Shaitaan Review - Ajay Devgn & R. Madhavan's Chilling Face Off In A Brutal Black Magic Flick

Shaitaan Review: Gujarati horror flick Vash set a benchmark for the regional film industry, but taking it to a new level in Bollywood was not going to be a benchmark. Vikas Bahl and Ajay Devgn both must be aware of this simple fact. Yet, there is something catchy about Shaitaan, and that's its genre. It's a mix of horror and family drama based on the theme of black magic. We all know this mixture hasn't been seen in Bollywood yet. Also, the idea of horror is not very popular here in Hindi cinema. Ajay himself was a part of one such memorable horror flick with Bhoot (2003), and it took him over two decades to come back to this genre. Superstars don't find the horror genre appealing because it can't provide as many big numbers as masala films. That's one of the major reasons why we don't have big hits in the horror genre. Stree came with a touch of humour and won hearts; others failed. Amidst all this, a superstar like Ajay Devgn making Shaitaan is a big thing for Bollywood, and that too with so many known and experienced faces. That's reason number 1 to watch Shaitaan. Reason number 2 is the rare mix of horror, black magic, family drama, emotions, and brutal expressionism. The third reason is that it just does not disappoint, even if you have seen Vash. Even Hollywood couldn't do much with this subject , but yes, Korean cinema did with "The Wailing". There are a few changes for Vash lovers, while freshers don't even have to think about it anyway.The film is about Kabir (Ajay Devgn) and his family, whose happy lives are turned upside down by the black magic of an evil. Kabir's daughter, Janhavi (Janki Bodiwala), is hypnotized by Vanraj (R. Madhavan), who calls himself her "god" (Bhagwan). Kabir, his wife, Jyoti (Jyotika), and their 8-year-old son are helpless, as Janhvi is totally in control of Balram. The motive of Vanraj is simple: he wants to take Janhavi with him, with her parents' consent, by forcing them. Will Kabir and Jyoti allow him? But how can they refuse.Shaitaan is a frame-to-frame rework of Vash as far as the main story is concerned. Aamil Keeyan Khan has added a Hindi flavour to the story as he extends a few scenes, including the major portion of the climax. Vash was quicker, unsolved, and unanswered. What happens to those girls? Vash did not care to answer. Well, Shaitaan did. It had to reduce brutality and barbaric elements for that, though. It also had to go with a positive ending, which is too common, or better say, compulsory, for every Hindi movie that has a hero and a villain. The main essence of Krishnadev Yagnik's story is kept intact by Aamil Khan. A few misses and hits are okay. An extended climax might help take this film to the masses, and that large-scale visualisation was perfect for the theme. I wish I could have spoken more, but I can't since I have to avoid spoilers.Performance-wise, Ajay Devgn has done it again. He is a terrific actor and a terrific judge of the character, too. While many superstars are still struggling to find the characters of their age, Devgn continues to be in his suitable and appropriate shape and age with films like Runway 34, Drishyam 2, and now Shaitaan. The "father" punches from here will remind you of classic Drishyam for sure. Jyotika has limited dialogues, but her screen presence was noticeable. Janki Bodiwala was sensational in Vash, and she recreates the same magic again. But as you know, a magic trick loses some of its impact in the second viewing—that's exactly the case here. Now coming to the main USP of the film, the villain, the shaitaan - R. Madhavan. This guy deserves meaty roles like this, where he can overshadow everyone. He just needed that chance, and he got it here. Maddy has gone totally mad here. A few hiccups and unconvincing gestures in the climax can be forgiven for the whole great show he put up throughout the movie. The little one, Anngad Raaj, will give a moment or two to laugh, but that attitude of his.. uff.. so fearless.Shaitaan shouldn't have any songs, but it has two. Khushiyaan Bator Lo appears in the beginning just to pass the time, and the theme song plays with the ending credits. The screenplay is a little longer than Vash, and I can imagine why. There are a few additional scenes here, but still, it could have been trimmed. The cinematography was good, especially in the climax scene. Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti could have done much better if he wanted. The entire film stands on two pillars: acting and direction. Acting, like I said, was managed by the brilliant cast, but direction.. Well, Vikas Bahl is not going through a good phase, but he did fairly well. Some scenes are really impressive, as the camerawork, background score, and presentation all hang together comfortably. Bahl really managed to pull off many things that even the original Gujarti flick couldn't explore. Some flaws irritate you, such as overdramatic pauses and the pace of scenes, but only for a while. The brutality didn't seem as rigorous here, like it did in Vash, because it was a regional cinema movie, but that's still fine. I don't think anyone should complain about brutality if they are talking about a film that should be watched by families. Overall, Shaitaan is an honest remake, with some of its own elements working in the favour of typical Hindi cinema audiences. If not that, Ajay and Maddy's face-off is worth your money any day.