Nikita Roy movie review
Director: Kussh S Sinha
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Paresh Rawal, Arjun Rampal
Rating: ★.5
If there were ever an Oscar for the ‘Most Rushed Ending’ in cinematic history, Nikita Roy would walk away with the trophy before the nominees were even read out.
In a film that feels like an extended CID episode than a theatrical release, we get monsters, hallucinations, drugs, cults, a detective, and what not.
Nikita Roy movie review: What is the plot?
Anyway, even as I reel from what I just watched, you, dear reader, should remain unaffected. The story revolves around Nikita Roy (Sonakshi Sinha), an author whose brother, Dr. Sanal Roy (Arjun Rampal in a cameo), dies under mysterious circumstances in London. Nikita sets out to uncover the truth, accompanied by her ex-boyfriend Jolly (Suhail Nayyar). Their paths repeatedly cross with Amar Dev, a Godman who promises instant healing. What happens next makes up the rest of the film.
It all begins well enough, with a decent sense of mystery built up by Pavan Kirpalani, who is credited with the original story and screenplay. A sensible conflict is established between Nikita’s disbelief in superstitions and Amar Dev’s propagation of them. The interval point genuinely leaves the viewer curious to know what happens next. And that is where we, as viewers, go wrong: by expecting intelligence.
{{/usCountry}}It all begins well enough, with a decent sense of mystery built up by Pavan Kirpalani, who is credited with the original story and screenplay. A sensible conflict is established between Nikita’s disbelief in superstitions and Amar Dev’s propagation of them. The interval point genuinely leaves the viewer curious to know what happens next. And that is where we, as viewers, go wrong: by expecting intelligence.
{{/usCountry}}The second half goes down faster than a roller coaster on its drop. If the story already demanded suspension of disbelief, this half drives it straight into the realm of the ridiculous. The screenplay turns messy and hollow, offering nothing of substance.
The film positions itself as a horror, mystery, thriller, and investigative drama. The horror is the story, the mystery is who greenlit that amateur climax, and the investigation is just loud drama with no actual thrills.
Performance report card
Sonakshi Sinha, as Nikita, tries sincerely, but the script never allows her to rise above the chaos. Suhail Nayyar supports her well, and together they at least make the first half watchable. Paresh Rawal, despite being the main antagonist, is criminally underutilized. As for Kussh S Sinha, making his directorial debut, he unfortunately picks a subject in which he shows little command.
In the end, Nikita Roy is a classic case of potential squandered by poor execution. What could have been a gripping mystery ends up as a confused mess of genres, held together by weak writing and rushed storytelling.
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