REVIEW: Strangers is very strange
What the film is about
Strangers draws its basic idea from the Hitchcock directed Strangers on a Train. Two random men Rai (Kay Kay) and Rahul (Jimmy Sheirgill) meet on a train and reveal their past to each other. Although seemingly very different, both have a common thread binding them together – their breaking marriages. Rai's wife (Sonali Kulkarni) has lost all semblance of sanity and suffers from insomnia after losing their only son Amit in an accident. Meanwhile, Rahul, a failed writer refuses to work on his marriage with Preeti (Nandana Sen) and instead suspects she's having an extra-marital affair. So when Rai makes him an offer to kill his wife in exchange of doing him the same favour, he cannot refuse.
What we liked about the film
There's very little to appreciate in the film besides the scenic locations. The old-world charm that comes across in scenes shot at the country railway station and book stores is one of the few things worth watching in the film. Jimmy Sheirgill in the role of a frustrated writer does a brilliant job. But that is where the plus points of the film end.
What we didn't like about the film
This may come as a surprise to many, but Kay Kay Menon disappointed us no end. Somewhere down the line, the talented actor has possibly learnt the few stock expressions that work best on his face. Each time the camera zooms in on him, you can see the actor belt out clichéd facial expressions… the kind you'd see in saas-bahu serials. Strangers should come as a wake up call for Kay Kay who is by far one of the most talented actors of our generation.
To say anything about the plot and story is laughable. Strangers is approximately 100 minutes long but boy does it drag! The focus seems to be on creating 'impact' rather than telling a story. You can feel it right from the first frame. For a film that is supposed to be gripping, the only thing you find yourself gripping is the seat handle, which is the only thing that will keep you from running away from the cinema hall.
URBANEYE