Halahal Movie Review: A Murder Mystery Watchable Mostly for Sachin Khedekar, Barun Sobti’s Fine Performances

Halahal Movie Review: Murder or Suicide? The question that Eros Now's new web movie, Halahal, starring Sachin Khedekar and Barun Sobti in the lead, raises during its marketing feels like it is cashing in on Sushant Singh Rajput's demise. But Halahal is not about Sushant Singh Rajput. Also, it answers the question it raises in the opening sequence itself. Though you cannot say it is a SPOILER as such, but the answer is neither. Asur Star Barun Sobti Feels the Divide Between TV and Film Industry Needs to Vanish.

A girl is killed by a speeding truck when she is trying to calm down a guy, presumed to be her boyfriend, who is being chased by goons. The body is later burnt to destroy evidence, and her death has been passed off as suicide, which doesn't find acceptability with her father, Shiv (Sachin Khedekar), a middle-class doctor in Rohtak.

Shiv realises that the police and the medical college, where the girl was studying, are covering up something about her death. He takes the help of a corrupt, roguish cop Yusuf (Barun Sobti) to dig out the truth. What they discover in the process is a scandal that can even topple the government, while also endangering their own lives.

Watch the Trailer of Halahal:

For a murder mystery, Halahal, directed by Randeep Jha, does one thing different - we know how the victim is killed in the start itself. All we need to piece out is what were the circumstances that lead to her death. In that aspect, Halahal is a decent thriller enough, with some very interesting twists and turns, especially in the third act. Writers Gibran Noorani and Zeishan Quadri make the mystery  connect to a real-life scandal of corruption and crime that happens in medical colleges, which gives a topical relevance to Halahal.

Then there are the fine performances of its two main leads, Sachin Khedekar and Barun Sobti. Khedekar does a great job of depicting the pathos of an anguished father in search of the truth. He forms the emotional core of the movie, and there are plenty of moments where the actor makes even weak scenes look wonderful to watch.

Barun Sobti is quite a surprise here, embracing his inner Hathiram Chaudhary, as he plays Yusuf with a rustic swag I have never seen him do before. Sobti is a truly underrated actor, who, given a good project, can go miles ahead, and after Tu Hai Mera Sunday and Asur, he gives us another taste of his caliber in Halahal. Both Khedekar and Sobti share a great onscreen bonhomie, especially evident in the liveliest scene of the film, where they chase after a mysterious informant. Asur Season 1 Review: Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti’s Thriller Series Succeeds in Keeping the Mystery Alive and Binge-Worthy.

What doesn't work for Halahal, though, is its average execution, that makes it look more like an extended CID or a Crime Patrol episode. It lacks the snappy attitude or a layered texture, that would have made it more memorable, It also doesn't help that, apart from the two main leads, none of the secondary cast manage to leave an impression. There are also some very convenient contrivances that bother you, like how Yusif was convinced to be part of Shiv's investigation so easily. It may have more to do with how Yusuf's character isn't written properly, though the actor's performance doesn't make it look so.

Yay!

- Sachin Khedekar and Barun Sobti

- The Third Act

Nay!

- The Okayish Making

- Some Plot Contrivances

Final Thoughts

Halahal is a mystery thriller that turns out to be passably decent enough mostly for the lead performances of Khedekar and Sobti. The film is streaming on Eros Now.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2020 02:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).