- Date of Release: 10 October 2025
- Genre: Comedy, Thriller
- Language: English, Hindi
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Lord Curzon Ki Haveli
Introduction
In many ways, the title of the new Hindi film Lord Curzon Ki Haveli is a metaphor in itself which can be looked at, from two angles – one being with respect to the current setting wherein the characters tease you into believing that a ‘supposed’ Lord going by the name ‘Curzon’ may or may not have been murdered in a manor, and the second one being a direct metaphor of Pre-Independent India which is ruled by the then Viceroy – Lord Curzon. George Curzon remained the sole instigator of the partition of Bengal during his tenure, and someone who was widely known for his extremist beliefs with respect to race and colour, thereby determining his personality as a superior one to most ‘Indians’. In many ways, this specific trait reminded me of Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) that boasted of a similar premise, and dabbled with a similar psychological condition of a superiority complex – even as the main protagonists in that film term ‘killing’ as an art. But in terms of the narrative arc, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli brings about a different Hitchcockian measure – one that is slightly more palatable in the Alfred Hitchcock storyboard.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Bikas Ranjan Mishra and loosely based on the German play Mr Kolpert (which itself was a nod to Hitchcock’s Rope), the premise of Lord Curzon Ki Haveli boasts of a classic psychological thriller. Four characters ‘entrapped’ in a secluded home is a setting that extends to plenty of classics like 12 Angry Men or even Clue. And yet, there is a Hitchcockian inkling in its opening frame that captures the beautiful landscape of UK against ghastly notes of Beethovan. In the moment, you almost are aware of an ominous sign even with an unknown nail being hammered into a blanket chest. In a parallel world, it is a Shakespearean tragedy waiting to happen in a Hitchcockian world, even as you begin to get acquainted to the characters.
One of the biggest merits of the drama remains the characterization. When you are first introduced to the husband-wife duo of Basuki (Paresh Pahuja) and Ira (Rasika Dugal), you can’t help but think that they are like chalk and cheese. The distance between the couple is evidently visible, even as a visibly irritated Basuki agrees to visit Ira’s new friends at their secluded place in the woods. Basuki boasts of a fake but heavy British accent, almost wanting people to believe of his British origins even though his roots lay ancestrally in India. There is an air of superiority that mars his relationship with his wife, who is chirpy and gives you an impression that she is a giver and that all is well.
On the other end, when you are introduced to Sanya (Zoha Rahman) and Rohit (Arjun Mathur) – a real life ‘Sunny Sanskari’ casting given their character names (Rohit and Sanya were a couple in that dud) – you notice two traits in their oddly strange personalities. They seem like a twisted couple who could make out at the oddest time (and situation), while frequently wanting to crawl their way out of boredom (for starters). You get a sinister hint even in their talks, even as Rohit jokingly admits to ‘a dead body’ in the trunk, something that triggers a series of events along the way.
The narrative style remains niche, even as you are further acquainted with the characters and their motives through the night. The use of dark humour is mildly forced but still a contributing factor in the narrative that adds a psychological element to the drama. The concept of boredom is plugged-in through a variety of scenes – in one of them, you see Rohit coaxing the couple to try out their ‘Red Currant’ juice as opposed to the boring ‘Orange Juice’, something that is met with a varied response – Ira loves to experiment while Basuki is fixed with his choices and ideals. Further, Ira does experiment with her attire but Basuki further resists the idea, promptly asking her to change into her original clothing. These scenes do give you an idea into the psyche of the two characters, one who is rigid, and the other experimental.
There is a searing theme of colonialization that works its way in the narrative. Given that you originally are air-dropped into the narrative while knowing nothing about the characters outside the setting, the discovery of their traits is subtly startling. The idea of Basuki wanting to buy into the idea of a great country like UK, while still wanting a ‘virgin’ and a ‘simple’ Vegetarian Indian wife, did speak volumes of the double-standard that he boast of. In a way, it was forming a polished image of himself to the world, something that can directly be compared to UK’s stance with an Independent India – without acknowledging the loss of lives and fortunes that they surmounted over 200 years of their rule. The other side of the story is intriguing too – illegal immigration that most characters in the fray were marred by, often wanting to blend as ‘equals’ in a nation that is known for a slur of racism.
The psychological angle in the narrative almost doubles up as a lurking shadow, enticing and fuelling the narrative ahead even with its mystery. This mystery remains drastically different to Hitchcock’s Rope, given how you aren’t sure of the characters’ motives unlike a battle of survival for the characters in Rope. That said, the limitations with respect to the setting does get to you, particularly in the second hour wherein there is a hint of repetition. Yet the expectations of a Hitchcockian twist is eagerly awaited, that that ‘twist’ remains a cocktail of boredom and spice laced with a social commentary that results in a blood bath. And it did make me think – what if there are frequent bouts of boredom which are backed by momentary strands of spice. This is the question that the play Mr Kolpert leaves you with, even with a subtext on how the world perceives violence as a form of boredom and escapism, particularly with the power dynamics in play. That then remains the Hitchcockian era that we all are a part of, currently!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
This is a dialogue-heavy film wherein a lot of the details about the characters and their motives are exchanged through the lines, with a heavy emphasis on subtext and social commentary. In that regard, it is a good idea to ‘bring your brains’ and remain attentive. The BGM is a homage to Beethovan and how his symphonies have a starkly ominous presence with a lingering feeling. The symphonies play out like a waltz, lacing the narrative with an element of mystery that transcends into the psychological space beautifully. And it is an element (along with the brilliant sound design) that often keeps you hooked. For those who have witnessed Hitchcock’s Rope, know how seamless the camera work was giving the impression of ‘a-single-illusioned-take’. The cinematography doesn’t exhibit the same high, but it is still seamless with its wide-angle takes or mid-level shots that contribute to the mystery in the drama. Each frame exhibits a unique trait of peeping into the psyche of the characters, all of whom are grey, and that adds to the psychological edge in the drama.
The editing is good and mostly crisp while gently veering into the territory of lag in the second hour, but none too dramatic to wreck the narrative. Director Anshuman Jha impresses in his directorial debut, particularly with his setup and sensibilities veering towards his (probable) idol Alfred Hitchcock. You can see where he draws his inspiration from, relying on a character-driven plot to infuse an element of social commentary with a psychological touch. He manages to maintain a grip on the proceedings, wonderfully hinging on the dialogues to brew the conversations. If anything, the issue lay in an important relevation scene at the end wherein the staging could have been better with respect to its impact (particularly with the camera-angle in my humble opinion). But largely, the direction is impressive and it accounts for an intriguing watch.
Performances
The performances are terrific by the members of the ensemble cast. Garrick Hagon as Harry has his moments to shine. Tanmay Dhanania as the Pizza Delivery Guy remains an interesting character given how he remains an extension of Basuki with his mildly racist slurs, almost wanting to blend as an equal in an ‘alien’ society. Notice how his stance changes when he gets to know that he is delivering pizza to a local ‘white’ guy while ‘deliberately’ messing the order previously. Tanmay is understated and manages to impress here. Zoha Rahman as Sanya has a sinister presence that erupts from a sense of boredom and ‘failure’ that sets in. There is a probing presence mixed with a chilling sense of calmness that laces her impeccable performance, where she manages to impress.
Arjun Mathur as Rohit is equally unpredictable and indifferent with his character, something that will consistently keep you guessing. His playfulness almost reeks of a dark secret while also successfully creating a clout in your head about his motives. This was a tricky performance to execute, and Arjun does a phenomenal job here.
Paresh Pahuja as Basuki exudes of a superiority complex, firstly with his British accent that might seem fake from an outsider’s perspective, but something that doesn’t hold true for the character himself who wishes to blend with the crowd. You see him being suspicious of the actions of Rohit and Sanya, just like Rupert from Rope. But still, Basuki is so consumed with himself that his imagination is halted by his ego of wanting to think ‘out of the box’. This marked another impeccable performance by Paresh – twice in as many ways after the show 13th – wherein he is brilliant to the core.
Rasika Dugal as Ira is the real deal in the drama, almost being an equivalent of a bird that is caged. You see her enthusiastic stance in wanting to experiment, or even spending time in solitude at a local pub. She uses this exact trait as a mask to hide her unhappy life that has significantly changed post her marriage with Basuki. You see her playful nature erupting in scenes with Rohit, almost being a signal of the eventual fate of her character. And yet, Rasika doesn’t give away anything with her body language, while hinging her performance just on expressions and the vibrant tone of her character to convey her angst. She was excellent in a performance that takes you by surprise!
Conclusion
Boasting of incredible performances, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli is an intriguing psychological thriller with a nod to Hitchcock’s Rope, something that accounts for a pretty solid watch. It is a niche and requires patience to sit through it, but it is also immersive and starkly sinister with its narrative, almost being a homage to the god of all twisted thrillers, Alfred Hitchcock. Available in a theatre near you.