The Tenant

Excellent performances, especially from Rudraksh and Shamita. The casting is spot on, with everyone so perfectly playing their roles that you're left wondering if the script was written for them. While the movies is set in modern day Mumbai, its story will appeal to audiences globally.

Crisp editing and screenplay result in a smooth flowing story, with never a dull moment in between. From the very first shot, you'll be taken on a journey with the protagonist, and the colorful characters they encounter along the way. You'll find yourself associating with different characters at different points, which speaks to the brilliant writing and direction.

With a heart warming journey, simple yet effective script and superb directing and screenplay, The Tenant presents a diverse range of emotions packed into a short but memorable movie.

A must watch!

This film impresses with its superior directing, acting, cinematography, and gripping storyline. From start to finish, I was completely engrossed in the film's events and characters. The well-crafted characters are relatable and draw the audience in, making them emotionally invested in their journeys.

Set in a time that takes you back to your own childhood days in the city, the film shines a light on the prevalent biases and stereotypes within Indian society. It prompts a thought-provoking examination of these societal issues that still persist today.

It's rare to see a film that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, but this indie film pulls it off with ease. I was thoroughly impressed and can confidently give it my highest recommendation.

The Tenant (2023) : Movie Review -

Shamita Shetty returns to the silver screen after 16 years in a full-fledged role in Sushrut Jain's The Tenant. The comeback is very much welcome, but the film isn't. The Tenant is not a typical Bollywood drama, which should have been a good thing for an art cinema lover like me, but here it's contrary. I think it should have been a typical Bollywood drama, then I would have had more patience to tolerate it. This is not a bad film; this is boredom with no motive, and it also makes you forget your motive as a viewer. If I had to pay the rent for this one, I'd like a refund with interest.

The Tenant is about a glamorous urban girl, Meera (Shamita Shetty), who shifts into a formal society. A 13-year-old boy, Bharat (Rudraksha Jaiswal), finds her attractive and becomes genuinely friends with her. Naturally, she becomes a subject of gossip amongst men, women, and boys in society. Some of them even had vulgar thoughts about her due to her appearance, and the talks become ugly when one of the horrible events from her past gets leaked. Bharat, who knows the secret, still has a kind heart for her, while others start defaming her. Will she be able to fight society and stand with pride? The Tenant will provide you with all the answers, but how accurate they are and how much sense they make is up to you.

The reason to call The Tenant a boring film is its screenplay. There is nothing interesting, nothing new, and nothing captivating in the entire narrative. You know what's gonna happen right from the first 10-15 minutes. It's so predictable and tedious. How can one finalise this script and screenplay in the first place? A teenage boy would talk like an adolescent, immature fella, but suddenly he would have enough maturity to say that this world is a dangerous place to live. How? A boy who doesn't even understand the meaning of love will have philosophical thoughts about the same (after seeing her physical beauty), and he is kiddish enough to reveal the girl's secret to an unkind guy!? I couldn't really understand what kind of pride Meera actually had. For posing bare? That too, while someone was filming it. Damn freak. The climax submits to nothing, not even an ounce compared to what Hollywood has delivered with such tenant- or apartment-themed films almost 6 and 7 decades ago.

It's good to see Shamita Shetty back in a feature film after a long gap. I liked her in "Cash" (2007) and was "mind-blown" seeing her, even though I was in my teenage then, just like Bharat here, and the film was crap. Here, she comes back stronger. Maybe the strongest she could have because the character demanded so. Her accent is clean (you won't even need subtitles), her looks are attractive, and her attitude is a bit bold but true to her own senses. Rudraksh reminded me of my teenage years, minus the perversity and rudeness. He does a fine job, but it would have looked more real with some natural fumbles. Atul Srivastava, Divya Jagdale, Swanand Kirkire, Sheeba Chaddha, Manish Anand, Harsh Mayar, Akshat Singh, Aniruddha Mohala, and others have small roles, and they have done a decent job.

The Tenant is more like an art film, but it doesn't behave like one. It lacks intelligence and how. Nobody is to blame but the on-paper team and the director, which happens to be the same person. Sushrut Jain made a Hinglish film with 75-80% dialogue in English, including all vulgar and abusive words. Sadly, we live in a country and our CBFC is such that using abusive words in Hindi is unacceptable, but using offensive words in the English language isn't offensive at all. The Tenant takes full advantage of it by using words beginning with "A", "B," "F" and "S". What's the actual motive behind it or the entire film? That's what I'd like to ask the creator. Hopefully, he will have an answer for people who live such lives, and they might be interested too. I'm not the one, and I'm not sorry about it. People don't even watch proper Hindi films nowadays; then who will watch this Hi-English film, and that too in a cinema hall, by spending money? Sushrut should better answer this than explain the motive of the film, and then, I guess, he will get a few tenants of his own.

RATING - 4/10*

Shamita is soo good in this movie . It's been a while since we have seen her and this movie shows that she's not done yet . There is so much more in here that needs to come out. Hope she continues to get proper offers after BB.

I saw the movie at PÖFF (Black Nights Film Festival) in Tallinn and it was an excellent insight to everyday life of Indians whos way of life is quite similiar to Europeans. And even if India with it's unique culture is far away and exotic from where i'm looking I could identify that the narrow mindness within some part of the society declares itself universally. The foundation of a human being is universal :)

The story itself is heartwarming if you believe in good will.

Last but not least - i was really astonished by the soundtrack of the movie. A good wide selection both to recognize and to discover!