Gaslight

Gaslight is a partially engaging, middling horror mystery which doesn't really get you excited or amused. The world building of a horror premise, the errieness of the atmosphere, dark colour grading , intriguing characters all had the potential to make this one a remarkable bollywood horror mystery but unfortunately due to tacky lead performance by Sara and dull second half screenplay makes the brilliant climax lose steam. Chitrangada and Vikrant Massey are formidable in their layered characters. Overall, a satisfactory mystery thriller which can is passable if you can ignore Sara's underwhelming act.

I had hopes for this movie but the story seemed to be written just so Sara can act in a movie. There are just a couple of things in that movie which were good ideas, like the last killing. Overall it is 'not a good mystery' and it does not make any logical sense when things are revealed. As a viewer it seems like you are forced to admire the heroine when the truth comes out which actually feels like bad writing as it is so on the face and isn't done subtly at all. Overall, it feels quite lazily made and doesn't even justify the title. Actually the lantern seemed to be not even a gas one, may be it was electric, but that feels quite deceiving and pretentious then, like the entire movie.

When I sat down to watch the 2023 Indian mystery thriller "Gaslight", it was actually my second Indian movie ever to watch. I've always avoided their movies, as I thought it was all laced with random singing and dancing. But I found out that it is the Bollywood subgenre. So I have been missing out on a large number of movies here actually.

And thus, I opted to sit down and watch director Pavan Kirpalani's 2023 mystery thriller without even a moment of doubt. Sure, I hadn't heard about the movie prior to watching it. But that hardly really mattered, because I do believe in giving a movie a fair chance.

I have to say that writers Neha Sharma, Pavan Kirpalani and Ameet Mehta put together a rather enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline. It was a traditional mystery with some supernatural elements to it, in the style of keeping the audience in the dark and guessing as to what it going on and who done it. And it worked. Because the storyline in "Gaslight" was really good, and thoroughly entertaining from start to end.

Needless to say that I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in "Gaslight", but they had a great ensemble and actors and actresses here. Sara Ali Khan (playing Meesha), Chitrangda Singh (playing Rukmini) and Vikrant Massey (playing Kapil) really carried the movie quite well with their performances.

Visually then I found "Gaslight" to be good. It is not a movie that utilizes an abundance of special effects, but director Pavan Kirpalani makes really good use of the ambience, lighting and building up atmosphere to cement the storyline and slowly establish a thrill. It was quite nicely done actually.

I was more than genuinely entertained by this movie, and very much postively surprised with the storyline. If you enjoy mystery thrillers, then "Gaslight" is well-worth sitting down and spending 111 minutes to watch.

My rating of director Pavan Kirpalani's 2023 movie "Gaslight" lands on a well-deserved six out of ten stars.

Here's a thriller that never grips or thrills. From the first frame to the last this movies is mired in boredom and half away through you just want this to end and whatever little twists that come in the end hardly surprise you.

The story is about this princess played by Sara who is coming home to meet her father after ages and is welcomed by her step mom (Chitrangada) and the manager (Massey). But the father is no where to seen and her quest to figure out where he is begins. There is this distant annoying cousin, a police SP with some jump scare scenes to get your attention but unfortunately neither of the characters and scenes engage with you. And as mentioned above by the time the mystery is solved you hardly bother and just want this stupidity to end. The story and screenplay have no depth and direction is super weak.

Performances wise Massey does well along with Chitrangada who looks stunning in some scenes and emotes well. Sara as the main protagonist is completely bland and has nothing much to offer in this not so well written character.

So overall an avoidable fare ! Thank good they have not chosen the theatre route for this one or perhaps they knew.

Sara Ali khan can't act. She just mugs up the dialogues and takes around 100 takes to deliver. So obvious in all her scenes.

No wonder she is best friends with jhanvi kapoor. Both are meant for commercial movies in which they play second fiddle.

Vikrant massey is as usual brilliant.

Akshay Oberoi daper as always. I wish he gets some strong roles.

Same old boring script shot in absolute darkness to give horror or thriller vibes. From starting of the movie you will sense the climax.

Yet another flop where actress fails to lead.

Writing this review is another pain because I have to complete the minimum characters.

Pass!!