Story:
Kabir (Ajay Devgn) and Jyothi (Jyothika) are a happy couple who stay with their daughter Janhvi (Janki Bodiwala) and son Dhruv. Their happy life gets into a life gets into a shocking situation because of a mysterious stranger named Vanraaj (R Madhavan) who enters their farmhouse and controls Janhvi through black magic. The rest of the story is how Kabir and his wife free their daughter from the evil plan of Vanraaj.
Performances:
Ajay Devgn gives a convincing performance as a doting father who fights very hard to save his daughter’s life. Jyothika and Janaki Bodiwala are also very much impressive. But it is R Madhavan who steals the show as the main villain.
Analysis:
The story is straightforward and initially makes it seem as if it’s already been told in the trailer. While traveling to their farmhouse, the lead couple encounter a stranger named Vanraaj. At first, he appears to be a polite man in need of assistance, but soon it becomes apparent that he is actually an English-speaking occultist who has taken over their daughter, Janvi. The makers bank on the chills which come out of the candidly spookiness of the Vanraaj. The first half and the second half proceed at the same location, but the narration never loses its effectiveness. The climax episode and the post credit scene also provide a commercial high to the character of Ajay Devgn after making him suffer for being a helpless father who is running out of ideas to save his children.
Positives:
Shaitaan is successful in maintaining the dark theme with its good treatment and eerie twists. In many scenes, the shock factor works well. For example, when Vanraaj asks Janvi to laugh or dance in make-or-break scenario, the audiences go through the same helplessness which her parents go through on the screen. The film’s writing works for most of the parts, as it is fully aware of how characters can go against what the audience expects in a supernatural setting. The entire buildup around the entry of Vanraaj and almost all scenes in the first half give a compelling show.
Negatives:
While the first half succeeds in generating the curiosity factor, the second half suffers because of a few predictable and stretched parts. Also, if the character of Vanraaj had been given a credible backstory, the film would have been much deeper.
Review (3.25/5)
Last Line: Slightly insistent but a gripping thriller
