Movie review: Irrfan carries 'Blackmail' on his able shoulders

With no action, thrill, music, and mystery, there is nothing at all to look forward to while watching 'Blackmail'.

Dev (Irrfan Khan) is married to Reena (Kirti Kulhari) for seven years. The couple seems to have lost the spark in their marital life, leading a run-of-the-mill life and plummeting sexual desires, at least for each other.
Dev is a toilet paper salesman and is as bored with life as he is with his job. Oddly, one evening he decides to bring some excitement his lacklustre marriage and heads home early, aspiring to spend some romantic time with his wife. But, what he sees when he gets home is earth-shattering. His wife is in bed with another man (Arunodoy Singh) and Dev is hurt to the point that he actually does nothing to the man!
The devil then crops up in Dev's mind and he plans to mint money out of his passionless marriage. He starts blackmailing Arunodoy for sleeping with his wife.
However, keeping in mind the genre of the movie - 'comedy', the plot of the movie makes the mind restless. Firstly, it's difficult to digest Irrfan donning the role of a 'husband-turned-pimp' and secondly, adultery and deception in a mundane marriage ending up in blackmailing, is not at all funny!

Screenplay

The screenplay of the movie is very poor and is unable to hold the audience even for a minute. The comedy genre of the film seems to be a hurdle, as Blackmail fails to fall in the category of an interesting movie where heinous crimes are committed as a result of adultery; and it also fails to be called a good comedy flick! Besides, with too many new faces in the movie, the clueless audience gapes, trying to get to know the newcomers in the movie.

Dialogues

Dialogues in a comedy flick are the life of the movie. Poor dialogues means a poor movie. Here, certainly there is no need for heavy-duty dialogues but lines that hold the audience's interest define the movie's destiny. 

Direction

Director Abhinay Deo who made Aamir Khan's Delhi Belly, fails to impress from start to finish. Deo seems to be smitten by the magic of Delhi Belly, and tries to recreate it with Blackmail. However, that is the greatest drawback and it evident in the movie. Like, the item number where Urmila Matondkar is seen sizzling after a long time, could have been shown in its entirety without any disruptions. But, the director has shown Urmila only for a few seconds, again snatching the interest of the audience! Also, the film looks very poor in terms of the money spent.

Music

The music in the movie is pathetic, except a song by Guru Randhawa. But, that too comes after the film is over!

Acting

Expectations rise above mediocrity when Irrfan Khan is in the lead role. But, why Irrfan accepted the movie is quite surprising. The role of a licentious husband would probably fit on a younger face, but not Irrfan. And, this made him seem a little lost in the movie - like he felt he did not belong there!
Besides, whatever Irrfan could do to justify his presence in the movie, he has done. Other than him, there is no one in the film who can engage the audience.

Editing

Well, there is no story, hence the editing has gone for a toss!

Verdict

Again, the comedy genre is very difficult to make, engage, and tickle your funny bone. It can become a good comedy or turn into a tragedy, and this film is definitely a tragedy, With no action, thrill, music, and mystery, there is nothing at all to look forward to while watching Blackmail. So my suggestion is to avoid it and save your money and time.
Film: Blackmail
Director: Abhinay Deo
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Kirti Kulhari, Arunodoy Singh, Divya Dutta, Praduman Singh, Anuja Sathe, Omi Vaidya
Rating - 1*
Video review on YouTube.com/user/krklive