Adapted from its namesake play which was hugely popular around the 80s, Savita Damodar Paranjpe is an engaging psychological thriller with some fine performances from its lead cast. It's an impressive debut for both - Trupti Toradmal as an actor and John Abraham as a Marathi film producer.
Sharad and Kusum Abhyankar's (Subodh - Trupti) marital life is disturbed by Kusum's frequent outbursts and abdominal pain. Their family doctor isn't able to decide whether Trupti's illness is due to lack of physical intimacy or a split personality disorder.
Sharad seeks help of his relative Ashok (Rakesh Bapat) who suspects Kusum is possessed by a spirit of a lady called Savita Damodar Paranjpe (Hemangi). Incidentally, Savita was Sharad's best friend before Kusum came in to his life..
Director Swapna Waghmare Joshi keeps the narrative taut and the suspense element never wears off right till the end. The audience keeps wondering what will happen next..and the climax aint too predictable either.
On the flipside, there are a few loose ends to the plot. Like why does Sharad continue to share the bedroom with Kusum when he is aware of her being a potential threat to his life. Also, the ending is a bit abrupt. Music is another minus point and that loud background score was avoidable.
Of the cast, Subodh Bhave plays Sharad with right amount of restraint and conviction. Raqesh Bapat is impressive compared to his past hindi film appearances. But the best performance comes from Trupti Toradmal who not only looks gorgeous but also displays myriad emotions ranging from love to lunacy in a perfect manner.
Without comparing it to the original Reema Lagoo play (which I haven't seen), I would still recommend Savita Damodar Paranjpe even with its share of flaws. Go for it!
