A Cure For Insomnia. Review on Rog

I went to a multiplex to kill time. It would be the last time I ever wasted good money on an irredeemably pedestrian movie.

Rog is directed by Himanshu Brahmabhatt and produced by Pooja Bhatt, while the music credits go to MM Kreem, a staple in Bhatt's outings at the BO.

WHAT IT IS

An insomniac no-nonsense super-cop (Irrfan Khan) is called on to solve a high-profile homicide (with PB's husband, Munish Makhija as his lackey-cum-drinking buddy). An insanely rich author-cum journalist (Suhel Seth) is the number one suspect who keeps pointing his finger of suspicion toward the dead woman's fiancé, an escort of sorts (who, in turn, points the finger back at Suhel). The presumably dead model (Ilene Hamman) turns up at her own doorstep just as the case is about to be shelved.

Another 90 minutes of torture.

Aaaaaaaaaaargggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

I SAY

Irrfan Khan is the only reason that kept me in my seat beyond the intermission. Watch this movie, simply to see this intense, brooding actor as the insomniac detective, who's as streetwise as they come.

Ilene Hamman's much talked-about debut and cootchie-coo scenes are all hot air. She fizzles out even before she has begun. Her heavily articulated Hindi (dubbed, presumably by Bhatt) is bound to garner a great deal of chuckles. This South-African import is a waste of money especially since we have talentless yet beautiful models in our own country ready to shed their clothes at the drop of a hat. All this woman does is stare open-mouthed at all and sundry. Her make-up is eerie in some parts.

The premise of the plot being why someone would kill someone so beautiful (supposedly of beautiful temperament as well) is not deftly handled and the suspense in non-existent. The sets are lavishly done, but they do not lend themselves to the story.

Shyamolie Verma and Suhel Seth as high-society snobs are so outrageously theatric that they seem abnormal. Somebody aptly remarked during the show that Suhel Seth (who smiles manically throughout) ought to remain in theater where his skills could be put to better use.

There is just this one scene that's worth talking about. The climax.

Suhel Seth turns out to be the murderer, but you will have deduced that before the intermission anyways. Irrfan, discovers this, almost too late, and is able to drown Suhel in a bathtub just as Suhel's character is about to kill Ilene's. But, just as Irrfan takes a breather, Suhel springs out of the water for a last-ditch effort, but is shot dead by Ilene's character.

But you knew that'd happen. Didn't you?

The characters, ironically, are not as fleshed-out as they should've been. And Rog, thereby dies a silent death in some unheard-of multiplex.

P.S.

As is the bane of most movies that flopped this year, its music paradoxically topped the charts, proving yet again, that excellent music does not salvage an ordinary film.