Cast: Payal Chengappa, Aman Masood, Dev D, Muralidhar Goud, Lavanya Rani, and Charishma Dabbara
Crew:
Screenplay & Direction: Sri Tej SK
Music Composer: Shibi Mathew Alex
Cinematography: Farhan Vadakkam
Editor: Sarath. J
Producer: Shashidhar Nalla
Mayookha generated decent buzz with its promotional material prior to its release. Billed as a crime and suspense thriller, let us see how this movie fares on the big screen.
Plot:
Mayookha (Payal Chengappa) is an independent young woman working as a bank employee. Haunted by a traumatic incident from when she was ten, she lives in constant fear. Her paranoia worsens when an unknown man starts sleeping beside her every night, only to leave by morning without harming her.
Meanwhile, a psychotic serial killer is on the loose, murdering women with a twisted goal of extracting a unique perfume from their hands. The film revolves around the eventual collision of Mayookha's life with this psycho killer.
Analysis:
The core concept of the story is intriguing, with the second half faring much better than the first. The opening scene effectively builds curiosity, and the suspense surrounding Mayookha's situation is handled well initially.
However, the first half spends too much time on the investigation and her fear, missing the chance to establish the terrifying nature of the psycho's crimes early on. The interval twist is fairly average.
The movie picks up great pace in the second half. The killer's flashback and motives are genuinely chilling, making up for some minor logical loopholes. The pre-climax and climax sequences are executed neatly. Payal Chengappa delivers a mesmerizing performance, though excessive long shots hide her expressions at times.
Dev D impresses as the police inspector. While the director succeeds in his execution, the writing could have been tighter. The cinematography and production values are top-notch, but the background score lacks the essential punch needed for a thriller.
Positives:
Interesting storyline
Engaging second half and climax
Payal Chengappa's performance
Direction and cinematography
Negatives:
Weak establishment of the screenplay in the first half
Background score lacks impact
Average interval twist
Bottomline: A decent crime thriller with a gripping second half. Watchable for suspense lovers.
Rating: 2.5/5
Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this review are personal views/opinions shared by the writer and organisation does not hold a liability to them. Viewers' discretion is advised before reacting to them.
