‘Visfot’ Movie Review: Riteish Deshmukh and Fardeen Khan’s Thriller Is Gripping and Well-Paced (LatestLY Exclusive)

Visfot Movie Review: Fardeen Khan’s big comeback to movies began with Khel Khel Mein, where he shared the screen with his Heyy Babyy co-star, Akshay Kumar. In his second film of this comeback, Kookie Gulati’s Visfot, Fardeen reunites with his other Heyy Babyy co-star, Riteish Deshmukh, while shifting genres from comedy to thriller. For those unfamiliar, Visfot is the official remake of the 2012 Venezuelan film Rock, Paper, Scissors (there is also a scene between Riteish's character and his son that's a nod to the original). While I haven’t seen the original, I found the Hindi remake to be competently made and engaging to the end, with decent performances from the cast. ‘Visfot’ Actress Krystle Dsouza Reveals How She Lost the Weight Gained for Her Role and Got Back in Shape.

Akash (Riteish Deshmukh) and Shoeb (Fardeen Khan) are two men living on opposite ends of Mumbai’s financial spectrum. Akash is a successful airline pilot residing in a posh flat with his wife, Tara (Priya Bapat), and son, Parth (Prithviraj Sarnaik). Shoeb, a cab driver from Dongri, struggles to make ends meet and lives with his dementia-stricken mother (Sheebha Chadha). He also has a girlfriend, Lucky (Krystle D'Souza), who works at a café.

Watch the Trailer of 'Visfot':

A twist of fate brings their disparate lives to a dramatic crossroads. Akash discovers his wife is having an affair, while Shoeb lands in trouble with a gang led by 'Acid' Tai (Seema Biswas), desperately seeking a way out. Matters are complicated when Shoeb accidentally ends up with Akash’s young son. With a corrupt cop and a kidnapping plot involved, both men must navigate dangerous waters to rescue their loved ones from harm.

'Visfot' Movie Review - An Engaging Thriller

Though the film runs slightly over two hours (which a plot like this ideally shouldn’t), I found Visfot consistently engaging throughout. After establishing the characters and the dilemma sparked by a missing jacket filled with drugs, the film avoids unnecessary fluff, maintaining a brisk pace. Manish More’s editing and Amar Mohile’s background score help elevate the tension in several key scenes, and the gritty treatment of the plot gives Visfot a rugged edge.

Several intense sequences (screenplay by Abbas and Hussain Dalal) are handled with the appropriate level of gravitas. One standout is the introduction of 'Acid' Tai at Shoeb’s house, boosted by a chilling performance from Seema Biswas.

Akash’s frenzied reaction to discovering his wife’s affair and his explosive behaviour at the hotel where his wife is having a sexual tryst with her lover (Arjun Aneja) is another scene executed well, with Riteish delivering a fantastic performance. Visfot improves in the second half, with the kidnapping plot and corrupt cops leading to a suitably bloody climax.

'Visfot' Movie Review - What Felt Lacking

However, there are a few moments where the screenplay and treatment falter. The characters are flawed and portrayed as such, but I felt Tara’s infidelity was framed too sympathetically, even though she is clearly in the wrong for cheating on her husband. While I don’t mind her being unapologetic, a brief explanation that Akash hasn’t been giving her enough attention doesn’t fully justify her actions. Although she rightfully blames Akash for leaving their child alone at a café, the situation still makes us sympathise more with Akash. Her involvement in the climax feels somewhat intrusive, and her character could have been written with more nuance and less moralising. ‘Visfot’ on OTT: Fardeen Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s Thriller Set To Premiere on JioCinema on September 6.

I haven’t seen the original Rock, Paper, Scissors, so I can’t speak to how closely the remake follows it, but it seems the film compromised its climax for a ‘happy’ ending. The fate of a key character is left unresolved despite that person being largely responsible for Shoeb and Lucky’s moral dilemmas. Also, the song in the climax could have been avoided.

'Visfot' Movie Review - The Cast Shines

In terms of performances, the cast shines. Riteish Deshmukh delivers a strong portrayal of a family man whose sudden descent into irrationality has severe consequences. He particularly excels in the confrontation scenes. In his acting comeback, Fardeen Khan, after Heeramandi (wasted) and Khel Khel Mein (not bad), gives his best performance yet in Visfot. Though his tone feels slightly out of place for someone from Dongri, Fardeen compensates with unexpected intensity and solid body language.

Krystle D’Souza also stands out as Shoeb’s supportive girlfriend, bringing emotional depth to the hostage scenes. Although the writing makes Tara annoying in some moments, I wouldn’t fault Priya Bapat’s performance; she is strong in every scene. Sheeba Chadha and Seema Biswas are as brilliant as ever, and young Prithviraj Sarnaik holds his own. Among the supporting cast, Nachiket Purnapatre is notable as the boorish, meddlesome Manya.

'Visfot' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Visfot offers a solid, well-paced thriller that holds your attention with its gritty treatment and strong performances. While there are a few narrative missteps, particularly in the handling of certain characters, the film still manages to deliver enough tension and drama to make it an engaging watch. Visfot is streaming on JioCinema.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2024 11:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).