While he has played characters with grey shades in the past, Dagar in Love Hostel is at the extreme end. For example, how people in this film behave so casually while their family members or loved ones are being killed.Ĭoming to the performances, Bobby Deol is outstanding. However, there are a couple of choices that Shanker has made with his characters that didn't quite make sense. The atmosphere created by Raman blends in well with the film’s tone. The editing is sharp and pacing is quite good. The narrative is brutal and disturbing with a tinge of dark humour. Even though at times it becomes convenient and displays some lazy writing. The screenplay keeps you engrossed right from its opening scene till the end. While the story of the film isn’t unique, the execution by Shanker Raman and the outstanding performances make it worth your time.īased on the subject of honour killing, the film is about a cold blooded mercenary named Dagar (Bobby Deol) who is hired by Jyoti’s (Sanya Malhotra) family to kill her and her husband Ashu aka Ahmed (Vikrant Massey). In fact, it makes for an intriguing watch. And the icing on the cake was the casting of Bobby Deol, who is in the best phase of his career ever since his resurgence with Class of ‘83 and Aashram. The other technical aspects have been handled pretty well.After the terrific Gurgaon in 2017, I was looking forward to Shanker Raman’s next film interestingly titled Love Hostel. Love Hostel does not really have scope for music but the makers still try to accommodate a romantic song, something that doesn't hamper the viewing experience too much. Sanya is sincere but doesn't make a strong impact as the character feels one-dimensional. Vikrant transforms into his character, stealing the show in a scene where his character mourns a loved one's death. He gets the 'desi' accent right, making his work all the more convincing. The actor lets his chilling gaze and silences do the talking. The climax, in particular, is gut-wrenching as the makers allow them to move at their own pace, thus helping them make a strong impact.Ĭoming to the performances, Bobby steals the shows with his impressive screen presence.
The makers also manage to keep the action as realistic as possible through well-placed silences. The biting dialogues feel organic as they blend with the world created by the writers. Love Hostel hits the right notes on this front. While the films became popular, they did not do justice to these aspects they were essentially commercial star vehicles. Tamil filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj touched up socio-political issues in Petta and Jagame Thanthiram. Love Hostel has several promising subplots, including one about the protagonist's bond with his mother, but none pack a punch as they aren't explored properly. There are a couple of short flashback scenes that touch upon the hardships faced by the lovers because of their relationship but they don't really save the day. This is where the film falters as the writers don't really explore their backstories in-depth, which dilutes the story's impact. The action then shifts to the lovebirds, played by Vikrant Massey and Sanya Malhotra. Love Hostel opens with a chilling sequence that introduces the viewer to Bobby Deol's Dagar, a ruthless killer who doesn't hesitate to take the law into his hands. While the director needs to be lauded for tackling such a sensitive issue, the film does not quite reach its potential mainly as the writing is not as effective as it could have beenĪlso read | Vikrant Massey-starrer 'Love Hostel' to premiere on ZEE5 on February 25 This angers the female protagonist's grandmother to such an extent that she enlists an assassin to eliminate the lovebirds. The crime thriller revolves around two young lovers from different backgrounds, who elope after their families oppose their relationship.
Cast: Bobby Deol, Vikrant Massey and Sanya Malhotraĭirector Shanker Raman's latest movie Love Hostel had the potential to be a dark and disturbing tale about honour killings but it ends up being nothing more than a one-time watch.