By Varshita Bhura
Murder Mubarak is a Hindi-language mystery/thriller film based on the novel Club You To Death written by Anuja Chauhan which is now available on Netflix. The film is directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan. The film features an ensemble cast including Pankaj Tripathi(ACP Bhavani), Sara Ali Khan(Bambi Todi), Vijay Varma(Aakash Dogra), Karisma Kapoor(Shehnaz Noorani) , Sanjay Kapoor(Rannvijay). Their chemistry adds depth to the quirky characters. The film also remarks Karisma Kapoor’s OTT debut.
PLOT: The story revolves around the mysterious death of Leo Mattews, Gym Trainer (Aashim Gulati). Detective Bhavani Singh (Pankaj Tripathi) takes centre stage, meticulously unravelling the truth and the sordid secrets of its ultrarich members in order to find the killer who is a member of the Royal Delhi Club, an exclusive haven for the upper-class citizens of Delhi who idolize the British rulers. The story gets more intense as Bhavani delves deeper. They discover shocking things about the club’s members, like drug addiction, blackmail, and secret affairs. With more dead bodies turning up and rising tension, Bhavani must navigate lies in order to uncover the truth behind the murders.
PERFORMANCE: The film is more of a pretentious wanna be “who is the killer” puzzle film. However, mystery and the investigation weren’t enough engaging. The narrative lacked the intrigue and suspense expected from a thriller, and the pacing was inconsistent. While the cinematography and soundtrack were average, they were unable to compensate for the film’s shortcomings. Casting actors like Pankaj Tripathi and Karisma Kapoor, the director missed the mark in harnessing their abilities, which could have significantly elevated the movie. As for performances, Pankaj Tripathi shines as the cop and elicits a chuckle or two from the audience and Vijay Varma and Karishma Kapoor are really good too. Sara Ali Khan performed well in some scenes while hammering in others. Sadly, it was the screenplay and execution that let down the talented cast.
Rating: 2.5/5
