One of the biggest issues with the film is the lacklustre cat-and-mouse game between Sonam Kapoor and Purab Kohli.
A poster of the film 'Blind'. (sonamakapoor/ Twitter)
Blind (Hindi)
Shome Makhjia’s Blind is a bland remake of the Tamil thriller Netrikann (2021) which, in turn, was based on the Korean film Blind (2011).
Netrikann also had its issues with the slightly overlong runtime, but it kept the viewers at the edge of their seats for the most part.
Director Milind Rau gave a solid emotional arc that made you sympathise with its visually impaired protagonist Durga (Nayanthara).
The cat-and-mouse game between her and the psychopath (Ajmal Ameer) was filled with many tense moments which makes the viewers root for Nayanthara’s Durga.
On the other hand, Shome Makhija’s Blind is mostly devoid of these elements.
For those who haven’t seen Netrikann, Gia Singh (Sonam Kapoor) in Blind is a police officer in Scotland.
Sonam Kapoor’s ‘Blind’ is a remake of ‘Netrikann’. (Jio Cinema/ Twitter)
One day a severe argument happens between Gia and her younger brother in a car and Gia handcuffs him to the handle of the car.
Meanwhile, an accident happens and Gia crashes on the road with great force. At that exact moment, another car charges into the already wrecked car which takes her brother’s life.
She recovers but loses her sight and also her job. Her efforts to retain her job don’t succeed.
Meanwhile, several girls in the city go missing. One night, a stranger (Purab Kohli), disguised as a cab driver, offers to drop Gia home. But she soon finds something is amiss about the driver.
The ride becomes mysterious when a few knocks are heard from the trunk of the car. Gia manages to escape from the cab after some fight.
She suspects the cab driver is behind the kidnapping of the girls. The rest of the story is about whether Gia, with the help of the police force, is able to find the psychopath and the dangers she faces along the way.
Whatever you think you know about this story, it’s not true. It’s much more twisted.
Watch #BlindOnJioCinema, now streaming free.
@Purab_Kohli @pathakvinay #LiletteDubey @JioCinema @jiostudios @PanoramaMusic_ pic.twitter.com/Bnv8yYwUDs— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) July 7, 2023
Shome Makhija’ ‘Blind’. (Jio Cinema/ Twitter)
Before getting into the negatives, it is necessary to mention the very few redeeming features of Blind.
Purab Kohli, as the serial killer surprises you big with his sadistic portrayal. He is someone who is generally associated with soft characters. But here, the actor successfully transforms into a cold-blooded psychopath.
Vinay Pathak, the police officer helping Gia, is also in good form. He provides some much-needed lighter moments.
A mention must also be made of the chase sequence involving Sonam Kapoor and Purab Kohli. It is one of the few moments in the film where you root for Gia.
Coming to Sonam Kapoor, the actress makes a sincere effort, but her limited acting abilities are terribly exposed here. Sonam doesn’t even hold a candle to what Nayanthara did in Netrikann.
One of the biggest issues with Blind is the lacklustre cat-and-mouse game between Sonam Kapoor and Purab Kohli. The issue here is not just about Sonam’s acting, but it is also the dull direction of Shome Makijha.
Though Shome Makijha has been an assistant director for films like Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani (2012), it is clear that he has not learnt anything from those films.
Song poster of ‘Blind’. (Jio Cinema/ Twitter)
An example of his dull direction is the telephonic conversation, that Sonam has for the first time with the psychopath. It is so dull that the audience goes into a slumber.
Another major problem with Blind is the lack of a back story explaining why Purab Kohli’s character abducts young women and tortures them to death.
Not a single explanation is given about his psychotic behaviour. This angle was much better explored in Netrikann.
Lillete Dubey, as Aunty Maria gets very little to do, and her scenes with Sonam don’t add much value to the narrative.
Her estranged relationship with her mother just doesn’t make any sense. The police officials, with the exception of Vinay Pathak, come across more as buffoons than anything else.
Ladies & gentlemen, Gia – an extraordinary woman who is willing to go to any extent to fight for the truth!
Watch her in #BlindOnJioCinema, streaming free 7 July onwards. pic.twitter.com/1xR7RCrRB2
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) July 3, 2023
Blind’s cat-and-mouse game falters despite the few strong performances.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
May 10, 2024
May 10, 2024
May 10, 2024
May 09, 2024
May 08, 2024
