Despite its intense premise, the film struggles to sustain its gripping momentum after a while. The editing is at fault here. The hook points of the plot are not synced the way they should have been and that totally jars the viewer’s attention. The film hints towards a bloody climax and when it happens, you see so many bodies falling down that it borders on the ridiculous. And mind you, our two heroes do manage to not get killed amidst the melee. But then, that’s always been the norm in Hindi films and the director was just following tradition.
Sheeba Chadha delivers a standout performance as Fardeen’s mother, whose grief-stricken portrayal elevates the film to new heights. Her powerful depiction of a woman overwhelmed by the loss of her husband is deeply moving. Seema Biswas also makes a memorable impact with her hauntingly nuanced portrayal of the female don, Tai. It takes some doing seeing Fardeen as a Dongi lad but once he gets into the groove, he wins you over with his sincere effort. He manages to capture his character’s desperation and makes Shoeb sound real. Riteish Deshmukh adds significant depth to Akash, skillfully conveying both vulnerability and inner conflict. He’s the very picture of a father whose heart belongs to his son. This was supposed to be Fardeen Khan’s comeback vehicle, before Heera Mandi and Khel Khel Mein, where he played a nawab and a gay man respectively. He’s surely showcasing his versatility, what with playing a reformed thug here. Riteish Deshmukh is as reliable as ever and has shown that there’s more to his repertoire than comedy. One can sense that Akash would go to any length for the safe return of his son. Priya Bapat’s portrayal of Tara effectively conveys the tragedy of a conflicted relationship. Though she loves her son and respects her husband, there’s no love remaining between them anymore, forcing her to take a lover and Priya brings all these layers into her performance with aplomb. Krystle D’Souza brings a captivating charm to Lucky. She’s the good girl caught in the wrong place with the wrong man and much could have been made of her struggles. Sadly, her role seems somewhat underwritten.
Visfot is a thriller but it is also a morality tale of sorts, pitting human greed against love and innocence. The universal appeal of the story gets somewhat dimmed due to the uneven execution. The film, which was initially set for a theatrical release, was released without any fanfare on Jio Cinema. It remains true to the original in most parts and would remind you of the Guy Ritchie brand of films. Kookie Gulati is no Guy Ritchie though he comes close to being Sanjay Gupta 2.0.
