Bhagamathie which had star actress Anushka in the lead role was a huge box office hit in the twin Telugu states. The film is now remade in Hindi with the title Durgamathi and it has Bhumi Padnekar in the titular role. Here is our review of the Durgamathi.
Story:
Eeshwar Prasad(Arshad Warsi) is a minister with a very clean image. His political counterparts plot a wicked sketch to frame Eeshwar in a scam related to the disappearance of God idols from surrounding villages and manage to do so. A special CBI officer is appointed to investigate this case and the first thing she does is come in touch with Chanchal(Bhumi Padnekar) who was previously associated with Eeshwar for 10 years and is presently serving jail time after being accused of a murder. Chanchal is shifted to Durga Mahal for further investigation and she is subsequently possessed by Durgamathi. The rest of the story unveils who Durgamathi really is and why she is possessing Chanchal.
What about on-screen performances?
Bhumi Padnekar delivers a powerful performance in a character which has 3 shades. Many doubted her acting prowess and questioned if she would be able to carry such a demanding role, but she does reasonably well. However, Telugu audience might feel Bhumi fails to emulate Anushka’s persona and dynamism. Arshad Warsi who usually plays comical roles turns antagonist with Durgamathi and he does a decent job. Mahi Gill, Jishnu Gupta, and Dhanraj perform to the best of their capabilities.
What about off-screen talents?
Ashok who directed the original, Bhagamathie is at the helm for the Hindi remake as well, but he fails to recreate his good work. He wasted the opportunity to further fine-tune the script and instead focussed on grandeur. The narrative and emotional connect are much weaker than in the original. The Hindi version does not match the original in any aspect.
Kuldeep’s visuals are appealing and he sets the tone well. Art direction and production designing are of top notch quality. Background score is gripping and elevates a few scenes.
What’s Hot?
Bhumi Padnekar’s performance
Interval and post-interval episodes
Thrilling climax
Visuals and background score
What’s Not?
No emotional connect
Lack of any suspense
Run time
Dragged out screenplay
Poor designing of antagonist character
Formulaic narrative
Verdict:
Durgamathi might thrill Bollywood audience to an extent but it does not come close to the original, Bhagamathie. Ashok does not focus on penning better screenplay and instead, tries to scale up the project, which doesn’t quite work out as intended. A few episodes are engaging, but as a whole, Durgamathi makes for an okayish watch.
Watch or not?: Those who love horror films might give it a try in their spare time.
TeluguBulletin Rating: 2/5