Film Review: Raman Raghav 2.0

 

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‘Psycho Raman 2.0’ is not only a film about crime, but also highlights the many intricacies of India as a fast-developing country. The film captures Mumbai at the crucial time of India’s rising economy, touching on government corruption, the dominance of patriarchy, and a lack of enforced human rights.

‘Psycho Raman’ takes its name from notorious 1960s serial killer Raman Raghav, also known as Psycho Raman. The film opens with a frame that reads ‘This is NOT his story’, and so this should not be viewed as a biography, but rather a portrayal of Mumbai’s crime world.

The film shows the city becoming infested by a string of murders, with policeman Raghav (Vicky Kaushal) in charge of investigations. Raghav, knowing the crimes are the doings of Ramanna—a copycat of Psycho Raman—traces Ramanna’s footsteps. The film follows Raghav, cop by day and criminal by night, as he attempts to capture Ramanna. Soon, there is a twist in the identities of the main characters, inciting even more the tension in this psychological thriller.

‘Psycho Raman’ captures the gore of Mumbai’s criminal underbelly, and so is suitable for mature audiences.

Many realities of India’s society are reflected in this film, and gender inequality and the mistreatment of women is addressed. This is shown in Raghav’s relationship with Ankita (Anuschka Sawhney), and his threats of violence and abuse towards her.

The actors’ performances are all-round spectacular. The scenes of murder are confronting, and the effect they have on the viewer is profound.

‘Psycho Raman’ is not the story of Raman Raghav—it is the story of a character who marks India’s history. Sit back in your seat at Palace Centro 4 to witness the gruesome murders in the city of Mumbai.

 

4 stars.

Psycho Raman is on at the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival on the evening of the 26th of November. Go get your tickets here.

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Writers: Vasan Bala, Anyrag Kashyap

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vicky Kaushal, Sobhita Dhulipala

Country: India

Language: Hindi (with English subtitles)

 

Author: Ashley Ho

A Canadian born Chinese, she strives for diversity in different cultures and backgrounds. She looks upon the goodness of what society has in store and dreams to make some changes in discrimination and inequality. Studying English Studies and Psychology in Hong Kong, she is in Australia for a six-month exchange, searching for inspiration to communicate with the public through the arts.