7 Khoon Maaf

Scotland Yard's chief in the 1950s, G. H. Hatherill is said to have flippantly remarked, "There are only about 20 murders a year in London and many not at all serious - some are just husbands killing their wives." One wonders if this was the prevailing 1950s sentiment: wives were expendable, deserving of such dispatch, and replaceable. In 2011 we have an admirable gender reversal in the juicy Vishal Bhardwaj black comedy "7 Khoon Maaf", wherein Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes (embodied enthusiastically by Priyanka Chopra at her sultriest) displays a penchant for marrying and murdering her husbands as they prove unworthy of her.

Based on "Susanna's Seven Husbands", a short story by prolific Indo-Anglian writer Ruskin Bond, "7 Khoon Maaf" (literally "Seven Murders Forgiven") is cheerfully empathetic of Susanna's quandary: she enters into matrimony with every intention of loving, honoring, and cherishing her husbands until Death does them part, but what's a gal to do when the husband reveals himself to be an irredeemable lying, cheating, thieving, duplicitous cad? Why, off him, of course, is the pragmatic solution, arrived at after a decent amount of soul-searching.

I reveled in this sophisticated wickedly funny take on resolving marital crises, and I'm deeply grateful to Vishal Bhardwaj for such a delicious film experience. Can you believe it? Three excellent Hindi films in two months: "No One Killed Jessica", "Dhobi Ghat", and now, "7 Khoon Maaf" – this is rapidly making up for the Hindi film industry's gag-inducing output of 2010.

Susanna is orphaned, prodigiously wealthy, blessed with tawny sex appeal and a wardrobe that tastefully showcases her lovely bosom and long legs. Her daddy left her a vast estate in picturesque post-colonial Coorg, a stable full of prize-winning race horses, and, most importantly, three loyal to the death retainers. These three—a Muslim butler, a large and loving housekeeper Maggie Auntie, and a mute pint-sized jockey Goonga—run her household and estate with dazzling efficiency. But their special genius lies in vermin extermination as evidenced whenever Susanna's husband du jour proves to be inconvenient or in any way unsuitable.

Around the time Susanna is being wooed by Husband No.1, a dashing army captain, Goonga the mute jockey adopts an orphan boy, who earns his keep doing odd jobs. Susanna, smitten by the lad's smarts, daring, and general adorability, decides he should attend school. More than any of her husbands, he turns out to be the love of her life, and it is he who narrates the story of Susanna's many marital mishaps, and final undoing. The boy, Arun, goes from wide-eyed naïf who idolizes Susanna (quite literally – he prays daily to her photograph concealed behind one of that other fierce goddess of the Hindu pantheon, Durga) to a bespectacled forty-five year-old husband, father, and practitioner of forensic medicine who gives evidence that Susanna, after being widowed so very many times, is herself finally dead. Or is she?

Arun is a plum role, spanning a large dramatic arc, for the character goes from harboring an ardent schoolboy crush and aspiring to marry Susanna to appreciating the generosity of his benefactress, but not being blind to her rather deadly faults. Susanna's interest in him traverses from the maternal, initially, to playfully flirtatious to—over the years—seriously weighing his potential as a love/lust object. It's a relationship calling for delicacy in depiction, and it's handled exquisitely by director Bhardwaj, Priyanka Chopra, and wonderful first-time actor Vivaan Shah.

Shah, all of 21 and about to graduate with an Arts degree, is the younger son of acting stalwarts Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak. Vivaan projects a maturity beyond his years, besides possessing good looks, and an ingratiating screen presence. First, as the orphan relying on wits and winsomeness to get by in the world, and later as the conflicted husband compelled to reveal his most intriguing past to his wife, Vivaan negotiates his way with aplomb, never letting on once this daunting role is his first. Not every newcomer gets to romance—right off the bat—two of India's most beguiling actresses: Vivaan is paired with both Priyanka Chopra and Konkana Sen Sharma.

Any film that deals with so many marriages must have a frank approach to sex, and director Bhardwaj includes many bawdy and sometimes very funny sex scenes between Susanna and her many husbands. Susanna recognizes her sexual hold on men; she reinvents herself seven times into each husband's ultimate dream woman. The seven deadly sins manifest in one form or other in the husbands, and the romance and sex vary accordingly, ranging from Gothic gruesomeness with husband no. 1, to rock star boisterousness with husband no. 2, to cruelly violent with another, to risibly randy with a goatish older intelligence officer, to exotically charming and multilingual with a debonair Russian suitor.

Priyanka Chopra gives a nuanced, knowing, and unabashedly sexy performance as Susanna. Her dusky sensuality has never before been so effectively deployed in service of a character, but she wouldn't be as sexy if she weren't so smart. Chopra lets us see Susanna's intelligence—the biggest turn-on. Susanna is always a step ahead of her hapless husbands. Pitiful and weak, they clearly do not merit so much woman, so her homicidal instincts are almost laudable.

The husbands do a fine job, and Vishal Bhardwaj has assembled a terrific cast of lovers for Ms. Chopra to lock horns with. Neil Nitin Mukesh impresses as the bullying gimp, as do Irrfan Khan, Annu Kapoor, and Aleksandr Dyachenko. John Abraham camps it up as an Axl Rose-kind of head-banger, kitted out in stringy blond wig and kilt, while Naseeruddin Shah mixes seduction with menace as the husband Susanna encounters late in life.

Usha Uthup and the two actors playing Susanna's trio of accomplices were simply marvelous, and I couldn't wait to discover how each new disappointment of a husband would meet his demise. Love kills, indeed, and murder and mayhem were never so much fun!

Incidentally, this happens to be Vishal Bhardwaj's 7th directorial effort. And, he makes a great beginning: First shot, a revolver, second, a haggard Priyanka Chopra holding it to her head; third, shots heard and blood on the wall. Ergo, no time wasted in getting his audience warmed up! But if you thought that the title itself is amply clear on what it offers, i.e. 7 murders, wait; there is a bit of it that is left hanging in the end.

Adapted from Ruskin Bond's short story "Susanna's seven husbands", it moves along the narrative by Arun (Vivaan Shah), who secretly admires his benefactor, Susanna Anna Marie Johannes (Priyanka Chopra) as she goes though a series of weddings. It is a tale of Susanna's tryst with love and disappointment with each of her husbands who meet their doom when they don't match up!

The men are introduced; there is romance, then repulsion followed by death. The first is a cruel, suspicious and impotent army man 'Adamkhor Major' (Neil Nitin Mukesh) followed by plagiarizing rocker addicted to drugs 'Ek Duje Ke Liye' (John Abraham). She finds her third in Kashmir, a sadomasochistic poet 'Musafir' (Irfan Khan). Three down, she is tired of marriage and just wants to be in love.

Fourth of them is a two-timing Russian spy 'Amar Prem' marrying her to be able to stay in India but having a wife back home (Aleksandr Dyachenko). Fifth, a lustful and corrupt cop 'Pyaar ki Keemat' who is hell-bent on marrying her (Annu Kapoor). Most lethal of them all is a doctor who plots to kill her 'Mushroom da' (Naseeruddin Shah).

The seventh which is supposed to be a suspense (not revealed here) was possibly the only way the story could have ended. Bhardwaj calls him 'Prem Pujari'.

The problem here is that the movie doesn't go deep enough into Susanna's mind. Barring the sixth guy, there wasn't enough reason to kill them when she could have simply parted ways. But as the anecdote in the story goes about Susanna killing a menacing dog on her way to school, murder was the only problem solver she knew.

Set in Panchgani, the setting is a large farm-house where horses are bred and has its own chapel. Since the locale is rather secluded, it offers the right scenery for a period flick. The mansion is stuck in stuck in a time-warp as is its narrative forcing the film-makers to voice-over or show news-clips of events to mark the time-line

Clearly, 7 Khoon Maaf is not a thriller. There is not much of suspense either! She isn't a femme fatale either. When wronged by all wrong men she falls for, she embodies the quote 'hell hath no fury as a woman scorned'. But she was strong enough not to give up hope in her hunt for love or to turn herself in for murder. The men too found her charms irresistible ignorant of the fate that awaited them!

The leading lady deserves applause for portraying a complex character driven by passion. Aging from twenties to sixties, Priyanka Chopra looks her part, but her expressions hardly change; probably because her quest for love remained a mirage. Her best is when she laughs menacingly saying 'this time I will drink his blood'.

Her men had to crunch in as much as they could in the few minutes they had. Annu Kapoor is showcased well as Irrfan Khan and Naseeruddin Shah emerge second best. Neil Nitin Mukesh and John Abraham were just about okay. The Russian was forgettable. Vivaan Shah delivers a fine debut performance.

Supporting cast had meatier roles. Usha Uthup as her maid, Shashi Malviya as jockey, Gunga and Harish Khanna as the butler make their presence felt. Ruskin Bond has a cameo and Konkona Sen Sharma is seen in a guest appearance.

Priyanka Chopra has established herself as a serious and multi-faceted actress. But what doesn't clinch the deal for this flick is that it lacks flow. Also, it hesitates to show murder brutally and relies on flash-backs, slow motions, et al. A bit of editing could have saved it. Nevertheless, for what it is worth and with songs like 'darling', 'bekaraan' and 'awaara', '7 Khoon Maaf' makes for a decent watch.

I went to watch 7 Khoon Maaf today. I had been waiting for this movie for quite some time. Based on the short-story by Ruskin Bond's short story "Susanna's Seven Husbands", starring Priyanka Chopra (as Susanna) was enough to get me excited. Susanna, who leaves behind a trail of dead husbands.

Movie was good, not great. But since it is not a clichéd overdone love stories it was fun to watch something different for a change. Before I go and tell you about what I didn't like about the movie, Priyanka Chopa has indeed done an amazing job as Susanna and that it premiered in 61st Berlin International Film Festival, which I think is a big deal.

First half hour of the movie, I was wondering if it was a bad joke. The nightmare of sitting through another "Whats your Rashee" was daunting. But as the movie progresses, it did turn into something amazing. Though I was never too engrossed in the movie or brooded for Susanna or her husbands, it was a good watch. Oh! And now I know what a black comedy is.

For all the moviegoers, I would say go watch it, it is watchable. For those who want something more, it is not worth it.

Based on Ruskin Bond's short story "Susanna's Seven Husbands," 7 Khoon Maaf stands out as a brilliantly crafted Bollywood movie, setting itself apart from the typical light-hearted rom-coms that often grace the industry. It ventures into the realms of a dark crime-thriller, weaving in dark humor and featuring a formidable female protagonist.

Priyanka Chopra's portrayal of Susana is exceptional, as she undoubtedly takes center stage with her powerful performance. The well-executed cameos by John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Annu Kapoor further enhance the film's appeal.

The script is skillfully written and masterfully directed, maintaining a dark and engaging tone throughout the narrative. Susana, one of Bollywood's darkest female protagonists, possesses a depth that captivates the audience. Her relentless pursuit of a good life and an ideal life partner gradually transforming into a dark and intriguing character is a sight to behold. Susana's complexity lies in her potential to embrace darkness, making her a mesmerizing presence on screen.

While the majority of the film shines brilliantly, the performance of Arun Kumar (Vivaan Shah) emerges as one of the few weak links. Nevertheless, the movie remains a rare gem in Bollywood, showcasing one of its darkest and most enigmatic female characters with commendable success.

Saat Khoon Maaf is a daringly different film that falters under the weight of its own ambition. Bhardawaj has taken great care in crafting the aesthetics; every frame is splendid, from staging to cinematography and costume/sound design. From the panoramic vistas of Pondicherry, Kashmir, and Moscow, to the hushed, dark tones used for the grittier portions of the tale, the film is dripping with ambiance and style. In Bhardawaj style, this is a dark, brooding work in lieu of other genre favorites such as Sympathy for Lady Vengeance & Kill Bill. Though not as hyper-stylized as those films, 7 Khoon Maaf has a far more engaging, drawn out plot that is involving and emotionally fulfilling, yet ultimately disappointing due to a few of the stories being half-baked. At times, it seems that Susanna's (Priyanka Chopra) faults with each husband she eventually murders is of her own vocation, stemming from rushing into one affair after another. For the majority of the film, however, the outcome of these relationships is rightfully on the masquerading male, each with a fatal flaw that is hidden until the knot is tied. The ultimate problem with the narrative is not with the flaws, but the majority of her husbands are not fully developed, for the most part their personalities and actions seem archetypal and single-minded. To Bhardawaj's credit, the majority of the supporting characters are three-dimensional, especially Susanna's adopted son Arun & her servants. Moreover, Susanna's emotional plight resonates and the conclusion is affecting and satisfying. Priyanka Chopra owns every frame of the film. Susanna's character is one that is rarely seen in Hindi cinema, her ability to display the complexity and various shades of Susanna across a period of sixty-years cements her position as an actress of great depth. While this is by far her best role, this is not Bhardawaj's most accomplished film. As daring and innovative as the theme and treatment of the film are, the lack of depth afforded to Susanna's husbands ultimately affects the films narrative and emotional quotient. Even so, the screenplay is engaging, the film looks decadent, and Ms. Chopra's brilliant performance is worth a watch and a few accolades.