Sikandar Ka Muqaddar has unique premise for thriller

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Writer-director Neeraj Pandey has done the right thing by releasing the piquantly-titled Sikandar Ka Muqaddar (an oblique tribute to one of his childhood favorites, Muqaddar Ka Sikander) as an OTT film. With a premise that questions and tries not to provide conventional answers about morality and seems to thrive on grey characters with morally ambiguous convictions, the film would have been another Aiyaary for him in terms of reception.

On an OTT platform, devoid of stars, the film is a decent watch though I must admit that the repeat-watch value of Neeraj’s crime thrillers is missing here. One cannot pinpoint the reason for this: it could be the slow pace, but that was the case even in Aiyaary, which has great repeat value for me.

It could also be the fact that I could not form empathy for the main characters—Sikandar (Avinash Tiwary), the prime suspect in a Rs. 6 billion diamond heist, the investigating cop, Jaswinder Sharma (Jimmy Sheirgill) or even suspect number two and later Sikandar’s wife, single mother and ex-divorcee Kamini Singh (Tamannaah Bhatia).

Or maybe after a series of completely unexpected twists, it could be the story’s open end. The filmmaker had once told me that for his web series, Special Ops, he maintained the idea of a finite and clear culmination for the story in each season, even if a sequel was coming. And that seems to be missing here. And, unless it has already been written, a sequel will have to be very ingeniously plotted. After all, two principal characters and three more supporting artistes just go off the map after sudden junctures.

But no spoilers please!

Basically, the story is about Investigating Officer (IO) Jaswinder, whose basic instinct (which he refers to as “mool vritti”) to which he proudly refers repeatedly, is spot-on, and in his words, “solid”. When a diamond heist happens at a jewelry exhibition, he has his own reasons for suspecting Sikandar, a computer technician there. He also thinks of two more possible robbers: Kamini Singh, who looks after her sister and her son from a failed marriage, and works in the same shop as Mangesh Desai (Rajeev Mehta), a loyal employee in a jewel shop for decades. Of course, these three prime suspects do not know each other.

As the trio stubbornly protests their innocence, Jaswinder drills them mentally and physically, going all the way to medical examination for hidden diamonds, psychological and corporeal torture in prison cells and more. Finally, for lack of evidence, the three are out on bail. But Jaswinder has made things so bad for them on the professional and personal front that Kamini and Sikandar, whose relationship has turned to love, move out to a new city and start life afresh. But Jaswinder never gives up and Sikandar, forced out of home and job even there, gets a chance to move to the Gulf where he rises up the ladder.

15 years later, a well-to-do Sikandar is set to return. He had warned Jaswinder while in jail that once he is acquitted the cop must look him in the eye, man to man, and apologize. Jaswinder has already shredded Sikandar’s and Kamini’s life and written their destiny (Muqaddar) for over a decade, but has slid down himself. This case unresolved and a blot on his reputation, he has become an alcoholic and his obsession has led to the end of his marriage.

And Jaswinder and Sikandar, even before Sikandar reaches home where Kamini is waiting, have one fateful meeting in a terrace bar.

Vipul K. Rawal adds to Neeraj’s story and script and the film becomes a rare thriller for Hindi cinema, just like Ludo from Anurag Basu on OTT four years ago and even Welcome Home a little later. Decidedly intelligent, the film is far from your conventional twister, but the execution, I must admit, could have been more audience-friendlier. In that respect, it is more like Welcome Home than like Ludo.

Avinash Tiwary acts well but is not an actor who can strike a rapport with the audience for his character’s woes. Jimmy Sheirgill is very good as Jaswinder, but again does not generate audience sympathy, only generous admiration for yet another consummately gray performance. Tamannaah Bhatia is immensely natural and effective, and in her relatively briefer role, makes a distinct impression.

The rest of the cast does not have much to do, especially the two ladies Zoya Afroz and Riddhima Pandit. Divya Dutta is good as Jaswinder’s wife and so is Santanu Ghatak as the informer. But Rajeev Mehta is wasted, as was Johny Lever recently in I Want to Talk, in a role that also does not pander to his comic image.

Sanjoy Chowdhury’s background score is decent again, while Payal Dev’s only song is unimpressive. Technically upscale like all Neeraj Pandey movies, the film proves that the filmmaker will always do his own thing, whether the box-office, audiences or critics love his work or not. And that, along with his penchant for experimentation (best seen in his last film, Auron Mein Kahan Dam Tha) needs to be applauded, for he is not someone who sticks to what has worked commercially among his output.

Rating: ***

Netflix presents Friday Storytellers’ Sikandar Ka Muqaddar  Produced by: Shotal; Bhatia  Directed by: Neeraj Pandey  Written by: Neeraj Pandey & Vipul K. Rawal  Music: Payal Dev  Starring: Jimmy Sheirgill, Tamannaah Bhatia, Avinash Tiwary, Rajeev Mehta, Divya Dutta, Zoya Afroz, Riddhima Pandit, Ashrut Jain, Shivraj Walwekar, Arpit Mishra, Aparna Upadhyay & others