Ittefaq - An intense and intriguing murder mystery

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha and Akshaye Khanna

Rating: 3/5

Murder mysteries are a personal favourite for many movie buffs, and Bollywood hasn't been very successful in delivering one, for a long time. That could precisely be why Dharma productions' Ittefaq garnered a lot of popularity ever since the release of the trailer.

This refurbished old Hindi classic starring Siddharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha, and Akshaye Khanna is the story about finding the culprit and the brain behind the 2 murders. The earlier film with the same title has Rajesh Khanna, Nanda, and Iftekhar in the respective roles.

Dev (Akshaye Khanna) is investigating two murder cases, by questioning a novelist Vikram Sethi (Sidharth Malhotra) and a homemaker, Maya (Sonakshi Sinha). Both the suspects present their own version of the story, making the case(s) difficult for Dev. The journey of how the tough officer finds out the truth makes Ittefaq intriguing to watch.

All the actors of the film have performed with finesse. Though the film is a remake, I believe it would be unfair to compare it with the legendary cast from the original.

The cast delivers the character to the best without hampering the narration and story at any moment in the film. Oscillation of all the characters between two faces has been enacted well. But Akshaye Khanna as Dev delivers the best. His body language, diction and other attributes of the character add value to the thriller.

The score of the film is mediocre and makers thankfully chose not to add an overdose of music. Dialogues are simple, but some lines written for Dev and his police force are bound to make you giggle. Direction, script, and edit deserve appreciation too as the 107-minute film is to the point and intriguing.

Seldom are remakes so well made in Bollywood. When a film from Yashraj's kitty is given a new take by one of the best filmmakers today, it ought to be good. Kudos to Karan Johar, Dharma Productions, Red chillies and the entire team of the film for presenting this intense thriller. The noise the film has made, with 'silent' promotion, ever since the trailer released, is commendable.

Ittefaq is bound to draw the audience to the screens, keep them glued to the seats and send them off with some interesting comments after the screening. Mark this film in the must watch on your calendar and hit the screens, as this thriller certainly makes a good watch.