Review of ‘Laandhar’ Film: An Average Police Procedural Hindered by Below-Average Writing

The movie unfolds a tale that transpires in a single night, narrated through a non-linear storytelling approach.

In Sajisaleem’s ‘Laandhar,’ Vidaarth portrays Aravind, a senior police officer. His wife, Jaanu, grapples with a condition that causes her to lose consciousness in moments of extreme fear. The film introduces a captivating array of characters and a setting ripe for organic plot twists, devoid of external narrative crutches. However, ‘Laandhar’ falls short in capitalizing on its promising premise, with unpolished writing undermining its few strengths. The disjointed narrative hampers audience engagement from the outset. Initially showcasing Aravind’s confrontation with an illegal liquor operation solely to highlight his courage, the film abruptly transitions to an intimate moment between Jaanu and Aravind at home, before veering off to introduce another couple, Nakul and Manju. These abrupt shifts disrupt the film’s flow, followed by an unexpected song.

Primarily a police procedural, ‘Laandhar’ struggles to fulfill the genre’s expectations. Centered around events occurring in a single night, the film employs a non-linear narrative. The constant back-and-forth in storytelling highlights missed opportunities; a more focused approach on either building suspense or crafting a compelling investigation could have elevated the film. Instead, ‘Laandhar’ loses its essence by attempting a unique narrative style. The lack of character depth diminishes the overall impact. By spreading attention across multiple characters, the film loses coherence, hindering the audience’s ability to emotionally connect with any individual character.

The writing in the film could definitely use some improvement, and the performances of the main characters don’t do much to enhance the experience either. Vidaarth’s portrayal lacks the captivating factor needed to keep the audience engaged. On the other hand, Sahana’s character, Manju, who is meant to convey deep emotional struggles, falls short of leaving a lasting impression. Despite the lackluster performances, they don’t drag down the film’s quality any further. Nakul and Swetha Dorathy’s characters, though not central to the plot, deserved stronger performances. In addition to the writing and acting, the music in the film also falls short. The music often feels out of place, seeming forced rather than complementing the scenes to evoke the desired emotions.

In the climax, there’s a thrilling car chase that injects some excitement into the film. However, the scene extends for quite a bit, testing our patience, and the actions depicted may come across as overly dramatic, making it challenging to take them seriously.

Film: Laandhar

Director: Sajisaleem

Cast: Vidaarth, Swetha Dorathy, Vibin, Sahana, Pasupathi Raj

Rating: 2/5