Director: Devang Shashin Bhavsar
Cast: Vikrant Massey, Mouni Roy, Sunil Grover, Jisshu Sengupta
Genres: Dark comedy, suspense thriller
Release: 2024; running time: 118 minutes
Runtime: 118 minutes
Introduction
With Vikrant Massey in the lead, Blackout is a dark comedy-thriller attempting to combine laughter with suspense, but ultimately stuck in an awful middle ground between the two. Directed by Devang Shashin Bhavsar, the film documents the eventful things that happen in a single night when there is a blackout and a series of blunders ranging from criminal behavior, identity mix-ups, and absurd coincidences.
Blackout attempts to carry on a steady mood, shifting between balmy thriller bits and slapstick humor, even though the idea seems interesting. Despite its shortcomings, does it succeed at entertainment? Let’s find out now.
Plot Summary :-
At the center of an unusual night, a down-on-his-luck reporter Lenny D’Souza (Vikrant Massey) finds himself as Mumbai gets blacked out throughout the city. Lenny gets unwittingly entangled in a crime, hence beginning a panicked wild goose chase with crooked politicians, a lost money bag, and an insistent police inspector (Jisshu Sengupta).
Meanwhile, a bizarre burglar (Sunil Grover) and an enigmatic lady (Mouni Roy) join the mayhem, making Lenny’s night even more difficult to navigate. While the film tries to craft many stories, the execution sometimes reads sloppy rather than dazzling.
Performances: The Saving Grace
Vikrant Massey – Always reliable
Employing his natural honesty to the role, Vikrant Massey acts Lenny with authentic performance. He turns his character endearing even though the screenplay fails. But the writing doesn’t explore his possibilities to the end and leaves him with not much emotional depth to delve into.
Sunil Grover – The Comedy Relief
Praised for his impeccable timing for comedy, Sunil Grover generates some of the film’s funniest moments. Although underwritten, he adds much-needed levity to what otherwise would have been a disjointed narrative.
Mouni Roy: Lost opportunities
Mouni Roy’s character seems underwritten, and she has too much less screen space to make any impact. Because her character’s goals are not known, her presence becomes more ornamental than it is necessary.
Good Antagonist: Jisshu Sengupta
Although his role is somewhat one-dimensional, Jisshu Sengupta acts quite fine as a determined police officer. The script provides him with too little material to be an interesting villain.
Direction and Writing: A Hodgepodge
The biggest problem with Blackout is inconsistency in tone. At times, it presents itself as an odd dark comedy; at other times, it attempts far too hard to be a serious thriller. Since the shifts between these moods are harsh, the film feels disjointed.
Director Devang Shashin Bhavsar has glimpses of imagination, specially in some well-directed chase sequences, but the script needed more editing. A lot of subplots leave the audience discontented as they either lead to nowhere or are solved too conveniently.
Technical aspects and visuals
The visual style of the film is one of its most compelling aspects. The use of shadows and soft light in the blackout scenes gives an ethereal but also engrossing atmosphere. While utilitarian, the background music is a letdown for major events.
Last Decision: Is It Worth It?
While its concept is interesting, blackout is a lacklusterly executed film. While Vikrant Massey and Sunil Grover’s performances make it worth watching, the haphazard writing and irregular pace prevent it from being an excellent dark comedy.
Ranking: 2.5 out of 5.
Whom should view it?
Vikrant Massey fans
Fans who like crass, multi-plot comedy.
Those who want a short, once-only watch
Who Should Pass It?
Filmgoers who are looking for a lean, masterful thriller.
Audiences are those who loathe sudden tonal shifts.
Blackout must be a great dark comedy, but what it really feels like is half-finished product. While it does have a few laughs and some interesting moments, its absence of a cohesive story and half-baked characters keep it from it. If you want a boring, chaotic ride, you might get some amusement here; but don’t hold your breath.
