in those key scenes in the second half. I liked the parents characters i.e. Vani's better while Krish's father was nothing more than a plot tool. I wish there was more of the parents scenes right before the final act to elevate the drama. It had been a while since Bollywood pulled off a romantic film without looking superficial and despite my reservations, I had a good time watching this.