Chitkabrey – Shades Of Grey Review {1.5/5} & Review Rating
CHITKABREY - SHADES OF GREY is being touted as the 'boldest ever subject', a 'breakthrough in Indian cinema'. Now that's a tall claim, isn't it? Does the word 'bold' insinuate situations in the plot that shock and scandalize the viewer? Or does it imply the sex quotient in the movie? In CHITKABREY - SHADES OF GREY, the seven couples reveal their dark secrets, which, ideally, should scandalize the viewer. But, unfortunately, it doesn't!
On paper, CHITKABREY - SHADES OF GREY would indeed come across as a never-watched-before-on-screen concept. It's a revenge saga basically, with ample scope to take the wind out of your sails. The twisted relationships seem straight out of life and the hidden skeletons in each one's lives would give 'The Bold & The Beautiful' a complex. But the sting, so vital in a film like this, is clearly missing. In fact, the writing is so slapdash that the interesting concept goes for a complete toss.
Coming back to the claim, is it the 'boldest ever subject'? Oh yes, a few moments in CHITKABREY - SHADES OF GREY are indeed bold, but by no means is this film the 'boldest ever'. The meaning of bold keeps changing with time and to me, a film like DELHI BELLY was a bold film, a game changer.
CHITKABREY - SHADES OF GREY revolves around the lives of seven couples entwined in the complexities of relationships. From outside, each of them seems like a happy, close-knit family. But it is not so. As the film unfolds, you get to know the 'real people' behind the mask. Their lives are full of treachery, deceit and lies!
Director Suneet Arora makes an attempt to drive home the message that no relationship is black or white. It is usually blended in shades of grey. The premise may be solid, but the structure is shaky. The director, who also happens to be the screenplay writer along with Sanjay Masoom and Vishal Vijay Kumar, sets things up smartly. The reason behind the principle character seeking revenge is completely justified. But the way he goes about it and also, how the individual stories unfold throw a spanner. Even the culmination to the film leaves a lot to be desired.
Director Suneet Arora has handled the ragging sequence in particular pragmatically, but the writing lets him down. The soundtrack is plain mediocre. Dialogue are hard to comprehend since they are in chaste Hindi. In fact, why is Ravi Kishan made to deliver dialogue in incomprehensible, shudh Hindi?
Ravi Kishan does well. The ragging sequence in particular seems straight out of life. Amongst the host of actors, Sanjay Swaraj is the best of the lot. Rajesh Shringarpure tends to get loud at times, but is effective nonetheless. Amongst ladies, Sussana Mohan and Jaswinder Gardnerer stand out.
On the whole, CHITKABREY - SHADES OF GREY is an attention-grabbing concept gone wrong!