Andhadhun (2018)

English translation: Blind Tune

Director: Sriram Raghavan

Story: Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti, Yogesh Chandekar and Hemanth Rao

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte

Music: Amit Trivedi, Raftaar, Girish Nakod

Time: 138 minutes

Bottom-line: Unfurls at a breakneck pace; one of the best films of 2018

Ayushmann Khurrana has become one of the most sought-after actors in Bollywood after a series of successful films in 2018, as has Radhika Apte with her Netflix hits. Both of them star together along with veteran actress Tabu in this crime drama, Andhadhun. Co-written and directed by Sriram Raghavan, this is the tale of an innocent man caught in a murder case.

 

Khurrana as Akash and Apte as Sophie

Akash (Khurrana) is a skilled pianist who pretends to be blind during the day, his theory being that this “experiment” will help him improve his art. He later begins a romantic relationship with Sophie (Apte) - who believes that he is actually blind - when he starts playing at her father’s diner. Former actor Pramod Sinha (Anil Dhawan) requests him to render a private concert for him and his wife, Simi (Tabu) on their anniversary. When Akash does go there, Simi lets him in thinking he is blind, but Akash notices the dead body of Pramod in the house. Simi’s suspicious neighbour seems to cause problems for her, and Akash is forced to remain mum to preserve his identity. Does Simi suspect Akash? Does he find a way to testify against Simi?

 

Tabu as Simi

While the story of Andhadhun was inspired by L'Accordeur (The Piano Tuner), a 2010 French short film about a blind pianist, I was reminded of a 2000 Tamil film called Sabhash, also about a man pretending to be blind, involved in the murder/suicide case of his wife. At the crux of this film is Akash’s act of faking blindness, which lands him in all sorts of trouble, and that’s what makes the story what it is. The film moves at an exhilarating pace, with brilliantly crafted plot twists. The suspense, the dark humour, the mind games, and of course, the cliff-hanger climax make this thriller stand apart.

Khurrana may have become far more popular following this film’s success, but as far as Andhadhun goes, Tabu is the star. Portraying the devious Simi, who will stop at nothing – not even a second murder – to protect herself, this character is easily one of the most sadistic and manipulative villains portrayed in Indian cinema. Khurrana’s acting is superb too. From a man leading a fairly comfortable life, to a man who is pushed to his limits of endurance, Akash’s character starts out clean and touches a variety of grey shades throughout the film. Radhika Apte, surprisingly, has a small role to play in the film. Fate and karma influence the story to a considerable extent, which give rise to various other minor but significant characters in the film – an auto driver, a person selling lottery tickets, a doctor running an illicit organ donor service, and of course, Simi’s neighbour.

With catchy songs to lighten the mood to start with, and regular plot twists to shock you subsequently, Andhadhun brings together a skilled cast and crew who gives us a taut thriller, which is definitely worth watching. Of course, by the end of it, you will probably have a lot of unanswered questions, but that’s part of the fun.

My Rating: 4/5