Freddy Movie Review: I don't really remember if the makers of this week's exclusive Disney+ Hotstar release, Freddy, had released a proper trailer for the film. I remember a small teaser, a couple of songs and little glimpses. The teaser and the small promos gave me the idea that this Kartik Aaryan-Alaya F film could be a dark, twisty and perhaps, squeamish, thriller and since there was no trailer, thought of it as a brilliant play to hide what to expect from its premise. Brilliant it is - the play, that is - otherwise the trailer could have given away its way too familiar plotline that boasts of some interesting dark turns. Freddy Star Alaya F Wants To Avoid Playing It Safe With Film Choices; Says, ‘I Feel Like I Have So Much.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh, Freddy is about a socially awkward and borderline creepy dentist Freddy Ginwala (Kartik Aaryan) who just can't find a Parsi girl to agree to marry him. It may have to do with the fact that he can't initiate a good conversation with them, or that they catch him looking down their neckline. Orphaned as a child after witnessing his father kill his mother and then committing suicide, Freddy lives alone with just a pet tortoise (or is it turtle? No one can make up their mind on it in the film) Hardy, and his sole relative is his granny, who keeps calling him at night.

So when Freddy, despite having a well-to-do dentist business and a farmhouse in Karjat, is desperately desolate, in comes in his life a beautiful Parsi girl Kainaz (Alaya F). The glitch is, she is already married, that too, to an abusive man.

Freddy, however, is horny enough for Kainaaz that he is willing to go to any lengths to rescue her from her abusive marriage and make her his. Just that things do not exactly go as per his plans,

Watch the Teaser:

Before I go ahead, I have to warn you that there might be some SPOILERS in the review. I just can't dissect the film without mentioning those. So anyway, good things first. Kartik Aaryan is too good as the titular sociopath, whose meek, fraidy exterior hides a unpredictable persona that can go to any lengths. While the actor's good looks do come in the way of convincing us that women do not fall for Freddy, the actor does a fine job of making that work with his body language, shaky dialogue delivery and his expressions (that occasionally veer into artificiality). Still, like with Dhamaka and Love Aaj Kal, the actor's embracing of the dark side of his characters make him stand out, even when the film crumbles beneath his feet.

Giving him a good foil is Alaya F, who continues her good show from an impressive debut in Jawani Janeman to here. Freddy allows her to wear two distinct personalities, and the actress is very convincing in both. It is the performances of these two actors that make this dark thriller into a thrilling watch, that manages to overcome its predictable setting. While the first establishes their forbidden romance deftly with the actors' chemistry shining through, it is their dynamics in the second half that make things even better. Freddy: Kartik Aaryan Says His Character in the Disney+ Hotstar Film Is Twisted, Just Like the Twist in the Plot.

The success of a good thriller is about keeping the viewer guessing on what it plans to do next. Drishyam 2, that is becoming a big hit this year, but I prefer the Malayalam original to its weak Hindi counterpart, has a second half that keeps you on tenterhooks even when you know in your heart that its hero will find a way. Freddy does right in creating a dark mood flavoured with a Parsi aesthetic. Yet, the overbearing sense of familiarity bleeds both into its anti-hero and the plot (SPOILER warning), the latter giving strong Jism vibes in the first half and Fidaa vibes in the second. But again, Kartik and Alaya make things more arresting than it deserves to be, and the dark finale may not push the envelope but teases enough around the edges to go for a vicious conclusion.

 

Final Thoughts

Watch Freddy if you are a fan of Kartik Aaryan and want to see him do different. And if you are not a fan, then also do give it a try as the actor defies misconceptions that he can do roles of one mould (which means you haven't watched Love Aaj Kal or Dhamaka). Also, Alaya F is too good, and together they make this dark thriller tick. Freddy is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

Rating:3.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 02, 2022 09:34 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).