Movie review of The Stoneman Murders. Review on The Stoneman Murders Movie

Director– Manish Gupta.

Screenplay– Manish Gupta.

History:-

In 1983, there were serial Killings in the street of Mumbai. Specially in the areas between Sion and Matunga. The killer used to smash the heads of street dwellers / urchins and leave unnoticed and untraced. The killings suddenly stopped after 12 murders in 1985 and again resurfaced in 1987 in Calcutta and stopped after 12 murders.

The Killer, the police claimed, was never found nor was the motive. The Stoneman Murders takes a look at, what seemed to be hidden from the general public, the motive behind the killings.

Plot:-

Inspector Sanjay (kay Kay Memon) is a firebrand Cop who wants to investigate the serial killings in the street of Mumbai. He is suspended from duty by his Senior AIG Satam (Vikram Gokhale) after being found guilty of a custodian death during a routine enquiry.

The case is handed over to Inspector Kedar (Arbaaz Khan) who is at loggerheads with Sanjay. Sanjay, with the unofficial permission of Satam, forms a parallel investigation of nabbing the killer and he is helped by Constable Kamble(Virendra Saxena). However as and when he gets near to solving the case, he realises that not only there is motive but soon realises that his own life is in danger, from the serial killer and the cops.

*Critic’s Comments:-

*The Stoneman Murders was a term coined by the Indian Media in 1983 after the horrifying murders. The director presents one of the conspiracies behind the murders. Brilliant Debut by Manish Gupta who has been inspired by the 2007 English Movie, Zodiac (Again a thriller based on true life incidences of an unknown Serial Killer) and 2001, Johnny Depp Thriller, From Hell(Another thriller based on the real like Serial Killer Jack The ripper).

Although not as intense as Zodiac or From hell, this is by far, one of the best thrillers, to be produced in Hindi Cinema. The Acting by Kay Kay Memon is first rate. He is one of the most underrated actors in Indian Cinema. The rest of the cast is good too. The cinematography by Srikant Naroj and Editing by Sanjib Dutta are top class. The Score by Siddharth and Suhas is brilliant, except for a dance bar song which could have been avoided. On the whole, a wonderful film and a must watch.

*Psst –

1) Manish Gupta took nearly 90 days and visited the Asiatic Library and the Government Archival Library in Mumbai to get clippings of all the newspaper clippings to know about the Stoneman Murders. He also visited all the 12 sites of the murders for his film along with combing the archives of National dalies like The Times of India, Indian Express and The Navbharat times.

2) In his own words, Manish Gupta had said that the film is 40% fact and 60% fiction.

3) The film, aptly, got a release date of Friday the 13th.*

Quotes -

1) "Agar main woh batayega, to mera dhandha kaisey chalega ?"

*Oops -

1) In 1983, the outstation trains had compartments which were Red in Color and not the current Blue ones which have been around since last 7-8 years.

2) When Kay Kay Memon gets in to the local train to grab the killer and jumps down and then goes in the train back, it would not have been possible because when a train leaves the station (as depicted), the train would speed up and not slow down at a pace which would allow Memon to do all that he is shown as doing.

3) Kay Kay memon says that he will go to Matunga Station to get the train tickets but the station shown is Dadar - Central. Matunga is a very small station which wont have ticket agents for outstation trains, atleast not at 4 in the morning.

4) In one scene where Kay Kay Memon is running away to his house to tell his wife to leave, his shirt is shown, soaked in sweat. In the immediate next scene, he is clean dry.

5) There is and never was any Pedestrian Subway , as shown in the movie, anywhere in Matunga. *