Her Chapter 1 review: Ruhani Sharma is a picture of poise in a taut police procedural drama

3/5

Story:

Archana Prasad, ACP, has just lost a loved one in a shootout and is suspended from work after an internal enquiry. She returns to action with an investigation of a twin murder of Swathi and Vishal Pasupuleti. Archana needs to confront her inner demons and unlock the puzzle before it's too late. What connects the case to her past and how does she move past the roadblocks?

Review:

Her Chapter 1, a police procedural drama, is as concise as it can get. The film's sole aim is to trace the culprit behind a twin murder and how far a cop goes to solve it. There's no scope for isms or window to explore the psyche of the cop or the criminal on a deeper level. It's absolutely a genre piece and is only concerned about suspects, clues, motives, footage that lead her to answers.

Although the film doesn't get into a 'hero versus villain' terrain, it establishes what's right and what's not - there are no greys in this world. Impressively enough for a female-led film, the film views its pivotal character solely as a professional and doesn't let the gender debate affect the proceedings. Except for an instance or two, exaggeration is non-existent and the male characters aren't emasculated either.

Every detail pertaining to the crime and the investigation is meticulously documented and elaborated. . The director Sreedhar Swaraghav digs deep into the various complexities, practical issues within an investigation and doesn’t make the mistake of over-simplifying it. The mind games keep you invested. The novelty isn’t in the plot but with its treatment.

In this zone, the director Sreedhar Swaraghav touches upon internal politics within the department and offers a few glimpses of Archana’s past, only to suggest how they affect the case. The film has a strange issue – the narrative goes astray when it overwhelms the viewer with intricate, sometimes trivial, details and suggests the obvious many a time.

Whenever the director lets the silences, montages and the music score do the talking, they’re supremely effective. This is particularly impactful in the two most underplayed ‘mass’ moments in the film prior to the interval and the climax. The subtle dead-pan humour, backed by smart improvisation and appropriate editing, brings some liveliness to an otherwise grim setup.

The film is truly aimed for genre enthusiasts, but it could’ve given more breathing space to viewers to empathise with its characters and appears over-edited at times. Perhaps, the director didn’t want to spoonfeed beyond necessity, yes, though it makes the film uni-dimensional, looking more like a well-assembled product than a fully-satisfying cinematic experience in places.

In terms of Archana’s past, the subplot is strictly basic and lacks enough bite. You don’t get a well-rounded perspective of Swathi and Vishal too, except for the fact that they’re victims and their backstories needed more juice. Despite the minor niggles, the director is single-minded and consistently treats this as a plot-driven saga, a rarity in a debutant’s work associated with a mainstream actor.

Ruhani Sharma has come a long way as an actor since her happy-go-lucky Chi La Sow days and the absolute confidence with which she steers the ship warrants praise. She portrays Archana’s vulnerabilities while also mirroring her resolve and inner strength. Vikas Vasishta is apt in a cop-act that seems like an extended special appearance that needed more meat.

The regulars – Sanjay Swaroop, Padmaja, Ravi Varma, Ravi Prakash, Pradeep Rudra – besides Abhignya perform as per the needs of their brief characters. Vinod Varma makes his presence felt in decent part but it’s Jeevan’s satirical one-liners and body language that ensure a few laugh-out-loud moments. Vishnu Besi’s cinematography is precise and to-the-point, just like his director wants. Pavan’s solid score lends a unique texture, appeal to several sequences.

Verdict:

Her Chapter 1 is a sensible, well-made plot-driven thriller that views its actors only as a tool to tell the story and is quite focused, precise in its attempt. Ruhani Sharma surrenders to the vision of a capable director who’s thorough with his craft and meticulous in his detailing. Although one would’ve hoped for more drama in the backstories, this makes for a fulfilling viewing in theatres and is a welcome break from the chaos of star-centric mainstream cinema.