The only saving grace is the title score by Amar Mohile, which injects some energy into this otherwise pointless attempt at a dark revenge drama, observes Divya Nair.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5… no, that’s not how many stars I want to give this film.
That’s the total number of people who showed up at the 9 am screening in Thane. And that includes two reviewers, a couple who chose a quiet corner, and two others who were apparently there just to kill time.
First things first. I will apologise for being blunt, but someone had to say it.
If there’s one thing Divya Khosla Kumar needs to stop doing, it’s acting.
Every year, she comes up with one torture project after another, as if hope and talent are waiting around the corner.
Ek Chatur Naar, directed by Umesh Kumar (Oh My God), had potential.
The trailer was confusing, but I hoped the film might surprise me.
Divya plays Mamata, a con woman drowning in debt, juggling odd jobs, dodging goons, and trying to stay afloat with the help of her son and mother-in-law (played by the reliably authentic Chhaya Kadam).
When she crosses paths with a white-collar criminal Abhishek (Neil Nitin Mukesh), she somehow threatens and blackmails him into paying off her debts.
The plot is engaging, and the side characters are interesting, but then Mamata barges into every frame with exaggerated expressions and forced plot twists that are more cringe than captivating.
I am not sure how much the audience would agree, but for the first time, you have an actor whose pain and poverty don’t move you. You’d rather enjoy Chhaya’s irrelevant authenticity over Divya’s fake Hinglish accent.
The worst part? You’re paying for this absurdity, and you can’t fast forward to the next scene.
Mamata’s constant flip-flop between hero and anti-hero is neither daring nor entertaining. There are moments when you actually find yourself rooting for the villain because at least hes believable.
If you’re okay with overacting and a lack of emotional depth while waiting to see where the story goes, you might find some entertainment value.
The only saving grace is the title score by Amar Mohile, which injects some energy into this otherwise pointless attempt at a dark revenge drama.
The backing of a big banner, a decent director, renowned producers, and a supporting cast that includes Sushant Singh (as inspector Trilok) and Yashpal Sharma do not rescue the glaring absence of acting ability in the lead character.
Whether Ek Chatur Naar will pull audiences over the weekend is questionable. I would rather recommend that you spend your money elsewhere.
