Psychological thriller Freddy is strictly for the ‘National Crush’ fans, for Kartik is crushing the new look and feel

Mona

Meet Dr Freddy Ginwala, a loner looking for his soul-mate. In comes lovely Mrs Kainaaz Irani, a victim of domestic abuse, and it seems like his search after five years on the matrimonial site is just about to get over. Only this lovely Mrs has to be single. As our Freddy, best friends with his tortoise Hardy, is dreaming of domestic bliss with dhansak and lagan nu custard, the story takes another spin.

We love Rooh Baba take a dramatic turn to lonely Freddy; Kartik Aaryan adapts to the change of genres pretty well. From giving the famous five-minute long monologue in Pyaar Ka Punchnama to a stuttering single, he performs pretty well. Seemingly demure Alaya F as wronged Mrs Irani is a woman who makes not just Freddy, but also the audience fall in love with her. The temperament switch post the first half, she as a scheming ambitious restaurateur doesn’t impress as much though. Kartik wields his cards well — as a vulnerable lonely soul to finally claiming power. The story largely centres these two with Freddy’s caring aunt Persis (Myrna S. Dalal), Kainaaz husband Rustom (Sajjad Delfrooz) and Chef Raymond aka Protein Shake (Karan A Pandit) making appearances. Alaya looks ravishing in costumes by Aki Narula.

Kudos to Kartik for pulling Freddy, but what undermines the film is a predictable plot line. A thriller’s true worth lies in twists and turns, and in Freddy one anticipates rather early. Parveez Shaikh has tried to give a back story for our lead, a believable one at that, but it hasn’t been fleshed out well. Hardy and Freddy share a close bond, but that also doesn’t pan out well. Songs by Pritam, including Kaala Jaadu, Tum Jo Milo and background score, Clinton Cerajo, are just fine.

There sure is a Parsi touch but it does not become stereotypical. Cinematographer Ayananka Bose gives it a dark, dreary treatment as probably desired by director Shashanka Ghosh, who has given Khoobsurat and Veere Di Wedding; he isn’t quite able to pull off this psychological thriller that comes replete with standard tropes – childhood scars, Joker grin and an obsessive love saga!