A still from Grey Games
Karnataka State Award-winning writer-director Gangadhar Salimath’s ‘Grey Games’, screened at International Film Festival of India in Goa last year, had drawn attention for its concept.
This thrilling family suspense drama deals with the worlds of online gaming and the metaverse, and their dark side. It also sheds light on psychological disorders, friendship, relationships and the significance of family.
The flick follows 20-year-old Abhi, a college student addicted to online gaming. Abhi finds solace in the company of his gaming partner and girlfriend Julie Fernandez. He is shattered after Julie is found murdered and develops post-traumatic embitterment disorder.
Abhi’s parents seek treatment for their son from Dr Ram (Vijay Raghavendra), a celebrated psychologist. Dr Ram helps Abhi recover and solves the mystery of who killed Julie.
The flick is an edge-of-the-seat thriller till the last scene. A subplot involving Dr Ram and his patient, an actress, the bond between them is heart-wrenching. There are some powerful dialogues. The flick raises questions about individual perception of contexts and moral concepts of being right and wrong. Vijay Raghavendra delivers a stellar performance. Aparna Vastarey takes on a powerful role and is absolutely convincing.
However, the flick has its flaws. A song in the first half appears forced. Analysis of Abhi’s psychological issues and treatment are left incomplete. The reason for the untimely death of a film actress remains unknown. The characterisation of Dr Ram is incomplete as there is no word about his background. Music composition and cinematography are average.
But despite these shortcomings, ‘Grey Games’ is a weekend entertainer.