A STRANGE LOVE STORY
Director: Tarique and Sahil Seth Cast: Eddie Seth, Riya Sen, Raj Zutshi, Ashutosh Rana, Yashpal Sharma, Milind Gunaji
This film is basically a family enterprise. An expensive gift from a father ( the Pro
ducer) to his sons Eddie Seth ( the lead actor) and Tarique and Sahil Seth ( the directors). Italt39s basically a case of love overpowering logic and commerce. Why else would anyone greenlight a project as unenviable as this stranger- than – fiction triangular love story between an aspiring photographer Kabeer ( Eddie Seth), a lush, Jennifer ( Riya Sen) and a ghost ( Ashutosh Rana).
The plot ( if you and call it that) has an eager Kabeer going straight from a celebration one night to a dargah ostensibly to shoot pictures of the revered place. Accompanying him is Jennifer who believes that ghosts would get roused- up by the blinding lights of the flash in the thick black of night.
She warns Kabeer but he does not pay heed and soon enough paranormal activity becomes visible.
But italt39s Jennifer who is the affected party. Strange things begin to happen and men, who have designs on her luscious body, are soon found dead.
Kabeer takes it upon himself to protect her and finds himself involved in a murder investigation conducted by Iqbal ( Ashutosh Rana) from the Delhi Crime Branch office. Kabeer, Jennifer and a friend Sheetal become the prime suspects of the investigation.
The tale takes a turn for the worst when it is discovered that Iqbal is not who he claims to be.
The story is far- fetched and the narrative spiel even more so. The set- up is poorly orchestrated and the development is unnecessarily complicated and confounding. None of the characters are developed with any kind of sensibility.
They appear to be mere cut- outs going through the motions agreed upon by the clueless helmers. The performances are also hopelessly unyielding.
Conviction is sorely missing even from the narrative spiel, which concentrates, on giving larger screen- time to an undeserving Eddie Seth.
None of the actors ( and I include Ashutosh Rana too) can rise to the occasion and pull off a convincing performance. Certainly not a movie meant to entertain! johnsont307@ gmail. com
