Chitrangada Review – Horror For Audience

BOTTOM LINE
Horror For Audience

OUR RATING
1.5/5

CENSOR
‘A’ Certified, 2 hrs 25 mins.

What is the film about?
Strange nightmares and hallucinations lead Chitrangada (Anjali) to the US. What are those nightmares and what is the US and what Chitrangada (Anjali) discovers there is what the film is all about?

How is Anjali’s performance?
Anjali is the mainstay of the film and besides her there no other big character. She has a challenging role without any doubt but due to the poor direction, her performance goes awry, it is way over the top and turns comedic when it ought to be seriously taken. The drama that is so necessary from her, turns out to be a huge turnoff.

Direction By Ashok?
The only reason to forward to this movie or even the previous movie of the director G Ashok is Pilla Zamindar. That was a good film which many cite wrong release timing as a reason for failure. The director may be unlucky once but as an audience, he has now disappointed thrice.

Chitrangada has a nice concept in the end if we think about the story and what potential it had. But when the movie plays on screen it is a big torture to sit through barring few portions. And no one else except the director should be blamed as clearly the direction is at fault. The pitch the director set up goes horribly wrong and that’s why the movie never gets going. Also, the story becomes way too predictable after a point.

The first half of the film builds momentum towards the interval. The second half starts well but soon loses track with the involvement of a third girl. The whole track is difficult to sit through with extremely flat and boring comic track. The pre-climax is decent but it is too late by then. Overall the film tests the patience of the audience.

[m9ad]

Other Artists?
There are no heroes in the film which gives it a different feel. Jayaprakash for a change plays the character way over the top, it feels rather unnecessary in the end. Raja Ravindra is okay. Deepak is good in a special role and so is Sindhu Tolani. They bring some sanity to the otherwise dreaded narration. Sapthagiri irritates like there is no end.

Music and other departments?
Music is bad and so is the background score. The cinematography is very uneven due to the usage of different cameras. The US portions are like watching a short film on big screen. Dialogues are decent in very few parts.

Highlights?
Pre-climax
Basic concept

Drawbacks?
Screenplay
Direction
Overaction of important characters

Alternative Take
A better direction would make the film look like a different one altogether.

Did I enjoy it?
No

Will you recommend it?
No
Chitrangada Review by Siddartha