Murder
2004 · Directed by Anurag Basu
Original language: Hindi
- drama
- thriller
The story
To escape a secure but stifling life with her workaholic husband Sudhir, bored housewife Simran begins an affair with Sunny, an ex-boyfriend from her college days. However, when Sudhir grows suspicious and hires a private detective, the infidelity soon comes to light.
What it’s like
Glossy, saturated Mumbai frames with polished interiors, warm lamplight in the marital home, and cooler, sleeker tones once the affair takes over. Romance is staged with lush, rain-soaked sequences and swelling melodic music, while the suspicion scenes lean on tense close-ups, shadowed corridors and sharp cuts. The mood moves between sultry longing and a creeping paranoia that builds toward a violent climax. The violence is brief but startling, and the sensuality is suggestive rather than explicit. Its people are caught in the guilt and self-deception of a stifled marriage, and the story turns on jealousy, lies and the cost of escape. It suits a dramatic night in with a bowl of popcorn, or viewers who enjoy melodrama with a thriller's jolt and don't mind a high-gloss, song-heavy style. It is a poor fit for anyone wanting something gentle or free of sexual content and violence.
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