Haseen Dillruba: Toxic romance paves the way to mediocre thriller

Vinil Mathew's directorial Haseen Dillruba hit home screens through Netflix past week. The movie begins with an explosion and is filled with a mystery that doesn't reveal or hold the attention of the audience until the very end.

Rani, played by Taapsee Pannu, is a 28-year-old mettlesome Delhi girl who settles for an arranged marriage after few failed flings in her life. She is married to Rishu, a diffident man played by Vikrant Massey who hails from a remote town Jwalapur. Rishu and Rani witness troubles in their marriage following the initial spark. During this time, Rani has an extramarital affair with Rishu's cousin Neel, a reprobate lad played by Harshavardhan Rane. Rishu's murder in an explosion, the police investigation that follows, and the suspicions of murder on Rani is the foundation on which the twists in the tale unfold.

Mathew and screenplay writer Kanika Dhillon have packed the characters in the story with a defined disposition but failed to sketch their transformations. The performance of Vikrant Massey as Rishu is remarkable in that he managed the pace while the character fused into new routes. From an innocent husband to a vengeful brat and then to a fervid lover, he smoothly lands his craft. Rani being a narcissist from the beginning who craves attention and love transforms into a selfless obedient wife who suffers her husband's abuse upon the guilt she holds. Compared to Rishu's character development and transformation, Rani's character lacked intensity and felt rather inorganic.

The script, despite its many spicy dialogues, lacks continuity in its development. The establishment of each character and the circumstances of their reactions are poorly penned and cinematographed. The narration of the crime by Rani in the movie, possibly expected to enhance the mysterious experience of viewers, didn't serve the purpose.

Cinematography by Jayakrishna Gummadi was pleasing but the breaks in the script's development diminished the beauty of the picturisation. Shweta Venkat's scissors and gum on the reel too was below par.

The music department was a catalyst to the mystery and mood inculcated throughout the movie. Songs by Amit Trivedi and background score by Amar Mangrulkar stood appropriate without any protrusion.

Haseen Dillruba could only be rated as an average thriller, with a climax rather predictable and cheesy. All in all, dil nahi dooba yeh haseeen dillruba mein (Haseen Dillruba failed to impress).