With juicy pop culture references and infectious musical interludes, the Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi and Radhika Apte-starrer is more than just a well-crafted whodunit
With juicy pop culture references and infectious musical interludes, the Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi and Radhika Apte-starrer is more than just a well-crafted whodunit
A taut pulp thriller that makes more than a few surprising observations on the strangeness of human nature along the way, Vasan Bala’s Monica, oh my darling A bright addition to the slim list of Indian noir.
Juicy adaptation of Japanese author Keigo Higashino’s mystery novel Burutasu no Shinzo, Bala intelligently localizes exotic ingredients for Indian tastes.
More than just a whodunit, the witty narrative is infused with delicious pop-culture references and infectious musical interludes. From Vijay Anand to Sriram Raghavan, Vasan Bala gives a hat-tip to the masters of Indian noir. In fact, those who have followed Raghavan’s work will almost feel the spirit of Johnny the Traitor (2007) Rotating throughout the movie.
In a smart display of self-awareness in writing, Radhika Apte, who plays Naidu, a sassy cop, tells a suspect that a true back story always arouses suspicion: ” Bala does exactly that. He lets us enjoy the process of getting to the edge of our seats. Even though we know who he is, the whimsical journey to get there is appetizing. He lets the red herrings breathe and creates a sense for each of them, referring to the real issues in the midst of a fast-paced scenario.
Monica, oh my darling
Director: Vasan Balas
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, Sikander Kher, Sukant Goyal, Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor, Zain Marie Khan
Story: A cunning robotics expert becomes involved in a murderous plot after a fiery affair takes a sudden turn, but nothing – not even death – seems like it
Between the layers are references to manual control of machines, self-seeking corporate governance and new engineering graduates’ inability to see beyond coding. Where it is easy to do, but Bala knows how to ride the horse of his hobby. Much like his protagonist, Monica Machado (Huma Qureshi), who works as a private secretary to the owner of a technology firm that makes robotic machines. Monica thinks she knows how to make robots out of men, until a snake crosses her path.
One of the men on Monica’s lust list is Jayant Arkhedkar (Rajkummar Rao). The self-obsessed, self-made techie, called Johnny by his sister’s fiancé and colleague Gaurav (Sukant Goel), rises from a place called Angola to become one of the directors of a company called Unicorn. Writer Yogesh Chandekar wants the audience to have a little knowledge of geography and occupational terms to understand Jayant’s rise. Accompanied by the owner’s stylish but spoiled daughter Nishi (Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor), Jayant is unable to match his modest past with his lavish present, where life seems like machines that can be controlled via his smartwatch. .
But the plan of life like Monica is always different. She wants to blackmail Jayant, but before she can decide, the techie learns that she is not alone in the game. The owner’s son Nishikanth (Sikandar Kher) and account head Arvind Manivannan (Bagwati Perumal) are also sailing in the same boat. The trio hatch a plan and in return, we get a coquette of a film that plays with our emotions and piques our curiosity. On important occasions, Bala allows divine intervention. At one point, Bala literally mirrors Jayant in the midst of a beautifully crafted scene. The sprinkling of multiple dialects by different characters with peculiar nicknames makes the story all the more delicious.
Double XL WAs released last week, but it’s here in the form of Monica, that Huma delivers a compelling story with a catchy-worthy performance. As a friend who has almost become a spectator by the circumstances, Rajkumar once again takes on a multi-dimensional role. His dance moves are as charming as his keen eye for a cobra. Back on Netflix, Radhika, as a police officer, tells the truth of the story through some tongue-in-cheek dialogues. It is good to see the villain of yesteryear Shiva back in action too. Be it Sukant, Sikandar, Akanksha or Zain Marie Khan, everyone in the ensemble cast adds spice to the dark universe, but really, it is the writing that makes even the minor characters stand out and leave their scent.
Works by Achint Thakkari RD Burman has a jazzy flavor and Varun Grover’s lyrics deliver on human greed and the ephemeral nature of life in a funny way.
Sometimes there’s an excess of self-awareness and hat doping, but Monica… is not to be missed.
Monica, Oh My Darling is currently streaming on Netflix