Visuals can be deceptive, don't always believe what you see because you can be easily manipulated, is what a film like Drishyam preaches. For me the one negative i took into watching this remake is that I saw the original Malayalam version with subs about a year and half back ago(this of course not knowing it will be made in Hindi). So when compared to original even though its a scene by scene copy, it just doesn't have all the sheen of the original, but nevertheless with such a strong story like Drishyam you cant go really wrong. Because for the people who haven't seen the original this film could be a genre changing film, a suspense thriller that has not been seen on the Hindi screen celluloid. Its simply breathtaking.
The films story is about a 4th grade drop out who is now married, has two girls, one who is in her late teens, the other is about 5-6 years old.The 4th grade drop out Vijay owns a local cable company, and all he does all day is watch movies. For him his family is everything. Then all of sudden tragedy strikes,while at a school camp a fellow student of his daughter makes a video of his daughter while taking a shower. The male who makes the video then tries to blackmail his daughter with the video for sex. In all this ruckus when the boy confronts Vijay's daughter, he is accidentally killed by his daughter, and wife. What follows next is what forms the films crux. The rest is for you to find out.
Acting wise the film was throughly refreshing, seeing Ajay Devgn do a serious role, and not his usual buffoonery seen in films like AJ and SOS. He played the common man role superbly. Shriya Saran looked beautiful and was first rate. Rajat Kapoor was good. But it is Tabu who steals the show, as a strict cop and a mother, she is fire on screen.
Drishyam is a film in which you know who committed the murder, but the suspense lies in how the murder is covered up so smartly by a so called 4th grade drop out. The master plan will leave you speechless.
Overall i was at a disadvantage because i had seen the original Drishyam that left me in awe, and this film is a 100% copy but just in a different language, and that is probably a good thing because the film didn't need any change. A enjoyable watch for me, but for a 1st time watcher you will be left in with your pounding heart, and a smile on your face at the end of the film. A genre changing film. A must watch if you haven't seen the original.
Finally I just have one question, who far can you go to protect your family...
3.5/5* or 7/10