Omerta Movie Review: Hansal Mehta-Rajkummar Rao's disturbingly haunting story might unnerve you

Rajkummar Rao and Hansal Mehta have again proved that they have an hunger for brave and insightful cinema

By Urmimala Banerjee
| Updated: May 4, 2018 1:16 PM IST

How a normal well-educated person suddenly surrenders himself into the hands of radicals is a very interesting study. Hansal Mehta's Omerta, which is a biopic cum docu-drama on the life of British born terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh has impressed critics in film festival across India and the world. The film is a brave attempt as it delves into topic without any sugar coating. That in itself is very commendable given the current scenario and our Censor Board. Also Read - Scoop on Netflix: Karishma Tanna earns praise from netizens for her performance as Jagruti Pathak; fans say, 'Brilliant' [Read Tweets]

What's it about
It traces the life of Omar from an intelligent well-educated young man to a wanted terrorist. The greater focus is on the two defining events, the kidnapping of Westerners in Delhi in 1994 and the horrific execution of Daniel Pearl that sent shock waves all over. The film is a docu-drama and devoid of any excessive cinematic liberties. It also does not make any commentary on religious differences in India and so on. Also Read - Dahaad star Gulshan Devaiah says Rajkummar Rao is the most 'boring' person to work with; here's why [EXCLUSIVE]

What's hot
Rajkummar Rao is in scintillating form whether it is in getting the body language of Omar or inspiring the feeling of dread. He has quite a few impactful scenes but the interaction between him and Daniel Pearl will stay with you. Actor Keval Arora as his father does a good job. Rajkummar and he have a natural chemistry and we would have liked more of their scenes. Timothy Hitkernell who plays Daniel Pearl is also brilliant. The editing is crisp and keeps you engaged throughout. The background score is effective. Anuj Dhawan's cinematography manages to create the feeling of furtiveness and dread. ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan and Ranveer Singh inspired Rajkummar Rao to play a terrorist in Omerta – here’s how Also Read - When Himesh Reshammiya’s Jhalak Dikhla Ja song from Emraan Hashmi starrer Aksar started inviting ghosts

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What's not
We see how the Bosnia massacre of Muslims sends Omar on the path of Jihad but we would have to see more of his personal side. In the film, his marriage is shown but we never get an insight into the husband. A lot has been written about him and his plans, so people looking for something extra will be disappointed. His transition from a studious youth to a terrorist will leave you somewhat dissatisfied. Also, some of the scenes might be too gory for the faint-hearted.

Our verdict
Omerta is not a film for the faint-hearted. The jodi of Rajkummar Rao and Hansal Mehta has again proved that they have an hunger for brave and insightful cinema.

Rating : 3 out of 5

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ByUrmimala Banerjee
| Updated: May 4, 2018 1:16 PM IST