Review: Nindha

Plot:

Several men from various professional and socio-economic backgrounds find themselves inexplicably captive. Their unseen captor (Varun Sandesh as Vivek), donning a mask, wants to extract something from them. The masked figure then inquires about Balaraju (Chatrapathi Sekhar), a villager from Kandrakota in Andhra Pradesh condemned to death for the rape and murder of a Manju, a young girl his daughter's age. As Balaraju awaits execution, why is someone trying to know about him? Balaraju, who has been labelled a pervert, may well have an interesting past.

Performances:

Varun Sandesh plays the role of a sharp investigator with so much conviction. He sheds his Happy Days persona and gets into a different zone altogether in Nindha. His scenes with the captives reach a crescendo in the second half. Chatrapathi Sekhar must be appreciated for choosing a character that demands him to show guilt, remorse, fear and anger. Shreya Rani Reddy comes with the look of a pleasing personality. Surya Kumar, Bhadram and several others are also seen.

Plus Points:

Screenplay.
The kidnapping concept.
The suspense factor.
The performances.
The climax.

Minus Points:

A few convenient ideas.

Analysis:

The film was written, directed and produced by Rajesh Jagannadham, who has returned from abroad to make a mark in the Telugu film industry. He is one of those new breed of filmmakers who wants to make new-wave cinema. And young filmmakers like him have been relying on certain genres to try their luck. Crime thrillers, murder mysteries and even psychological thrillers are among their preferred choices.

In the case of Nindha, there is a bit of all of the above. The film is psychological, too. How would individuals, who have only intimidated others but have never faced intimidation themselves, behave when they are held captive? This interesting way of looking at things has been explored in the first 45 minutes or so without losing the central focus.

But why doesn't Varun Sandesh reveal his cards early on? Why does he beat around the bush? If you think of it, the character is clear about what he wants to extract from his captives within, say, 24 hours. And, towards that end, he frames certain non-negotiable rules. And one of the rules the captives have to adhere to is this: they have to respect his time.

What is tricky about the movie is that, if you watch it after knowing what Varun Sandesh's character's job is, your curiosity levels might take a slight beating. So, Nindha is best watched with a sense of question mark about his background, although the film's Trailer may have given a hint of what he does.

Ramiz Naveeth A's cinematography and Santhu Omkar's background music keep the narrative integrity intact.

Verdict:

Nindha makes for a good watch. This is a murder mystery made right!

Rating:2.5/5