TE3N Movie Review: An Uninspired Whodunit Lets Down Big B's Fine Act

When there is Amitabh Bachchan,  Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Vidya Balan in a film together,  having high hopes is just natural. Blame it on tall expectations or the sheer weak screenplay of this film, but TE3N is bound to leave you disappointed. The movie is a whodunit based on the Korean film Montage that fails to pack in enough shocks and chills as the original, lacking its taut tapestry, mostly. 

Director Ribhu Dasgupta had the guidance of Sujoy Ghosh for this movie and thus, we went in expecting the same brilliance of Kahaani - unexpected twists that keep you in the lurch till the last scene. Alas, this one has none of what you relished in Kahaani. It is dull, predictable and too slow for liking. The frames are morbid, lacking energy or vigor. Somehow not enough is happening in the film's first part and by the time, the movie begins its upward climb,it is too late to save it. 

The story is simple - John Roy has never been able to overcome the horror of losing his granddaughter Angel. She was kidnapped and presumably murdered. Roy promises his wife that he will find Angela's kidnappers. The cop Martin Das who was in charge of the case becomes a priest and the case is transferred to a lady officer named Sarita Sarkar. Clues fall flat, no trace of the kid is to be found even eight years after the gruesome crime was done. But then a similar kidnapping happens. And the trio is determined to nab the culprit this time around. 

The biggest problem of the film is its coherence.  Failing to find its own rhythm, it keeps shifting between past and present. When done well, it could prove to be a merit for any thriller but Ribhu fails to tackle the constant shifts. The problem lies not in the story itself but in the screenplay. The loopholes are too many and come as jarring distractions every time you begin to invest in the story. Obviously, the film is far from riveting which is not a good sign. 

Another crucial glitch here is that if you have watched a few thrillers in your life, Korean ones specifically, you will be able to spot its shocker of a climax from a distance. As unfair as it seems to constantly compare it to Kahaani, you can't deny the similarities - Ghosh and his 'Bidya' along with Kolkata, that remains just as charming in its quaint way.  The fact that it remains underutilized in the movie is a serious lapse of judgment. It could have been used as a separate character, its dingy by lanes, the classic British architecture, Howrah bridge, the serenity of the Ganges, there is a mystery in every element of the city that could've upped the drama in this thriller.

However, the one thing that remains strong even when the film's writing falters is its acting.  Bachchan, Balan, and Siddiqui have unremarkable, poorly researched characters to play but the faults never get the better of them. Big B never hits a wrong note. This film rides entirely on his shoulders and all that is good about the movie, is just because of him. Vidya and Nawaz are stellar but never overwhelm with their shabbily sketched parts. The trio makes it a watchable film, that never soars or shines. 

So what exactly doesn't come together in TE3N? The story and Ribhu's judgment of how to ease out the loopholes in the plot. Had he gauged the predictability of the plot, his focus would have been on the film's editing. Some sharp editing, a better-written story, and some more energy could have made it a movie to be relished. 

As you savor the lovely song Grahan, that has a striking vibe to it, you realize little has changed in Indian thrillers since Kahaani. Why can't filmmakers create more sure-footed stories that blow your mind with its sense of urgency, leaving you petrified of the danger looming large? Slink plotting has gone missing from thrillers who fall back on the humdrum of Bollywoodised chases. Ribhu lacks his mentor's evocative style, Sujoy’s keen understanding of how to weave a riveting thriller. In this largely gloomy film, there isn't a single light moment or any inspired instance of offering a quick witted remark. Te3n is drab and lets down its luminous cast and the audience whose appetite for such films is growing by the day. 

We rate this film a 50% on the Pinkvilla movie meter.