Gaami Movie Review: Vishwak Sen’s Transformative Performance
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Movie Name: Gaami
Release Date: March 8, 2024
Cast: Vishwak Sen, Chandini Chowdary, Abhinaya, Dayanand Reddy
Director: Vidyadhar Kagita
Producer: Karthik Sabareesh
Music: Naresh Kumaran
Banner: Karthik Kult Kreations
Vishwak appears as an Aghori in ‘Gaami’ A point that connects the story before the climax Scenes that create confusion until then Photography stands out as a highlight
Vishwak Sen has been choosing stories with mass content from the beginning. The mass audience expects such films from him. In that context, ‘Gaami’, a film he chose differently from his image, directed by new director Vidyadhar and produced by Karthik, was released in theaters today.
This movie, featuring Vishwak in an Aghori look, has garnered attention, especially during the occasion of Shivaratri.
Shankar (Vishwak Sen) as an Aghori suffers from a unique condition where his skin changes color upon human touch, causing him extreme pain for a while. Unable to bear the pain, he goes in search of his guru, Kedar Baba, to Prayagraj, only to find out that his guru had passed away two years ago.
A long-time disciple of Kedar Baba learns about Shankar’s condition and tells him about a miraculous event that happens every 36 years in the Himalayas. When three stars align in the sky, ‘Mali leaves’ bloom, whose touch can cure his condition. These leaves lose their potency within 12 hours of blooming.
He suggests Shankar to quickly head to the Himalayas as the miracle is about to happen in 15 days. He mentions that a doctor named Jahnavi knows the way to these leaves and has been trying to find them for the past three years. He warns of dangers along the way and sends Jahnavi to guide Shankar.
Meanwhile, in a secluded area, experiments on boys and girls are secretly conducted, with no one able to escape due to high security. In the darkness of this prison, surgeries related to gender reassignment secretly take place.
At the same time, in a village, ‘Durga’ (Abhinaya), living as a Devadasi, plans to escape with her daughter to avoid her becoming a Devadasi due to her poor health.
The link between Shankar, the boy in the lab, and the village scenario raises questions. What is their connection with Shankar? What experiences will Shankar face in the Himalayas? The story unfolds these mysteries.
The title ‘Gaami’ and Vishwak’s Aghori look have intrigued many. After the trailer’s release, expectations increased, anticipating high-quality visuals. The movie has indeed attracted a crowd to theaters today, but it might not meet the audience’s expectations.
The story unfolds from three different angles, tying the scenes together. Questions like who Vishwak is, his background, the cause of his condition, the boy in the lab, and the conclusion of Durga’s family track in the village linger in the audience’s mind without answers until the end.
Usually, an interesting element is shown at the beginning of a story and then locked away, with the audience waiting for its reveal. However, scenes just come and go without clear connections, leaving the average viewer confused. This happened with ‘Gaami’ too.
Although the director chose an interesting point in the story, it’s overshadowed by confusing scenes until the end, like a person standing in a city bus for a long time and finally getting a seat just before their stop.
The influence of Hollywood movies is evident in the scenes related to the secret lab, and art film influences are not absent in the village scenes.
Vishwak Sen’s look feels fresh, but his dialogue delivery could have been better. Naresh Kumaran’s background score is not impressive. Vishwanath Reddy’s cinematography is commendable, especially the scenes set in the Himalayas.
Raghavendra Tirun’s editing is adequate. Keeping an interesting point hidden till the end and not offering much in terms of entertainment could disappoint some, though it may appeal to those who see it as an experiment.