Chup: 2022 Bollywood Romantic Psychological Thriller Film

Movie Name: Chup: Revenge of the Artist
Directed by: R. Balki
Starring: Sunny Deol, Dulquer Salmaan, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Pooja Bhatt
Genre: Thriller, Romance, Drama
Release Date: 23 September, 2022
Rating: 
Budget: Rs. 10 Crore

It centers on Suresh, a lonely movie director who stumbles into Shanti one evening and casts her as the lead in a film. In a twist of fate, Shanti becomes a superstar and Suresh falls from the upper echelons of the film industry.

Chup: Revenge of the Artist is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language romantic psychological thriller film written and directed by R. Balki. The film stars Sunny Deol, Dulquer Salmaan, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Pooja Bhatt. It is scheduled to be released on 23 September 2022.

In July 2021, R. Balki were confirmed to be directing a film based on Guru Dutt, to be produced again by Hope Production. The project is produced by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Jayantilal Gada and Gauri Shinde. Filmmaker R. Balki says cinema legend Guru Dutt was the perfect reference point for “Chup: Revenge of the Artist“, his upcoming thriller which depicts the pain of an artist who suffers from “wrong criticism”. A teaser of “Chup”, unveiled over the weekend to mark Dutt’s 97th birth anniversary, pays homage to the late director’s film Kaagaz Ke Phool.

Chup: Revenge of the Artist is scheduled to be released on 23 September 2022.

Chup: Movie Trailer

Chup: Movie Review

Whether you agree or disagree with what Chup has to say about movie critics, its real strength lies in how it marries a thriller, a tribute and the world of cinema

Before we write any further…The million dollar question is should we be critiquing this film that turns the spotlight on us, the movie critics? In short, it is ‘critics ka critic’. But whatever may be the fate of critics in the film…We are sticking our neck out and trying to review Balki’s film as honestly as possible. Without a doubt, as with all of Balki’s films, the premise is unusual and packaged in an interesting manner. Does it live up to its full potential is once again a question mark.

A serial killer is on the prowl and guess who his targets are; the film critics whom he not only butchers mercilessly, but also leaves stars on their foreheads. And that alone is not the only indictment of reviewers and star-rating system. Much revolves around the business of movie critics, their impact on the lives of artistes, the business of cinema and more. Do reviews make or mar a film? Can they affect a film’s business or in the age of social media audience is the real deciding factor? Once again questions for which there are no definitive answers.

It’s not as if Balki is trying to answer them for us or is trying to rubbish the role of critics or reviews. Rather, he has Big B extolling why fearless and unbiased critics are ‘oh so important’. Indeed, can there be a Balki film without his customary ode to Amitabh Bachchan? But the maker to whom Balki pays a tribute here is none other than the great Guru Dutt. So not only do songs from his films waft in delightfully, we see his portrait, flashes from his films and also made to realise how his masterpiece Kaagaz Ke Phool was panned by critics back then. So much for film appreciation and the knowledgeable tribe of critics…We get the message…In the long scheme of things do they even matter?

Indeed, with a critic-turned-writer Raja Sen on the writing board as a co-writer, the world of critics is an insider’s view. Even if a bit loaded against them, it brings to us their many kinds, from those who can be bought to the ignorant ones. But whether you agree or disagree with what the film has to say about movie critics, its real strength lies in how it marries a thriller, a tribute and the world of cinema. Yet another plus is even though like Andhadhun, the identity of the killer is revealed early on, we are totally invested in how he will be caught.

Besides, humour is not just spot on, but intelligent and that is some achievement for a film about serial killing in full ‘blood and gore’ glory. And despite tailing a heartless murderer, the film has its fair share of romance and tulips. Cinema’s escapist feel is captured well by cinematographer Vishal Sinha and it helps that our hero is a florist. Dulquer Salmaan is so good as the psychopath who is now tender now brutal that he makes you forget some of the incongruities in the film’s script.

So questions like what is the recent trigger that sets him off on a killing spree 10 years after, fall by the side. But one that rankles is: Could his tragic backstory been avoided? But here again Balki wants to make a point…In OTT-driven entertainment-scape, who can predict what will grab eyeballs? But here, it’s not just Dulquer Salmaan who has our attention. It’s refreshing to see Sunny Deol back on silver screen with a role tailor-made for him. As the cop on the tail of the killer, he is in excellent and restrained form. Shreya Dhanwanthary playing the newbie entertainment writer Nila and romantic love interest is thoroughly impressive. Pooja Bedi too fits the part of a maverick psychoanalyst.

Yes, a lot feels pretentious in this narrative of love-hate relationship between filmmakers and critics yet a lot is imbued with meaning. After all the love story between the killer and the film writer has not been thrown in for effect alone. Finally, while it reinforces how cinema is art…On the art of critical writing…Well, we better be ‘chup’. But let us admit the film with a quirky core is more than watchable.

Movie Songs:

Gaya Gaya Gaya | Dulquer Salmaan, Shreya Dhanwanthary | R Balki | Amit Trivedi |Swanand Kirkire

क्रिटिक्स की हत्या करता सीरियलर किलर!

फिल्म की कहानी एक ऐसे सीरियल किलर के बारे में है जो फिल्म क्रिटिक को अपना निशाना बनाता है। फिल्मों का रिव्यू लिखने वालों की हत्या करने वाला ये सीरियल किलर कौन है इस बारे में खुलासा ट्रेलर में नहीं किया गया है। लेकिन फिल्म में काम कर रहे सभी कलाकारों की झलक फिल्म में दी गई है जो आपकी क्यूरियॉसिटी बढ़ाती है।

क्रिटिक्स का दिल जीत पाएगी चुप?

फिल्मों का रिव्यू लिखने वाले और उन्हें स्टार रेटिंग देने वाले सभी राइटर्स इस किलर की दहशत में जी रहे हैं। सनी देओल इस किलर की तलाश में जी जान से लगे हुए हैं। ट्रेलर काफी दमदार है लेकिन फिल्म दर्शकों को कितना प्रभावित कर पाएगी ये देखना दिलचस्प होगा। फिल्म 23 सितंबर को रिलीज होने जा रही है।