Khamosh

Khamosh is a rare gem in the landscape of Indian cinema - a slow-burn mystery that feels grounded, intelligent, and far ahead of its time. What made it stand out for me was its ability to build genuine tension without relying on gimmicks. The suspense simmers gradually, keeping you hooked with the feeling that anyone could be the killer. And when the reveal comes, it's surprising yet believable - not flashy or over-engineered, but smartly executed.

Unlike many thrillers that try too hard to outwit the audience, Khamosh stays grounded. It doesn't indulge in melodrama or excessive twists. Instead, it leans into its eerie setting, sharp performances, and subtle storytelling to deliver a mystery that feels refreshingly real.

The only downside is the production quality - which, understandably for the time and budget, wasn't great. The print I watched wasn't the best either, which slightly took away from the experience. There's also one minor twist that felt a bit too convenient, but it's forgivable given how well the rest of the story holds up.

Overall, Khamosh is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys understated thrillers. It remains one of the very few Indian films of its era that dared to slow down and let the mystery breathe - and it does so with remarkable restraint and intelligence.

Khamosh being a murder mystery it had a bit too many people in the movie, at least known B-grade actors. Naseeruddin Shah's hype as a good actor fell flat for the umpteenth time in his career. He can be rated as a poor actor, his role could have been played better by Om Puri who looks more strict. Amol Palekar as usual towers among the the other cast of the movie, he delivers sensible dialogues & is an integral part of the storyline. His expressions were of a shaken man is what a movie goer can carry with himself when a person gets fixed in an incident like in the movie. Realistic expressions make an actor worth taking note of and the movie worth watching. Khamosh is a must watch for suspense thriller fans.

I opted to put a serious review on this film as I felt it deserved a better review than the casual ones I found in the internet. First of all it is film ahead of its times. In the 1980's making a suspense thriller with such a well knit plot, without any typical Hindi film song & dance and a great climax was a magnum opus by itself. Directed by one of the best Indian Commercial film directors of recent times- Vidhu Vinod Chopra the story is build around a Hindi film shooting scenario. There is inter personal rivalry and tension between the crew members. During shooting of the film, members of the unit gets murdered one after another. Suspicion falls on all and sundry and ultimately the CBI Inspector (Nasiruddin Shah)solves the crime in a superb climax. Amol Palekar & Shabana Azmi does justice to their talents alongswith other cast. Pankaj Kapoor is brilliant in his small role as Kuku. Nasiruddin Shah is brilliant as usual. Overall It is the best suspense thriller ever made in the Hindi Film Industry.

What worked: One of the aspects of the movie that stood out was the very balanced and thrilling screenplay that stayed up to its mark making it a very fine murder mystery. Also, the mood and the climate of the movie is preserved by the satisfying execution so the whole team needs the praise. The ensemble casts appealed the movie lovers as this movie included many veteran actors with their respective roles. The movie was able to capture the attention with its interesting plot twists multiple times but also keeping the balance with the thrills and multiple possibilities. Another exciting aspect of the movie is the atmosphere the movie created with a narrative depicting a movie within a movie. Overall, a very satisfying watch.

What did not work: One of the weak aspects of the movie has to be the technical aspect involving the sound mixing and cinematography. This movie is a very fine piece of work and it would have been a even finer movie if the movie had exceeded the technical aspect, which is to say this movie could have been presented very beautifully if done today Final verdict: recommended

Having heard comments from a few friends and users that this movie is the best thriller from Hindi movies, I was curious to watch it. Other reason was the plethora of star cast which had names like Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Amol Palekar. But when I watched, sadly the thriller part was missing. Many of the suspects ham so much and have very clear objectives that you get a feeling that they are not the actual murderers and most likely the one not amongst them is the culprit. Mystery was not that good and I am saying that despite of not watching any other language movie from which this movie could have been inspired.

What stands apart and as an appreciation is the performance of the investigating CBI officer by Naseeruddin Shah. Right from his entry the eyes, facial expressions and body language depict that he is not taking this murder just as any CBI officer's routine investigation. The way he tries to investigate the murder is shown very well and seems realistic. No wonder that Sir Naseer is the best actor ever to come from India.

Rest of the cast(names I mentioned in my first para) do play their part with full honesty especially Pankaj Kapoor. Direction wise the movie is OK but some elements like the shooting of the rape scene really does not fit in the actual plot. At some places the comedy seems to be forced and puts a dilemma as whether viewers should chuckle or see the tragedy which goes on in a movie shooting.

Overall, watch it once and get engrossed at the first time. Need not have a repeat view to enjoy the mystery part.