Looop Lapeta Review: Tahir Raj Bhasin and Taapsee Pannu’s brilliant performances keep you invested in this time loop thriller

3/5

Story:

Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin starrer Looop Lapeta is adapted from Tom Tykwer’s German time loop thriller titled Run Lola Run (which has a cult following of its own). Set in Goa, the Netflix film presents all that transpires when Satya (short for Satyajeet, played by a terrific Tahir Raj Bhasin) unintentionally and carelessly loses his mafia boss - Victor’s (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) money. His girlfriend Savi (short for Savina Borkar, essayed brilliantly by Taapsee Pannu), has to race against time (as she has only 80 minutes) to gather the lost money and save Satya’s life. She gets stuck in a time loop till she manages to do so. Or does she? Watch the movie to find that out.

Review:

There’s rarely been a thriller that has been done right in Bollywood in recent times, let alone those involving the concept of a time loop. Considering that, Akash Bhatia’s directorial comes as a breath of fresh air. Right from the opening sequence, Bhatia sucks you into the world of Savi, giving her a backstory and explaining how Satya came into her life. The first 20 odd minutes or so are genuinely engaging as the tension gradually builds up and you’re still trying to assemble your thoughts while taking mental notes of all the sub-plots that eventually prove to be hurdles in Savi’s path to save Satya.

By the time you reach the middle of the film, the screenplay begins to stretch unnecessarily, owing to some not-so-well executed sub-plots. Whether it’s the long-drawn sequences where you see Taapsee’s Savi sprinting endlessly (as if straight out of Rashmi Rocket) amidst the streets and locales of Goa, or two pink-beanie-clad brothers trying to loot their father. It’s the third and final act that actually seems to land and gives the payoff that you’re seeking from this slightly over two-hour long thriller. There’s also a reference to the legendary tale of Satyawaan-Savitri that one can immediately draw parallels with our protagonists Satya and Savi (see how the short for their screen names in the film also double up as shorts for the character names in the legend? Clever!).

The writers - Vinay Chhawal, Ketan Pedgaonkar and Arnav Nanduri along with Bhatia, seem to have made a sincere attempt to make the events of this time-loop thriller different from each other, all the while trying to keep the viewer engaged, interested and entertained, without being too repetitive. It is a genuine challenge and while their efforts are commendable, they do end up falling into the trap of long-drawn montages which ends up slowing Looop Lapeta’s pace and making the runtime stretch beyond its welcome. Apart from the sub-plot involving Shreya Dhanwanthary, the others don’t quite land well and only serve as distractions that divert your attention from the urgency of the task at hand. However, mad props to the writers for an effectively written ‘confused-bride-monologue’ and to Shreya for nailing it in her short but spirited performance.

What may help you soar through the slow pace in the middle of the film is its peppy music and background score along with fabulous performances by the entire cast. Taapsee never fails to impress and gives a fitting performance – effectively bringing to screen the helplessness, confusion and grit of Savi. She seems very much at ease and commands your attention in every frame – evidently carrying the film on her able shoulders. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the fabulous time that Tahir seems to be having on screen, what with back-to-back releases that enable him to finally portray his acting prowess with varied characters. After wowing us in Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein and Ranjish Hi Sahi, Tahir once again leaves a mark as Satya in Looop Lapeta and effortlessly brings Satya to life with all his quirks and eccentricities. There’s a scene where Savi talks about Satya’s regular smile and his gambling smile and the way Tahir brings out the difference between the two only gives you a glimpse of his potential as an actor. He seems to be having a blast while playing Satya and it clearly shows! The supporting cast including Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Sameer Kevin Roy, Rajendra Chawla among others too fit the bill and deliver noteworthy performances.

It may take some time to get accustomed to the colour palette of the film which is splashed with hues of oranges and reds along with varied camera angles, multiple split screens and montages. but once you get past that, Looop Lapeta does manage to keep you invested for the most part.

Verdict:

Despite its distractions and slow pace, Looop Lapeta makes for an interesting and engaging watch this weekend. Watch it for Taapsee and Tahir’s performances in a concept that’s less explored in Hindi cinema.