Blackout | Movie Review

Director: Devang Bhavsar
Star Cast: Vikrant Massey, Sunil Grover, Mouni Roy, Jisshu Sengupta, Ruhani Sharma, Chhaya Kadam, Karan Sudhakar Sonawane and Saurabh Dilip Ghadge
Watch or Not?: Yes
Language: Hindi
Available On: Jio Cinema
Runtime: 122 Minutes
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐(3/5)

Blackout Movie: What’s It About
One night, some men in Pune caused a blackout to steal money and jewelry from a shop. As darkness envelops the city, it completely changes Lenny D’Souza’s (Vikrant Massey) life. Lenny, a crime reporter, steps out to get food for himself and his wife, but little does he know his fate is about to take a dramatic turn. Joining him on his adventure are a few random individuals who make the entire movie more entertaining.

Script Analysis:
Devang Shashin Bhavsar has written and directed the movie. With the upbeat song ‘Chor’ playing in the background, we see the robbers executing their mission. So many things can happen in the darkness, and we’re shown what happens to Lenny. Lenny’s car collides with the robbers’ cars, resulting in their deaths. He steals their black box, dreaming of how his and his wife Roshni’s lives will change forever. But what he thinks is the start of good luck, sadly, keeps getting worse.

Joining Lenny in his misadventure are Bewdya (Sunil Grover), Thik (Karan Sudhakar Sonawane), Thak (Saurabh Dilip Ghadge), and Shruti (Mouni Roy). Yes, there are many characters, and more are introduced in the first half. With Anil Kapoor’s witty introduction of them, writer-director Devang ensures we stay entertained with amazing humor. The narrative has little progress during the first hour, but there’s never a dull moment. Hence, when the interval arrives, you are curious to see how things will fall into place!

The second hour begins with an emotional backstory for Sunil Grover’s Bewdya character. That’s the only dip in the screenplay because it doesn’t leave the emotional impact the makers intended. However, once the sentimental drama ends, Blackout (2024) becomes a fun adventure again. You erupt in laughter as you watch the plot unravel, seeing how the series of unfortunate events for Lenny D’Souza are unstoppable (till the very end). The second hour is equally delightful, even though the makers leave some loose ends.

Star Performance:
Vikrant Massey has mostly played severe characters on screen, so watching him as a notorious crime reporter who pulls off sting operations with such playfulness is a refreshing change. Vikrant delivers a fantastic performance as we watch his character’s luck change from bad to worse. His outbursts are hilarious, and it’s evident that he had a lot of fun playing his part. Sunil Grover, as Bewdya, is an unhinged character who speaks in shayaris, which leaves you in splits. Sunil is a comedian who makes you laugh even with a straight face. The way he delivers his lines and then switches to action mode proves he is an equally phenomenal actor.

Karan Sudhakar Sonawane and Saurabh Dilip Ghadge have entertained us with their reels on Instagram. In Blackout, they play street thugs ‘Thik Thak,’ and their camaraderie is incredible. Usually, movies cast these influencers in unexciting roles. But Devang Shashin Bhavsar has made excellent use of Karan and Saurabh’s real-life bond, turning them into a complete entertainment package even in the reel world. Their jokes are hilarious, and how they poke fun at influencers like themselves makes it even funnier.

Actors Mouni Roy, Jisshu Sengupta, Ruhani Sharma, Prasad Oak, and Chhaya Raghunath Kadam also deliver good performances.

Direction, Music:
Devang Shashin Bhavsar’s story of a man whose life changes forever on one fateful night during a citywide blackout is a fascinating concept. Devang commendably brings the characters and humor to the screen. The writer-director has made the best use of every talent and the main supporting cast in his story. The twists are amusing and generate great laughter. Blackout wouldn’t have been such an enjoyable adventure without its dialogue. Abbas Dalal and Hussain Dalal have done thorough research in referencing things that have become memes. From incorporating the ‘Sonam Gupta’ joke to using the lines ‘Accha chalta hoon duaaon mein yaad rakhna’ in a scene where we feel bad for Lenny, the duo ensures we keep marveling at these lines.

Vishal Mishra composed the film’s music, making you tap your foot from the first song, ‘Chor’. The song is used for the movie’s opening sequence, and the music only gets better. While the songs are good, the background score is excellent. Even after the movie, you keep humming the BGM. Furthermore, the Vikrant Massey and Sunil Grover starrer becomes a more delicious and fun ride with some awesome Hindi songs. As a fan of ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya,’ I always worry that someone will try to remake or use it in a movie and ruin it. But the way Devang has incorporated it in one of the most crucial scenes makes you laugh out loud.

The Last Word:
Overall, Blackout is engaging, uproarious, and a chaotic misadventure. It’s silly and full of madness, even though the first half is mostly spent introducing characters. But the movie is aware of this, as there’s also dialogue. The emotional drama and a fight sequence that follows slow down the narrative for some time. The performances and jokes only make the adventure more enjoyable. Vikrant Massey’s movie ends on a cliffhanger, so let’s hope there’s more to this frenzy.

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