Marjaavaan

#FinalVerdict

Marjaavaan fails as a film. The only silver lining is the presence of A-list stars & of course, the hype surrounding the film, which might attract footfalls in mass-friendly circuits initially. Hugely disappointing!

The fight between the virtuous & wicked has been the staple diet of several hindi movies since eons. Marjaavaan is a classic case of an exhausting formulaic movie where the protagonist delivers thunderous dialogue & bashes up scoundrels like we swat flies.

I don't even wish to forewarn you about the essence of Marjaavaan, since, I presume, most of you must've guessed it by now thanks to its high octane promos. Unfortunately, it relies on the tried-tested-trusted and done to death recipe from commencement to conclusion. Right from the styling to the hero-villain conflict to death-defying action (Amin Khatib) to fiery dialogue (Milap Milan Zaveri) delivered in high decibels to the love track and the heroism, every single thing of Marjaavaan is reminiscent of the Bollywood of the 1980s. Writer/Director Milap Milan Zaveris sole intent is to provide entertainment to those who relish masala fares. But be forewarned, even if you have an appetite for the masala movies of yore, chances are you will feel suffocated by the on-screen goings-on.

The biggest problem with Marjaavaan is that the premise is archaic & the director (Milap Milan Zaveri) relies too heavily on some skillfully-filmed action sequences & dialogue-baazi to take the story forward. In fact, even the constituents like romance & comedy look forced. Milap Milan Zaveri garnishes the film with features that the masses take pleasure in. The conflict between good & evil is riveting and so is the rapid pacing (editor: Maahir Zaveri) but not with much novelty on platter. The music (Tanishk Bagchi, Meet Bros and Payal Dev) is a mixed bag. Sanjoy Chowdhury's background score is loud, which adds to the massy element.

Marjaavaan is the typical good versus bad saga loaded with every possible ingredient that makes masala films tick. But what unfolds on screen is so routine & monotonous. In massy entertainers, there has to be a hook to keep the viewer's attention arrested. Director Milap Milan Zaveri does nothing, absolutely nothing out of the box or path-breaking in the current scenario to grab your attention, which is why Marjaavaan fails as a film. Action, one of the high points, is slick and cater more to the desi audiences. Milap Milan Zaveri's dialogue have always been mass-friendly and the lines in Marjaavaan are a riot at times. The dialogue will be greeted with whistles and applause from fans of desi masala movies, especially those delivered by Sidharth Malhotra.

Sidharth Malhotra is absolutely at home in this out-to-please-the-junta character avatar. It's the kind of role that the fans take to instantly and he plays to the gallery. Riteish Deshmukh is exemplary. He carries off the unpretentious, sinister streak with brilliance. Tara Sutaria looks dew-fresh & manages to add so much to every sequence she features in. Post Student Of The Year 2, her performance in Marjaavaan is sure to multiply her fan-following. Rakul Preet Singh looks appealing but doesn't get much to do. Shaad Randhawa is top notch. Ravi Kishan is okay. Nassar leaves a mark. Suhasini Mulay is passable. Nora Fatehi is sizzling as always.

All said and done, unless you're a die hard fan of Sidharth Malhotra and you like Tara Sutaria, or your love is literally blind, then maybe you might actually like Marjaavaan. I did not. Once the initial euphoria settles down, it'll be difficult for the film to sustain. It's a tedious watch! Fizzer!