Madhavan's Diabolical Turn in 'Shaitaan': A Riveting Family Thriller Scores 3.5

A friendly stranger suddenly turns in to a devil incarnate for an unsuspecting family, changing his colours faster than a chameleon!!

He is actually a black magic wizard, who casts a spell on their teenage daughter and sadistically, makes her carry out random orders from dancing on item numbers for hours to just killing off her kid bro. Oh no!!

A remake of the Gujarati hit Vash (2023); Shaitaan is a gripping tension filled thriller, which will keep you on tenterhooks right from the time the evil stranger (Madhavan) makes his uninvited appearance to burst the bliss of the vacationing family (Devgn, Jyothika and two kiddos). The remote farmhouse is a perfect place to carry out his sinister plan, you see!!

R. Madhavan plays that 'Shaitaani' antagonist to perfection. The '90s audience like yours truly, know him better as Maddy from the popular TV show Banegi Apni Baat (1993) and of course as the lovable rowdy in his Bollywood debut RHTDM (2001). Maddy as the evil sorceror of sorts, is truly a revelation here, pitching in an incredible performance of his career. Kudos!

After watching Shaitaan trailer last month, I had actually wished to see Ajay Devgn as the main antagonist. We all know Devgn can be a superlative villain if he wills and those of you who may have doubt, can please watch Rajkumar Santoshi's underrated cop drama Khakee (2004). But somehow, I now feel Madhavan was a smart casting choice for the villain. Doubt cleared!!

Jyothika, another '90s debutant whom I liked immensely in Priyadarshan's not so successful Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998), plays the mother and even gets a memorable physical combat scene of her own. The simple desperation of her character is wonderfully depicted. Repeated from the Gujarati original, Janki Bodiwala is excellent as the possesed girl. Her expressions and body language in those scenes, are spine chilling. Hope she gets more roles in Bollywood.

Finally, it is upto superstar Ajay Devgn to magnanimously let his fellow cast members stay in the limelight for majority of the movie. It is only in the final twenty minutes when Devgn roars and assumes the centerstage, trouncing all and leaving a mighty impact. Interestingly, he plays the dad protecting his family for the third time. The first two instances, Drishyam (2015) and its sequel (2022) were super hits merely on his star power. I see Shaitaan going the same way!!

Ratings on some key aspects* :

1. Acting : 4/5

2. Direction : 3.5/5

3. Music : 3.5/5

4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3.5/5

5. Cinematography : 3.5/5

6. Editing : 3/5

7. Costume Design : 3/5

8. Special Effects and VFX : NA

9. Action : 3.5/5

10. Production Quality : 3.5/5

#SNRating for #Shaitaan : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5.

- Sumeet Nadkarni

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* - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others.

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#SNRatings barometer:

1 star = Poor

1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable

2 stars = Average

2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it

3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable

3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch

4 stars = Very good

5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.

2024 SNRatings. 

About Sumeet Nadkarni: Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique