Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Bhumi Pednekar, Arshad Warsi, Mahie Gill and Jisshu Sengupta
Director: G Ashok
Rating: 3/5
The Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Durgamati, a remake of the Tollywood blockbuster Bhaagamathie, is a sincere attempt at storytelling that makes a good impact despite its flaws. The film revolves around the journey of an IAS officer who is imprisoned in a ‘haunted house’ following a shocking twist of fate.
The basic storyline is compelling and has enough ‘masala’ to satisfy the target audience. Its impact is diluted a bit by the slightly shaky screenplay. The opening stretch of the movie is on the slower side and fails to make an impact. Durgamati, however, picks up when the action shifts to the titular character’s mansion. The interrogation scenes, an integral part of the narrative, hit the right notes due to their organic intensity.
The much-talked-about ‘transformation’ scene is worth its weight in gold, bearing testimony to Bhumi’s acting abilities. These sequences might superficially remind fans of Shankar’s Anniyan and 2.0.
Also read: 4 reasons why a ‘direct to digital’ release might work in favour of Bhumi Pednekar’s ‘Durgamati’
The track involving Ananth Mahadevan delivers the goods despite the fact that it has a distinct Bhool Bhulaiyaa hangover. The dynamics between Bhumi and a ‘sworn enemy’ to keep fans hooked. The scenes featuring newcomer Karan Kapadia, however, do not live up to expectations.
The scenes featuring a blend of horror and comedy feel forced. The last quarter of the film is simply fabulous, keeping fans hooked with numerous twists and turns.
Coming to the performances, Bhumi is the heart and soul of Durgamati. The sincere performer does full justice to a complex character, leaving the janta asking for more. He alternates between innocence and intensity with ease. Her expressions and body language do the talking in several key scenes.
Arshad Warsi underplays things beautifully, springing a surprise when needed. His character has quite an intriguing graph. Bengali star Jisshu Sengupta makes his presence felt despite getting the limited scope. Ananth and Mahie Gill are dependable as usual. The supporting cast is decent.
The sound design is one of the highlights of Durgamati, adding a new dimension to the spooky scenes. The background score is strictly okay. The editing, however, is not as good as expected as some of the scenes feel unnecessary. The other technical aspects have been handled well.