NH10

First things first, I was a little doubtful of this movie when I was purchasing the tickets because of all the negative reviews I had been hearing on the radio, on TV, and from friends, etc. Turns out, these were the best 100 bucks (yes, 100 bucks; perks of living in Greater Noida) I have spent in a while. The movie was brilliant! A high society couple hailing from a metropolitan of North India head out with nothing but a great weekend on their mind. Little do they know that this adventure road trip of theirs would be met by an incident, pertaining to one of the many social evils that still prevail in the rural parts of India, which would turn their simple journey on National Highway 10 (often abbreviated as NH 10) into a life-altering experience.

I was seriously blown away by the acting and direction, which defy most typical Bollywood movie template where the protagonist fights off three dozen gravity-defying goons of the villain but its a neck to neck battle with the antagonist himself, while his lady love (or rather a sidekick with almost no role to play in the movie) dances around needlessly and both survive in the end with a happily-ever-after ending. Obviously, it is seriously not meant for people who love Chennai Express-type movies. If you still decide to give it a shot, expecting even a pinch of romance, believe me you will be disheartened and disappointed with it, just like the couple sitting behind me who walked out of the theater in under 15 minutes. I liked it because it had a beginning, a mid, and an end. And all the three were properly executed, and did not completely defy logics OR physics, as is the case with most action Bollywood movies nowadays. Anushka was outstanding as the main lead, and other characters were pretty believable too. Nothing felt out of the place. And since its kind of a thriller, I really enjoyed the natural and expected behavior from the actors and I must say that in those regards, this movie even pips some Hollywood same-genre movies in which people are shown doing dumb things and act as if they are devoid of any and all common sense when in a life-threatening situation. I must say I was intrigued as well as immersed in the movie, especially in the beginning and in the end. The cast as well as the director were successful in keeping me from getting bored throughout the movie. And so, I hereby declare it a movie which is a bang for your (the no-nonsense and serious movie-goers') buck, and deserves my 9 rating stars.

Just a heads up, the movie is rated A, probably because of the one cuss word which is muted out towards the ending. Or maybe its because of violence, which most reviewers here are dubbing as "not- for-the-faint-hearted" *shrugs*. But meh.... No nudity or obscene shots, it is okay to watch it with your family, in my opinion.

'NH10' is brutal, frightening & yet powerful. Director Navdeep Singh gives a film, that's often scary & grotesque, but beneath all that, lies a story of courage & fighting back. It may not appeal to all due to its dark theme, but for those who relish on well-done violent thrillers, are sure to have a ball!

'NH10' Synopsis: A young couple's road trip goes awry after an encounter with a group of violent criminals. Chaos & Brutality follows...

'NH10' isn't for the faint-hearted. The sheer brutality depicted on-screen is off-putting & very disturbing. Also, this is a dark film, with absolutely nothing, but darkness all over it. But, the violence & the theme is so justified here, that it works as its trump card. 'NH10' works because the approach to this frightening tale, is given the correct treatment & execution.

Sudip Sharma's Screenplay is arresting. You're hooked onto the screen almost throughout, thanks to its tight writing. However, the first 30-minutes, when the story builds up, are dull. Those moments are the only shortcomings of this otherwise well-made film. But, the second-hour & the finale, in particular, are excellent.

Navdeep Singh's Direction is realistic & effective. He's handled the film really well. Cinematography is stark. Editing is perfect, as the film wraps up within a 110-minutes. Action-Sequences are gruesome, but well-executed. Background Score is first-class.

Performance-Wise: Anushka Sharma, who's also produced the film, delivers a terrific, dramatic performance as the horrified yet courageous protagonist. She displays helplessness with sincerity, but breathers fire when it comes to destroying the villains. This is undoubtedly her finest work to date. Neil Bhoopalam is fairly good in the limited role he appears in. Darshan Kumaar is effortlessly wicked, enacting the chief villain with command. Deepti Naval is absolutely fantastic in a scary cameo.

On the whole, 'NH10' is Tough Enough!

A nightmarish vacation packed with gruesome action and pulsating thrills. Its a horror-thriller which showcases the inequality of women in our society and the ill treatment dished out to them for deviating from the norms of "society". A slow paced action after an explosive opening. Gripping plot with good support cast. Dialogues and language are only for adults. A good watch not the usual merry go round off beat comedies thrown at your face. It's in tune with Hollywood thrillers although it is not well paced. However a good watch, Anuskha seemingly does well in her city girl avatar however, doesn't have that wild streak in her. Grab a bite and join the fun, start the engines and dive on NH10. Highlighting the our social-evils the movie succeeds in reforming the minds of our youth.

Lighting up her cigarette with the matchstick lying deserted from its owner, Anushka, with the slightest hold on to the edge of her sanity and an enigmatic facial expression, picks up the inanimate steel built strut from the ground and with the shrill, clanging sound of the steel being dragged along the concrete road, she lays down the groundwork for her revenge.

Navdeep Singh has not only made the most out of a road trip gone wild but has also filled in each of the scenes a continual thrill, of psyche driving in a meandering path of moral uncertainty and of the exceptional screenplay with Darshan Kumaar as the village ruffian and Sharma as the shackle breaker.

Keeping itself as the very point of interest throughout its complete time span of a near-2 hour crime drama, the movie becomes more and more worthy of your extol as you seek deeper through the story. While staying perfectly true to realism, NH10, with excellent direction, a finely crafted story and brilliant performances, shines as Singh's undiluted masterpiece.

9/10.

One of the great pluses here is "NH10" didn't feel the need to wedge in a song & dance number like they do in 99% of Bollywood films. With it, I wouldn't have been able to sit all the way through. Generally, the acting isn't bad; kinda weak, though, in the male lead. I recommended this R film (profanity, violence) simply for the fact it told the story without a ridiculous forced song & dance number and it moved along swiftly.