Psycho movie review: Dark and disturbing

Cast: Udhayanidhi Stalin, Nithya Menen, Aditi Rao, Rajkumar, Singam Puli
Director: Mysskin

In the opening slide, Mysskin dedicates the film to the Master, Alfred Hitchcock for his Psycho released in 1960. This Psycho has all the inimitable bits associated with a Mysskin’s flick written all over, which is dark and disturbing.

Set in Kovai and its surroundings, the film opens with woman crying for help even as the psychopath Anguli (Rajkumar) beheads her and collects it as a piece of ‘trophy’ and displays her headless body with inner garments in a windmill blade. The first scene clearly suggests that Mysskin wants to take forward the story with frightening visuals than sharp dialogues. All the same, the interest factor is diminished when there’s no mystery with the killer’s identity.

Anguly’s killing spree continues, but the police are unable to solve the mystery behind the mounting cases. Meanwhile, a visually challenged Gautham (Udhayanidhi Stalin) who's also a wealthy musician falls in love with Dhakini (Aditi Hydari Rao), a radio jockey and even stalks her with the help of his assistant (Singam Puli). Though initially Dhakini gets irritated with his advances, later she develops a soft corner when she realizes he is blind and truly in love with her. However, Dhakini tests Gautham asking him to track her the next day giving him some hints. Now, in a bewildering manner, the serial killer abducts Dhakini in front of Gautham who manages to reach the lonely railway station where the former was waiting.

But Dhakini maintains a calm at the chopping table and tells Anguli that Gautham will come to her rescue in seven days and even will kill him. He accepts the challenge and ties her with an iron chain in the same butcher room.

Gautham takes the help of Kamala Das (Nithay Menen), a quadriplegic and a former police officer investigating Anguly’s case and whether he comes out triumphant despite his deficiency forms the rest.

Udhayanidhi is adequate in the given role, but the character lacks solid scenes to prove his talents. Aditi Rao looks blemish-less and expresses right amount of vulnerability through her performance. But sympathising with a psychopath and shedding tears despite being in a threatening situation is not acceptable. It is Nithya Menen as a foul-mouthed cop (we were told that Nithya opted only this role between the two female leads) is impactful. Newcomer Rajkumar in the titular role does his job neatly. Singam Puli, Ram and Renuka lend their support.

All right, it is the story of psychopath killer and the film is rightly awarded an ‘A’ Certificate and it has Mysskin’s distinctive touches.   But there are waves of bloodshed, violence and gore unleashed every alternate scene; morbidity sets in after a point. Mysskin makes a reference to the Angulimala story in Buddhism by naming his leads as Gautham and Anguly, and biblical themes, which emphasize the concept of committing sin and redemption.

The director’s take on a girl yielding to a stalker, projecting police force as a bunch of incapables etc. is underwhelming. Logic goes for a toss in several places and the climax is unconvincing.

While Tanveer’s cinematography is pretty good, Ilayaraja’s background score, which is silent at times, creates the necessary eerie effect and sets the right mood.