Reviewed by: Absar Ahmad & Afrose Shaikh
Forensic, a ZEE5 Original Movie is a remake of the Malayalam film of the same name, which hit the cinema halls in the year 2020. There are a lot of ups and downs in the narrative of Mansi Bagla, which makes for a fun mystery. The script by Vishal Kapoor and Ajit Jagtap is good enough to glue you to your sofa. Both the people and the events in this story intrigue and engross the audience. However, there are a few plot points that may have been improved upon. For example, the ‘Johny Johny, Yes Papa.’ dialogue clearly seems inappropriate on a few occasions.
The Storyline
Like its Malayalam namesake in “Forensic – 2022 ZEE5 Original” young girls are cruelly murdered on their birthdays. The suspect is always a step ahead of the police and the mystery deepens as new information comes to light courtesy of advanced forensic equipment and some unusual techniques employed by Johnny (Vikrant Massey). Working together with Megha (Radhika Apte) to solve the crime, Johnny and Megha make significant progress, but at the cost of their personal and professional lives being thrown into turmoil.
The plot becomes increasingly interesting and complicated once Megha’s (Radhika Apte) niece Anya (played by Harbandana Kaur) disappears without a trace. And the aunt is furious at the way things turned out and is further shattered as she gets suspended from her police job. Thankfully, Johnny (Vikrant Massey), who also happens to be the uncle of Anya, is there to reassure Megha and assist in finding a solution to the mystery. They are assisted by Vinod Rawat (Vindu Dara Singh) in finding Anya and getting Megha her job back. The conclusion is very unexpected, despite the fact that it is Hindi cinema and most things are easy to predict in Bollywood. The script is captivating criminal caper that has been intelligently edited apart from a few lapses here and there.
You’ll be sucked in till the very end because of the good direction and intriguing storyline. The Hindi remake of the original Malayalam script keeps its narrative on similar lines apart from some deviations and aims to incorporate a lot more into the story. The story is faithful to the original, but the director manages to add a few new twists and turns that keep the reader engaged until the climax.
‘Forensic’ director Vishal Furia uses his previous expertise directing thrillers to his advantage. He’s able to increase the suspense in the script by employing tight directing that keeps the audience wondering until the very end. Towards first, you’ll think someone else is the killer, but it’s only at the end that you find out for sure. The film’s cinematography, by Anshul Chobey, captures the right mood. With each new turn in the storyline, the suspense is ratcheted up a notch thanks to the story’s backdrop in Mussoorie’s steep countryside and Chobey’s decent camera work.
The Surprise Element!
Prachi Desai plays the surprising element in this ZEE5 original. After a longtime we have seen her perform at her best. Do watch this film for her antics.
My Two Cents on Forensic ZEE5 Original Movie
In certain thrillers, you know who the killer is before the credits roll. This is not one of them. You’re left questioning your own conclusions about who the murderer may be till the very end, which is wonderful for a crime thriller. As a result, the twists and turns in the tale makeup for some of the less-than-perfect performances. This is a good one time watch film. I’ll give it an 8-star rating.
A word of caution!
Do not try to compare this film with the original Malayalam one. Both movies are different in their execution and intended audience. We didn’t watch the Malayalam one and would not be watching it now. Sometimes, it’s better not to compare the adaptation with the original work.
The World of Movies Rating: 8/10
Movie Title: Forensic
Directed by: Vishal Furia
Based on: Forensic (A 2020 Malayalam movie)
Main Cast: Radhika Apte, Vikrant Massey, Prachi Desai, Rohit Roy, Radhika Rao
Year of Release: 2022
Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Drama
Country of Origin: India (Bollywood)
Languages: Hindi
Running Time: 134 minutes
Production Company: Soham Rockstar Entertainment, Mini Films
Distributed by: ZEE5
Image Source: Screenshots taken from the movie.