Synopsis
Blackout (2024) is a Hindi crime-comedy thriller painstakingly directed by Devang Shashin Bhavsar. The story set in Pune, unfolds in one whacky night where the entire city plunges into a blackout. Lenny D’Souza, a crime reporter, becomes a pawn in one of life’s cruel pranks when he gets embroiled in weird and life threatening predicaments. The lead role is played Vikrant Massey.
The film begins from the Lenny point of view, where he is off to run what he assumes is a simple task: going to the marketplace. Soon, he comes across the weirdest of accident scenes, a car overflowing with cash, gold and a dead body for his eyes. He makes the rash decision of trying to keep it a secret, but in the process, encounters the weirdest of characters, all looking to fulfill their individual goals and plots.
The Appendixes part of Blackout narrates the story of the characters lenny encounters in his constant escapades. A poet dealing with his own drunken demons, Bewdya played by Sunil Grover; two not so professional but loveable Thik and Thak; and the enigmatic Shruti Mehra, all with their own agendas. And as the blackout proceeds, surprise after surprise is revealed in the form of gangsters, slacker politicians, police officers and, of course, the detective.
What starts as a stroke of fortune for Lenny rapidly transforms into a night filled with absolute chaos. In a bid to stay on top of the unending challenges that keep presenting themselves, the protagonist is boxed in and must adapt mediated his entire existence. Comedy, suspense, as well as crime all collide together intertwined with chaotic moments of deep reflection.
Cast & Performances
**Vikrant Massey as Lenny D’Souza **
Vikrant Massey constructs the film with an utterly confident demeanor in conjunction to the character of Lenny D’Souza. His performance is multi-faceted in nature, laced with a deep inner conflict as a moral man trapped in an opportunistic world. Showcasing excellent comic timing, his energetic expressions are pivotal during the emotional and comic laced moments of the film.
Sunil Grover as Bewdya/ Asgar Don
His depiction of Bewdya is rather astounding as he seamlessly blends his signature style with that of a poetic drunkard Grover. Bewdya/Demardoni being the second dual role adds an unexpected layer of absurdity. It is a performance that offers unadulterated comedic relief unlike any other.
Mouni Roy as Shruti Mehra/Pinky
The slow unveiling of motives underlying Mounis character make it rather captivating. Mouni Roy does do a great job to bring in glamour and intrigue into the narrative. Unfortunately, she stands as a testament to what could have been in terms of shoring up the depth of the story.
Jisshu Sengupta as Detective Arvind Dasgupta
Sengupta wields the story’s gravitas through his portraying the witty detective. Though his character opposing the sinking saga of events is adequately executed, is regretfully underused.
Saurabh Ghadge and Karan Sudhakar Sonawane as Thik and Thak
Acclaimed as social media stars, Ghadge and Sonawane bring to life the comical characters of sidekicks. Their antics are humorous, smart and at times, quite over the top.
Sooraj Pops, Chhaya Kadam, Prasad Oak, Ruhani Sharma, Kelly Dorjee
The chaos and intricacy of the night’s events are interweaved into the dominant narrative due to strong performances by these supporting actors, forming the nucleus of our central plot.
Anil Kapoor
As is the convention with most of the Indian films, Anil Kapoor narrates the movie providing his audiences with some context, much needed commentary and of course, a lot of humor.
Direction and Screenplay
Devang Shashin has successfully captured the dark nature of a sinister plot but simultaneously softens it with some twisted comedy in a crime and urban thriller. The premise appears to be packaged well within a single night filled with blunders, mix-ups during blackouts, but the execution is somewhat marred.
As fierce pacing and eccentric banter heightens the film alongside copious amounts of sub-plots, it makes for an inconsistent flow as presented by one of the co-writers, Bhavsar. More often than not, The film is profoundly funny but at the same time, oddly perplexing and comedically bewildering in shifting scenes. Some of the jokes hit the mark, others seem utility forced humor or excessive use of old jokes.Cinematography and Technical Aspects
Anubhav Bansal’s cinematographic work includes capturing the alleys and streets of Pune which are often overlooked. The blackout motif provides a lot of freedom for creativity in the construction of scenes, in particular with neon lights, flashlights, and other lights used to build suspense.
Parameswaran’s editing style is fast, which is propped up by the background score, although there are instances of unpolished transitions and abrupt shifts in pace and energy. Eduri’s background score works to maintain the suspenseful tone set by the film while songs by Vishal Mishra provide slight relief without breaking the atmosphere.
Themes and Symbolism
Greed, morality, and the chaos of urban life are the themes heavily examined in Blackout. Lenny embodies the archetype of an “everyman” who is forced to grapple with whether to follow the ethical path or to take the path that leads to success with the least resistance. The blackout serves as a metaphor too, where it encapsulates not only the literal absence of light in the city and its surroundings but also the absence of ethical consideration baffled characters have.
The narrative touches on randomness of one’s fate and the capriciousness of people at the very moment societal curtains are lifted. While it’s worth noting that these ideas are presented, they often lack the needed depth that one would expect from a film of this caliber.
Critique Reception
Upon its initial publication, Blackout was regarded with relatively harsh reviews. The critics including the devoted Vikrant Massey’s performance and Sunil Grover’s comic energy, but there was an overwhelming consensus that the direction and screenplay was the missing “it” factor.
Some others was not on board with the film as they thought it was attempting to be clever with an awkward twist. Others appreciated the film’s ambition and chaotic energy, assessing it as a reasonably good try at dark comedy, even if it didn’t hit many marks.
The public divide their reception into two factions—those enamored with the eccentric characters and unhinged humor, and those who deemed the film lacking cohesiveness and an actual tangible plot.
Conclusion
Blackout is a film full of potential. Along with a frightening city swallowed by darkness, a gripping thriller-comedy is filled with sheer brilliance. That scope of sheer brilliance is offset by trying to do too much simultaneously as too many characters, story lines, and threads creates a lack of focus, consistency and coherence.
Regardless, the film remains enjoyable for those who relish wild antics, surprise elements, and unusual interactions among characters. They certainly excel in creating a film that runs on chaos—with unparalleled storytelling and boundless chaotic energy. Not every aspect is successful, but the film’s unique storyline makes for an interesting, albeit bumpy, ride through one unforgettable night.
Massey’s and Grover’s captivating performances, coupled with the city’s surreal amusement during an unprecedented blackout, makes Blackout an intriguing watch—and a true delight to fans of screwball comedy-thrillers and character-driven narratives.
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