Dushman

Dushman is an unoriginal film which is decently adapted to the Indian context, and it works partially as a story. The film has moments of sheer horror which are tough viewing, including the rape scene right in the very initial portions of the film, but then it's also quite melodramatic and the lack of restraint does take it a bit down. The script has some loopholes here and there, and it does lost focus at times, but when it's good, it's really good, and it manages to be appropriately gripping and tense. Where the film scores big time as everyone already knows is in Kajol's heartfelt and intense performance as the gentle sister whose frustration at justice being denied to her sister and determination to make it finally prevail. The sister is played by Kajol, and yet it isn't much of a dual role because the tough, racy sister, who by the way is the more interesting character, is gone early in the film. The film's villain, Ashutosh Rana, is also excellent. He would perform equally as well in another venture by the same director in Sangharsh. Tanuja Chandra is not a particularly great director, but it's good that this unsettling thriller is directed by a woman. It's very evident that her being a woman contributed to Kajol's character, and the compassion is right there. Tanvi Azmi and Sanjay Dutt provide good support, too, but the latter gets a rather cliched character. Dushman is not a particularly good film, but it's enjoyable and effective and its leading lady's charisma more than makes up for many of its flaws.

Dushman is a story of a young girl who avenges her twin sibling's murder with the help of a retired army officer. The plot though sound simple but is not so in really, because it is like memento where the protagony is weaker than antagony. Dushman is a precursor to Memento having the same interesting set up of hero-villain, mixed with usual Bollywood emotional themes and songs. I heard that it's an adaptation of foreign film 'Eye for an Eye', which may not be exactly, but is significantly different too.

The acting of Kajol is applaudable, double part of both long and pixie cut hair. Both( Kajol and the retired army officer) unites through various circumstances and he agrees to teach her to defend herself, which ultimately leads to avenging her twin sibling (Pixie haired Kajol). Though the real set up of environment is neglected because the emphasis is on the content, which is good, a lady successfully avenges her sibling murder through episodes of rigorous training, fear, violence and blood gore. But the realistic appeal is left out in some parts of the film. The BGM is also used heavily, without giving much thought on its outweighing other aspects. But the thrill is sustained in the film. The songs are also well placed.

Due to this, the film though had a potential plot to contend for being a great film, but didn't get executed likewise, stands as an average psycho thriller. Ashutosh Rana is great as a psycho, as the fearsome character who even lies convincingly to the world despite succumbing to passionate crimes. Other casts are also well done. You could watch it for an average entertaining thriller with an optimistic ending. Kajol act is superb, as the last reminder.

A 62/100 for all its merits and flaws in total.

This brilliant thriller starring Kajol, Sanjay Dutt and debutant villain Ashutosh Rana has been directed by debutant lady director Tanuja Chandra who has borrowed the plot from the Hollywood movie, Eye for an Eye, the difference being here is that while in the Hollywood movie, the mother inflicts revenge upon the rapist murderer, here the job is done by the twin sister of the victim. Tanuja Chandra went ahead to direct movies like Sangharsh, Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar, Sur, Zindagi Rocks and Filmstar later on. However this maiden venture of herself is considered as her best till date.

The story belongs to the rape and murder of one of the twin sisters by a sex-maniac postman whose next victim is the other sister. How the surviving twin-sister is able to kill her Dushman (enemy) is the remaining story. The director has given a highly admirable treatment to the plot, making it thoroughly engrossing but for some songs which interrupt the flow of the story.

During 50s and 60s, Pran was the most deadly villain of bollywood who was hated so much by the audience that some years back he had announced a reward for a person named as Pran during that period because people had stopped naming their kids after his name. After him, no bollywood villain could match his deadly baddiness (perhaps with the exception of Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh in Sholay) till Ashutosh arrived on the scene with Dushman. He deservingly won all the best villain awards for 1998. His presence on the screen in this movie is nothing short of a spine-chilling one. His contribution is the most in making this movie a memorable one.

Kajol has excelled in her double role. Interestingly, Karan Johar's blockbuster Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai was also released in the same year (1998) but Kajol won the Screen award for the best actress for her performance in Dushman instead of KKHH. The scene in which one sister is being victimized by the villain whereas the other one is listening to her painful and panicked shrieks on the other side of the telephone, is the best scene of the movie in which both, Kajol and Ashutosh have taken their acting performance to the dizzy heights.

Among others, Jas Arora and Tanvi Aazmi have done well. The movie also stars Sanjay Dutt in the subdued role of a blind ex-army-man who boosts the morale of the remaining twin-sister and supports her when she does not get justice from the law for her victimized twin. He is neither excellent, nor bad.

The music by Uttam Singh is okay. However, it would have been better to trim the movie by excluding some songs as the free-flow of the narrative is blocked by them and a kind of laxity emerges in the post-interval session.

Technically, the movie is very good. In fact, it's a pity that such a superb movie flopped on the box office. In my view, Dushman is one of the finest crime-revenge thrillers ever made in bollywood..

Watch this movie to experience Ashutosh Rana's iconinc antagonist character ' Gokul '.

Script and villain.... These 2 are the high points of Dushman, a thriller film released in 1998, directed by tanuja chandra. The story and pace of the film is worth watching. Adapted from hollywood movie an eye for an eye, dushman gets deeply into the human psyche. All characters of dushman are well written, containing grey shades, and has lots of questions and curiosities going inside their minds. That's what makes dushman a brilliant thriller. All actors are convincing. Special mention for ashutosh rana as main antagonist. He gave a new definition to the Indian villain. Songs, music are good.