‘Apurva’ Hotstar Movie Review - Lacks Fervour

Apurva, the new release on Hotstar, is based on true incidents. The movie starts with four goons Chhota, Sukkha, Balli, and Jugnu killing some men and looting their vehicle. With an impressionable start, the movie set the bar high.

These four goons came across a young and beautiful girl, Apurva. When the bus driver didn’t allow them to overtake on an abandoned road which was literally in the middle of nowhere. After killing the conductor and the bus driver, the goons step in to loot the travelers as well. It was at this moment that Apurva came to notice and was abducted.

With some background shown, we see the chemistry shared by Tara Sutaria and Dhairya Karwa, who have played the role of Sid (her fiancee). Their love story was cute, and the way both understood each other looked adorable. As the couple resided in different cities, she was traveling to give him a birthday surprise, but life had other plans.

The movie has done a good job of linking various events, like despite several attempts Apurva couldn’t learn to drive a car and how Sid met the astrologer on the bus. Things come together smoothly, and then you realize the purpose. Despite this, the Apurva is just a one-time watch, and there will be moments when you’ll be wondering when it will end. A crisp and intense approach could’ve done the deal.

In my opinion, Apurva did a decent job, but not an impressionable one. Multiple scenes could have been improved and the fault mainly lay on Tara Sutaria’s side. She did try something new with this project, but the horror I wanted to see in her eyes was absent. As a young girl who was abducted by four goons, she had to portray those emotions to make the character look real. What I saw was a good attempt, but it lacks depth.

Abhishek Banerjee has yet again delivered a power-packed performance. If anyone shined in the movie, it was him. His dialogue delivery, body language, and accent were all top-notch. After this, Rajpal Yadav also delivered an impressive performance, but unlike Banerjee, his character lacked sass and madness.

Apurva movie is a manhunt for a girl who was brutally kidnapped from a bus going to Agra. Now this wild chase could have been made more interesting if different places were added. The deserted piece of land where the majority of the movie is filmed had just three locations - an abandoned coach, the remains of a village, and a well. All three places have been fully utilized, but the abandoned village has been used excessively. A little change of landscape could have been better.

This 95-minute film is an average watch and not the one that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Sutaria nailed the scenes in which instead of being a prey she became the hunter. The evil feeling of satisfaction on her face made those scenes watch-worthy. Those who have watched Tadap, the 2021 film, will notice how Sutaria is better suited for a negative role, and I hope one soon lands in her lap.

Final Score – [6/10]
Reviewed by - Riya Singh
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Publisher at Midgard Times