Hatya Review – Killed the Audience

BOTTOM LINE
Killed the Audience

OUR RATING
1.5/5

CENSOR
2h 9m, ‘U/A’ Certified.

What Is the Film About?

Laila (Meenakshi Chowdary), a model cum singer, is found dead in her apartment. Sandhya, a new recruit IPS officer, is given the case but is asked to take the help of Vinayak (Vijay Antony ) to wrap it up quickly.

Who are the suspects? Finding out the killer is the movie’s main story.

Performances

Vijay Antony gets an image makeover in Hatya. He sports grey hair and a light beard here, looking stylish as a detective solving a crime.

Not only the investigating track, but Vijay Antony also has a personal track trying to overcome the grief of a severe mistake. It gives him a few dramatic moments in addition to the detective routine. He is alright as usual, doing things in his subtle way.

Ritika Singh playing a recruit is alright. She looks a little rigid in parts, as if holding things back. Even besides that, the role doesn’t offer anything. It is the standard cop routine. She is sincere, but nothing stands out as a performer.

Meenakshi Chaudhary gets a role suitable to her talents. She has to look stylish and be confident. Meenakshi is acceptable in those portions. The interval block has a small acting sequence where she is okay. It’s her overall presence which shines more than the dramatics, though.

Analysis

Balaji K Kumar directs Hatya. It is a standard police procedural whodunit where the ultimate goal is to find the killer following a thorough investigation.

The opening block clarifies a few things and prepares for the ride ahead. It sets a stylish but slow-paced tone. And that convoluted drama could play the spoilsport.

The narrative’s first half brings out the worst of the apprehensions mentioned above. It doesn’t take much time for one to feel restless.

The one-by-one introduction to the suspects with three perspectives – from the victim, the suspect and finally, the police version creates a messy feel and the slow pace tests patience.

One can see that the director is trying to set the various pieces on the table and then complete the puzzle later. However, the narrative never feels immersive, and the viewer is always thrown out of it with each new revelation instead of being drawn into it.

The interval bang is so terrible that it actually comes as a relief. It is the time given to process all the characters that have come and gone and the details they have shared.

One looks forward to the second half, but not with much optimism. The only reason is to know the killer’s identity and to see if the guess is correct.

The bigger issue with Hatya is the guess could come right if one is cued in the proceedings. Maybe that’s why the narrative has been turned so complicated.

Having said that, the second half feels slightly better, as it is definitely a little less muddled than the first. As pieces are fitted together, there is a sense of relief. One finally begins to see how things are panning out.

There is some repetitiveness here, as the scope of the actual murder mystery is small as it’s confined to a place. Some scenarios are played out in different versions and shown in detail, which further adds to boredom.

Ultimately, it is all about the big reveal, which is okay. The way the murder mystery inside the room is solved is fine. However, the reason for it and the ending brings down any positivity built.

Overall, Hatya is a big bore, lacking the gripping narrative and style with soul. It attempts to be a proper whodunit tale, but the convoluted narrative dampens the mood, disappointing even hardcore thriller lovers.

Performances by Others Actors

Apart from the main leads, the movie has many parts featuring known and relatively fresh faces. Among the former category, Radhika Sarathkumar is utterly wasted. Murali Sharma follows her with a terribly dubbed voice. John Vijay is okay with a comparatively better part, but it only appears intermittently and offers nothing new.

There are a few actors playing the various suspects, and they are alright. The baby is okay appearing briefly, and the rest are forgettable.

Music and Other Departments?

Girishh Gopalakrishnan’s songs are forgettable due to the Telugu dub and sync (to the tune). The jazz-styled background sounds and themes are in tune with the overall style. But they don’t add much value.

The cinematography stands out in the movie. Sivakumar Vijayan has shot the film with great style and effort in each frame that sometimes sticks out, dominating the content. The editing could have been better. It adds to the messy feel. The writing is predictable, following typical investigative thriller chatter.

Highlights?

Cinematography

Killer Revelation Block

Drawbacks?

Muddled Narrative

Convoluted Drama

First Half

Climax (Killer Motive)

Did I Enjoy It?

No

Will You Recommend It?

No

Hatya Telugu Movie Review by M9News