Silence: Can You Hear It?
Introduction
Onto the second content of the super bumper weekend and I have just finished watching the Manoj Bajpayee starrer Silence on Zee5. I have always been a fan of murder mysteries, a genre which keeps my mind ticking throughout. More often than not I am able to guess the murderer who is revealed at the end. However, there are a few movies where my prediction has gone horribly wrong. And it has been a while since I have watched a good murder mystery(probably last good one was Knives Out for me). So is Silence the much needed tonic for the brain, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Silence is the story of a murder investigation of young girl. Who is the killer? Is there more that meets the eye. On the face of it, Silence is a murder mystery which within the space of this genre is not very different. However, it is the screenplay that will blow you away. Right from the first scene, the screenplay grips you and just does not let go, if anything it keeps you all the more interested in the proceedings. Probably the main ingredient for a good murder mystery is if the audience are themselves involved along with the main characters. So here there are many clues along with twists and turns that will keep you invested throughout without any distraction or subplots to bother about. And just the moment you think you have cracked the case, a twist will ensure that you start guessing again. Personally, I was able to guess the actual murderer probably in the last 20 minutes but the writing was such that it could have gone either way. And cracking this case may not be easy. Also, an important thing to note especially here is even if you are able to guess the murderer, it is the investigation that is indeed fascinating here. Full marks to the writing here!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are sharp here and to the point. Thankfully there are no over the top lines that try to make the proceedings dramatic. There are no songs here which is such a relief and one of the factors that contribute to keeping things tight, the BGM is alright. Director Aban Bharucha Deohans has done a phenomenal job in keeping things tight! She knows her job in building a murder mystery too!
Performances
Perhaps the strongest pillar here are the performances. I will go to a length in sticking my neck out and saying – this set of performances are collectively the finest of 2021 yet! Barkha Singh as Pooja is superb in a cameo. Garima Yagnik as Kia(you may remember her from the series Thoda Adjust Please) is again excellent in a small but crucial role. Amit Thakkar as Rishabh also has moments to fine, so do Shishir Sharma(wonderful as always) and Sohaila Kapur. Vaquar Shaikh as Raj Gupta is such a natural and does an excellent job. Sahil Vaid as Amit is wonderful with his smaller nuances, and these are the roles he should choose to do. Prachi Desai as Sanjana is wonderfully restrained, it was such a pleasure to watch her after such a long period. Hope she keeps getting good work. Arjun Mathur as Ravi is yet again brilliant and so pleasing to watch onscreen. Manoj Bajpayee as ACP Avinash is is top form here. To perform as if you actually are investigating is not easy, and a seasoned actor like him does this so effortlessly in this acting masterclass. This could so easily have been A Sherlock but he lends his own element here, acting par excellence in the truest sense of the word!
Conclusion
Silence is a nail biting and engaging murder mystery with an ensemble cast that create magic! Available on Zee5 and Highly Recommended.