Movie Review – Agyaat

Agyaat: Is a disappointment

Rating: 1.5 out of 5*

Starring: Introducing Nitin Reddy, Priyanka Kothari, Gautam Rode, Ishrat Ali, Howard Rosemeyer, Joy Fernandes and Ravi Kale

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Irrespective of the fact that his last few films haven’t really been great experiences, one still enters a Ram Gopal Varma movie with certain expectations in mind. But Ramu nowadays it seems is hell bent on scaring even his most loyal fans away. Agyaat turns out to be one such experience wherein you go in expecting a thrill ride but come out absolutely unmoved rather irritated.

Agyaat tells the story of a film crew arriving in a dense forest to shoot their film. The team comprises of a tantrum throwing hero Sharman (Gautam), the heroine he badly lusts for – Aasha (Kothari), a South Indian producer Moorty (Ishrat Ali), an eccentric director JJ (Howard), a submissive spot boy Laxman (Ishtiyak Khan), the philosophical cameraman Shakky (Kali Prasad), a forever frustrated action director Rakka (Kale), Assistant Director Sujal (Nitin) and the simple script supervisor girl Sameera (Rasika Duggal) who has a secret crush on Sujal. While Sameera pines for Sujal, he dreams of attaining the film’s leading lady Aasha. Circumstances lead to a two day shoot break. Setu (Joy) the local jungle guide then suggests a small camping trip in the jungle. During night when everyone is enjoying the bonfire, following a strange sound Setu goes on to find out more about it but doesn’t return. When the crew members go on to find him they find his dead body. Petrified, they all try to run out the jungle but their car meets with an accident. Now trapped in the unknown terrain as they try to find their way out more crew members start dying under mysterious circumstances.

With hardly any known faces amongst his cast members, Ramu manages to hold your attention to some extent by his gimmicky shot taking and effective use of background music. Agreed in a thriller with a short running time of under two hours there is less time for character development but what about the screenplay Sir? Also, the placing of the annoying item song in the opening credit titles serves no purpose. Most of the actors too are a huge let down in the sense that they simply end up grating on your nerves and in fact you feel relieved that they have been bumped off!

Agyaat through its promos and Ramu’s interviews appeared to be his ode to films like Predator, Blair Witch Project etc but in reality it appears an insult to them. At the end by literally keeping the mysterious killer ‘Agyaat’ (unknown) he seems to have already made a preparation for a sequel.

Telugu star Nitin Reddy making his Bollywood debut is earnest. Priyanka Kothari shows a bit of improvement in her acting. Gautam Rode fits the part. Amongst the rest cast, none really impress.

Agyaat is a disappointment. Enter this jungle at your own risk. Then don’t complain we didn’t warn you!

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