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Shaitaan Movie Review: Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan’s star-studded thriller has a chilling tone and excellent performance

Shaitaan Movie Review: Even though the writer-director duo did a good job of capturing the viewer’s attention in the first half, one will be left wanting more as the story progresses.

New Delhi: On March 8, 2024, theatres began showing Shaitaan, the Hindi remake of the Gujarati smash movie Vash.

Fans were hoping for a riveting supernatural drama, something that Bollywood has been sorely missing when the film’s trailer was released. Even though the writer-director duo did a good job of capturing the viewer’s attention in the first half, one will be left wanting more as the story progresses.

Plot

Kabir, portrayed by Ajay Devgn, is a happy family man. One day, on their way to their farmhouse – in a dhaba, they meet Vanraj played by R Madhavan. Their hearts melt at Vanraj’s seeming simplicity and kindness.

Vanraj gives Janvhi a hypnotizing laddoo when they are having tea and snacks. In the vehicle on the way to their farmhouse, he quietly gave her a package of poisoned biscuits to eat as they parted ways. He decides to follow them and eventually makes his way inside the farmhouse. He quickly gains dominion over the girl and drives her to perform insane things.

Review

Although there is an obvious feeling of danger, the film fails to deliver due to an unfinished screenplay, even if the subject is compelling. Once again, screenwriter Aamil Keeyan Khan falls short with a dull narrative.

You can feel the danger of this invader in the first half, therefore it’s a really interesting part. But in the second half, Madhavan goes far with the scare tactics to make the audience scared.

On top of that, Shaitaan provides an excellent blend of exciting action and intense drama. The mystical, black magic and thrilling parts coexist with the happy parts. Directors and producers pull off the necessary creepy vibe, which is a big reason why the picture has been successful. The score is eerie and fits the mood of the film well.

The acting of R Madhavan in Shaitaan is outstanding. As Satan, he puts on an authentic performance. His wild behaviour and carefree demeanour give him an even more nasty impression.

There are parts when viewers want Ajay Devgn to step up and lead, but instead, he’s made to play the role of a defenceless parent.

Thanks to the two women—especially Jyotika’s strong performance—the film is salvageable. The performance is powerful, from the mother’s anguish at seeing her daughter run away to the actor’s use of physical force to rescue her.

In sum, Shaitaan is the kind of reliable supernatural thriller that fans of Hindi cinema have been craving for quite some time.