By ApunKaChoice Bureau Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com
“Humraaz” begins as a mushy romantic caper in the first half but becomes a rough rehash of the Hollywood hit “A Perfect Murder” after the interval. The second half is full of surprises.
Firstly, there is conspiracy to kill Priya (Amisha). Either of the two men is behind this conspiracy – her husband Raj (Bobby) or her close friend Karan (Akshaye). Confusion prevails as both of them are shown with shades of gray. And the ultimate surprise comes just before the end when Karan takes a U-turn and catches everyone off-guard.
Film’s
director Abbas-Mustan have tried to make a romantic thriller filled with a series of unexpected twists and turns in the story. Their idea of the plot is certainly novel but not original. Yet, “Humraaz” keeps a viewer glued to the screen till the end.
Once again Akshaye Khanna shows his histrionics range and portrays a character that is complex and has a psychotic streak. Amisha Patel too fits into the role of a vulnerable wife who can’t bring herself to trust her husband. Post interval, she convincingly delivers the expressions of a terrified woman who is being stalked by some lunatic.
Bobby Deol plays a smitten millionaire (in the first half) with flamboyance. His character acquires complex shades when it goes through anguish, pain and dilemma in the second half. That’s when Bobby falters and is often seen hamming.
Comic attempts by Johny Lever and Dinesh Hingoo to enliven the otherwise serious narrative falls flat due to its poor timing and crass humor.
