'Munjya' review: Entertaining exploration of spooky Maharashtrian folk tale
When a film tells a story that is too regional at its core, there is a mammoth task at hand: can the tale be packaged in a way that the final product is entertaining, yet carries the same essence? Fortunately, Maddock Films's Munjya, for the most part, tackles this well, offering a creepy, spooky story that is both entertaining and ripe with endless possibilities.
Overview of the story
The film opens at a time when child marriages didn't raise any eyebrows, and we meet a prepubescent boy burning in the fire of vengeance as Munni, the girl he loves, is married to another. Soon, he dies, and his soul—because of this unfulfilled desire—gets stuck in this world. Decades later, he meets his descendant, Bittu (Abhay Verma), and tasks him with finding Munni.
Its cinematography deserves a special mention
The film offers a stunning portrait of the Maharastrian landscape, and the night shots are the highlight of the film. Its opening scene, in particular, is redolent of Tumbbad, and so stunningly filmed and performed that it's tough to look away from the screen. Pouring skies, pitch-black darkness, the sound of waves crashing and roaring—the cinematography adds to the film's atmospheric tension.
Verma steals the show with his committed performance
Verma is the real star of this horror show. Since most of his scenes are with the titular ghoul (created by CGI), it must have been an incredibly painstaking task for him to perform by using only his imagination. His efforts show and he is excellent at portraying the vulnerability of a man who is not sure who he is stacked against!
Wait for Sathyaraj's arrival in the film
Sathyaraj gets an unexpectedly oddball role and completely rolls with it, having an evident blast performing his scenes. In a film that sorely feels the lack of A-listers, his presence, albeit short, is a welcome change, and his arrival sets the story in motion in the second half. The same, however, cannot be said for Mona Singh, who has an annoyingly loud, predictable part.
Points for the thought put into the ghoul
I particularly like the thought the writing team has put into the titular ghoul. He is not simply a lifeless entity who one day wakes up to wreak havoc in his family's life, but, instead, has the personality of a bonafide ruffian. Unforgiving, rebellious, irate, stubborn, and vitriolic, he might as well be one of Hindi cinema's most eccentric characters in comtemporary times.
What goes wrong in the film?
Munjya's problems arise from the lack of stock put into the rest of the characters and the way it refuses to exploit its own true potential. I would have liked to know more about the folk tale; how it started, who else did it affect, and what the village elders say about it, but the film, sadly, is too satisfied with Bittu's storyline.
Cliches and predictability bog it down
Another flaw in the presentation is its use of cliches: a Sikh best friend of the protagonist, the protagonist's inability to tell a girl he loves her, and—the worse of them all—a romantic track to undo the progress made by the narrative. There are also forgotten storylines here, some scenes are rough around the edges, and the plot is stretched thin, losing steam post-intermission.
Verdict: Will be an enjoyable theatrical experience; 3/5 stars
There is more to like than to dislike here, and even though director Aditya Sarpotdar's grip suffers occassionally, the film doesn't venture into the insipid territory. The eponymous character is the perfect fit to have his own OTT spinoff or a comic book, and the folk tale can be mined better for more adaptations. Eventually, come for Munjya, but stay for the post-credit scene!
