Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Original Release Date: February 18, 2011
*No Spoilers*
7 Khoon Maaf is an adaptation of a short story by Ruskin Bond called Susanna's Seven Husbands. While it technically stars various other actors, Priyanka Chopra undoubtedly steals the show in her portrayal of Susanna (aka Saheb), a woman who marries 7 times throughout her lifetime.
This movie is very different, but in a good way. If you go into it expecting a typical masala feature with songs and romance, you'll be greatly disappointed. But if you go into it with an open mind, you may be pleasantly surprised with what 7 Khoon Maaf has to offer. The movie is very dark and unusual. You're not getting your typical submissive wife, but the portrayal of a woman who challenges the men in her life in subtle, yet brutal ways. Let's just leave the plot at that.
Priyanka delivers an amazing performance. She fully embraces her character and its many, many dimensions, clearly overshadowing the rest of her co-stars. I'll be surprised if she doesn't get a Best Actress nomination for this role. Irrfan Khan's performance, however, was also commendable. To my personal disappointment, John Abraham was just okay and easily forgettable in the film. The movie also marks the acting debut of Vivaan Shah (Naseeruddin Shah's son) as the narrator. Unfortunately, his performance just didn't click with me (and neither did his hair).
7 Khoon Maaf isn't a perfect movie. It was often slow and dreary, which did match the overall style of the film. In addition, due to the arrangement of the film, the plot was almost entirely predictable. So be aware that you should watch this movie not for the suspense or the story, but for how that story unfolds. Music was another weak point for the movie. Darling was a fun track that went well with the context, but isn't one that I would listen to on its own. Oh Mama was quite possibly one of the worst songs I've heard in a while. Background score, on the other hand, was fairly effective.
As mentioned before, if you're looking for a light, fun movie then 7 Khoon Maaf isn't for you. It's an intense and unique film that Bollywood aficionados should enjoy. It's also a bold film with its multiple love-making scenes and semi-frequent usage of the "f" word. While the content and the movie itself won't suit all audiences, everyone should watch 7 Khoon Maaf at least once.
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
