What Is the Story About?
Netflix’s new Indian original film ‘Monica O My Darling‘ is a distinctive noir thriller in the garb of a murder mystery. Jayant Arkhedkar (Rajkummar Rao) is a tech and robotics geek, with a rags-to-riches background. Engaged to the daughter (Akansha Ranjan) of the CEO of his company; at loggerheads with her brother (Sikandar Kher); and in an illicit relationship with the saucy secretary (Huma Qureshi) of the CEO, things start to fall apart for him when his company is beset with a string of murders. And he’s prime suspect in the eyes of investigating officer, ACP Naidu (Radhika Apte).
Monica O My Darling is written by Yogesh Chandekar, directed by Vasan Bala, and inspired by Keigo Higashino’s story, ‘Burutasu no Shinzou’.
Performances?
Rajkummar Rao is the perfect choice for the role of the impoverished techie who’s discovered the good life, but is overwhelmed by it all, and by the misfortune that befalls him. He’s excellent and eminently convincing as Jayant. Huma Qureshi matches him note for note with a suitably enigmatic persona. Radhika Apte has a comparatively shorter screen time than these two, but delivers a sharp sting in the tail.
Sikandar Kher is one of the best parts of the film, wish he had more to do in it. He brings an edgy mischievousness to his character. The rest of the cast including Sukant Goel, Akansha Ranjan and Zayn Marie Khan lend suitable support to the narrative.
Analysis
In Monica O My Darling, Vasan Bala delivers a stylish well-made film. It is a sophisticated entertainer with a noir soul. The movie starts off in spectacular fashion, with a grisly death in the first few minutes that gives technology-gone-rogue vibes. It then dives into familiar Territory, of crime, blackmail, murders and mayhem, which makes one wonder if the early flourish is just a ruse – a hook to get viewers to take the bait.
The first half an hour of the narrative is quite gripping and keeps one invested in the story. From then on, the story ebbs and flows, dipping and rising intermittently. What follows is often a comedy of errors, peppered by some nerve-wracking moments, and several foolhardy fiascos. Grey characters populate the story, and each one has a skeleton in the cupboard. The characters, as eccentric as they come, are fleshed out with irreverence, imbued with a fun element of badass. More interestingly, the needle of suspicion is on every primary character in the story – each could be the murderer or murderers of the multiple gruesome, inventive murders in the narrative. Your mind works double time to pin the doer and the motive, and you succeed to an extent; and yet, fail too.
A few surprise faces in the humongous cast of the film take you unawares. You have to rub your eyes and do a double take to make certain if it really was ‘that’ actor or actress you saw in the crowd. Watch the film and tell us if you noticed the duo we talk about here. The nods to movies of the past, especially to suspense films of seventies’ Bollywood is fun to watch.
The story flounders somewhat in the second half of the narrative. The attention wavers and you stifle a yawn. The ambiguous and surprising end makes up for the slack in the latter half of the story. Monica O My Darling is a satisfying watch in a way. It doesn’t reinvent the noir genre, but adds its own distinctive touch to it.
Music and Other Departments?
Achint Thakkar’s music is a hat tip to RD Burman’s foot-tapping numbers of yore, recreating his popular ‘Monica O My Darling’ number in a contempary avatar. It is a commendable effort. Atanu Mukherjee editing is efficient and crisp. Swapnil Sonawane’s cinematography is apt for the narrative.
Highlights?
Performances
Stylish filmmaking
Drawbacks?
A Not-So-Great Second Half
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Huge Reservations
Monica O My Darling Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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