Samay (2003)
Cast: Sushmita Sen, Sushant Singh
Director: Robby Grewal
Music Director: Sandeep Chowta
Synopsis: a taut and intelligently made thriller - brilliant debut from Robby Grewal
Reviewed by: Faiz Khan

 

Robby Grewal's directorial debut is one of the most intelligent thrillers Bollywood has produced in years. Eschewing the usual songs, romantic diversions and comic relief, Samay unfolds much like an American police procedural, relying instead upon atmosphere, investigation and carefully constructed suspense.

The opening itself reveals Grewal's intentions.

India's leading industrialist, Kapil Sharma, sits watching Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. Moments later, the lights go out and he is brutally murdered.

Assigned to the investigation are ACP Malvika Chauhan (Sushmita Sen) and her trusted assistant Satya (Sushant Singh).

Malvika is refreshingly unlike the stereotypical Bollywood police officer. She is intelligent, fiercely independent and quietly authoritative rather than loud or theatrical. She commands the respect of her male colleagues without the screenplay ever feeling the need to make an issue of it. Away from work she is also a devoted single mother, and these brief glimpses into her private life humanise the character without distracting from the central mystery.

The first murder presents almost no evidence. There are no fingerprints, no signs of forced entry, only the curious fact that two framed pictures have been moved on the wall.

When a celebrated film actress is murdered shortly afterwards, the police are quick to identify an obvious suspect. Malvika, however, refuses to accept the convenient explanation. Against mounting pressure from her superiors to close the cases quickly, she becomes convinced that the killings are connected and that a serial killer is orchestrating a far more elaborate game.

As further murders occur, she discovers she herself is under surveillance, while the killer appears to remain one step ahead of the investigation.

Robby Grewal demonstrates remarkable confidence for a first-time director. The narrative remains tightly focused throughout, never wandering into unnecessary subplots or commercial distractions. Every development serves the investigation, and the audience is trusted to piece together clues rather than being spoon-fed explanations.

That confidence is refreshing.

The screenplay is not entirely flawless. There are one or two logical inconsistencies—notably one involving a telephone call that appears impossible given the circumstances—which momentarily undermine the meticulous plotting. Hitchcock, to whom Grewal clearly pays affectionate tribute, would almost certainly have found a way around such lapses. Likewise, the final revelation linking the murders feels slightly too convenient.

Even so, these are relatively minor reservations in what is otherwise an exceptionally well-constructed thriller.

The climax deserves particular praise. Rather than opting for spectacle, Grewal delivers an ending that is genuinely unsettling and emotionally disturbing, leaving the audience with a lingering sense of unease.

Sushmita Sen is magnificent.

This is easily one of the finest performances of her career. She carries the entire film with complete assurance, creating a police officer who is intelligent, vulnerable, compassionate and utterly believable. It is a remarkably restrained performance that never once descends into cliché and confirms that Sushmita has always possessed far greater acting ability than many of her contemporaries were ever willing to acknowledge.

Sushant Singh provides excellent support, while the remaining cast all contribute effectively without anyone overshadowing the investigation itself.

The cinematography and background score complement the material beautifully, maintaining tension without resorting to gimmickry or excessive melodrama.

Samay may not satisfy audiences looking for conventional Bollywood entertainment, but those willing to embrace a genuine investigative thriller will discover one of the genre's most underrated entries. Intelligent, tightly constructed and superbly acted, it also announces Robby Grewal as a director of considerable promise.

A stunning debut and essential viewing for lovers of suspense cinema.