Khamosh: Khauff Ki Raat 15th Apr 2005
22.45 IST
By Aparajita Ghosh
Deepak Tijori’s film Khamosh is like a celluloid collection of chilly moments that remain assorted on the screen and do not gel together to form a single line of fear in a viewer’s mind.
Story: A stormy night forces several commuters on the highway to take shelter in a motel. Among them is a family, a newly married couple (Kainaaz and Rajeev) a prostitute (Shilpa), a starlet (Rakhi), a cop (Shawar) and a convict (Kelly Dorjee). They all plan to spend the night in this motel, knowing not that many are about to die on this ominous night.
The premise of Tijori’s murder mystery is quite interesting, but the movie fails to impress. The story of the movie switches from flashbacks to the present time. The buildup in the first half is gripping and creates a bated expectation for something eerie that carries the weight of its imminence.
Shilpa Shetty looks convincing playing a prostitute, but doesn’t get enough footage to prove her salt. Rakhi Sawant sleazes through her role with ease while Kainaaz has a face that expresses fear quite credibly. Rajeev Singh has a good screen presence and Juhi Chawla’s performance is restrained but well controlled.
But all these positives don’t redeem Khamosh of its shortcomings, the most apparent of which is the movie’s climax. The denouement to this murder mystery doesn’t surprise you. It only baffles you as to the motive behind so many murders.