‘Vadh’ Review: Neena Gupta-Sanjay Mishra Film Is a Gripping Tale of Morality

'Vadh', starring Neena Gupta and Sanjay Mishra, releases theatrically on 9 December.

Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta in the poster for Vadh.

(Photo Courtesy: Instagram)

Vadh, written and directed by Jaspal Singh Sandhu and Rajeev Barnwal, is a story of how far one is willing to go for their family and their loved ones. While murder might not be a common person’s go-to, the setting of a thriller allows its characters to exist outside of that moral reality. 

Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta in a still from Vadh.

This moral conundrum is also addressed by the film’s title. Vadh is said to be different from qatl or hatya (murder) – the latter is supposed to seem virtuous in an almost punishing sense; for the greater good. 

Shambhunath Mishra (Sanjay Mishra) and his wife Manju Mishra (Neena Gupta) live in Gwalior and a burgeoning debt threatens to derail their life. Adding to that is a dismissive son who doesn’t live with them and a menacing presence (Saurabh Sachdeva). 

The idea of someone taking the law into their hands to protect their family isn’t new or revolutionary especially with recent releases like Sushmita Sen's Aarya, Mohanlal's Drishyam, or (in a sense) even the John Krasinski directorial A Quiet Place, but Vadh differs in setting and is bolstered by a magnificent cast.

A still from Vadh.

Mishra and Gupta both command the screen in their own ways – Mishra captures Shambhunath’s helplessness and later cunning seamlessly and Gupta, even in her silence, conveys multitudes. Even Sachdeva manages to portray his character with such sincerity that the audience is compelled to loathe him.

The way Vadh deals with violence is also commendable – the most harrowing scenes are shown through silence, sound, and the way characters removed from the primary action react.

This ‘tell don’t show’ works in the film’s favour and so does the background score by Gurcharan Singh. However, the background does come across as being too generic in places; it's what we have come to expect from thrillers and that takes away from the viewing experience.

Notably, the makers of Vadh trust their audience enough to know that they do not need to be subjected to the brutality of the crime to feel empathy or horror.

Sanjay Mishra in a still from Vadh.

Furthermore, the film is self aware, evident from the Manohar Kahaniya references, similar to the pulp universe created in Taapsee Pannu's Haseen Dillruba. In addition, the film employs a humour, perhaps to avoid monotony, but the goofy cop with a catchphrase gets irksome fast.

On the other hand, knowing what is to come, the gag with a mouse trap is comical in a sinister way.

The film sways away from the propensity that some thrillers have to give their protagonists an, albeit mild, happy ending. Vadh portrays the reality of debt and corruption and the way it affects those not in power. 

Neena Gupta as Manju in a still from Vadh.

Showing ‘perfect crimes’ in films, that too as a brainchild of an immensely cunning protagonist runs the danger of glorification.

On the other hand, a protagonist that fumbles and messes up their grand scheme is not enough to hold the audience’s attention. Vadh, with its languid pace and immersive story, manages to find a middle ground. 

Vadh hits theatres on 9 December.