7 Khoon Maaf Review

7 KHOON MAAF was one of the most awaited films of the director Vishal Bhardwaj which was released worldwide on 18th February 2011. This Hindi film is a thriller with elements of black comedy. The banner which presents this film is UTV Motion Pictures. This film is based on Ruskin Bond's short story, 'Susanna's Seven Husbands'.

Story : This film has presented Priyanka Chopra in a negative character after her earlier film AITRAAZ in which she was starred with Akshay Kumar. After a long time a movie has been made comprising seven heroes. Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes (Priyanks Chopra) has married seven times in this film just to seek pure love but does she get love or say pure love? Her husbands meet deaths one by one in very mysterious ways and mysterious and bizarre circumstances. Every time her husband is found dead, she becomes the prime suspect in the eyes of everyone. And even you would feel that she is the killer. But is she really the killer?

Susanna's first husband was Major Edwin Rodriques (Neil Nitin Mukesh). He was crazy and capricious and always looked her with suspecting eyes. In fact he hardly trusted her. He was very dominating natured and every time he wanted other to obey his commands. Susanna is seen unhappy with him. But one day, while Major was on shooting (animal hunt), he fell down from the top of a mountain and eventually was eaten and bitten by wild animals. Thereafter Jimmy Stetson (John Abraham ) becomes Susanna's second husband. After getting married to him Susanna discovers that he was a drug addict and he couldn't live even a moment with the drugs. This makes her unhappy and sad. Eventually he too is found dead one day in a garden. Well he died naturally or he was killed by someone or by Susanna is a big question.

To find peace of her mind, Susanna reaches Shrinagar where she meets Wasiullah Khan (Irfan Khan). She gets impressed with his attitude and etiquette and finally marries to him. But soon she realizes that he was not what he appeared to be in daytime. The person who pretended to be so romantic in daytime would shockingly convert into devil at night. Once again Susanna is dejected to find a bad husband. Later on her husband is found dead and buried in ice of Shrinagar.

Situations take turn and Susanna marries next to Nicolai Vronsky (Aleksandr Dyachenko) who has come from Mascow. Nickolai showed that he loved her to great extent which she finally believed that he truly loved her. But once again her husband meets the same fate as her previous husbands.

Inspector Keemat Lal (Annu Kapoor) suspects foul play in the deaths of Susanna's husbands and he is on the hunt for the murderer. This inspector creates such circumstances that Susanna is compelled to marry him but very soon he too meets the same fate. Thereafter Susanna marriages doctor Modhusudhon Tarafdar (Naseer Ud ddin Shah) and even he meets the same end as her earlier husbands.

Finally she marriages and gets her seventh husband. Is he going to meet the same end or there is another twist in the story?

What were the causes of the unexplained deaths of Susanna's husbands and why was Susanna accused?

Whether Susanna's husbands were killed by her or some one else or were some other reasons for their death make the rest of the story and this is the suspense of the film. Otherwise from the title of the film you come to anticipate that there are seven husbands in this film and 7 KHONN MAAF means that who ever was going to kill 7 people would be forgiven. So you anticipate 7 murders.

Performance : The film revolves around Priyanka Chopra. In another words you can say that she has stolen the show. She couldn't do so well in FASHION & WHATS YOUR RASHI but she has proved her talent once again in this film. She gave her lively performance in this film. The way she remains quiet in some scenes is appreciable.

Another actor who impresses a lot is Neil Nitin Mukesh. He has done a good job.

The son of Naseer Uddin Shah Vivan Shah has done wonderful job. The director has allotted him the most powerful footage and role in this film which he deserved.

Other actors such as John Abraham, Annu Kapoor, Irfaan Khan, Naseer Uddin Shah too have justified their roles. However they haven't got enough footage so they had hardly to show their talent.

The film begins slowly but it gains momentum and speed after interval.

Music : Music is given by the director itself and the songs have gained popularity. The song 'Darling..' has become popular.

Direction : Vishaal Bhardwaj has justified the script and hasn't mixed or added unnecessary commercial elements. He has attempted to portray a female protagonist in such a role which any director would hardly dare to do so. Direction of the film is good.

Conclusion : Due to non commercial elements this film may not attract mass otherwise it's a different film and would be appreciated only by a few film goers because the subject of the film could hardly be digested by general audience. Like his earlier off beat films such as Omkara, Makadi, Kameeney etc this time again the director Vishaal Bhardwaj has opted to direct a different subject. The protagonist of this film is in seeking of true love and the director has successfully tried to portray to what extent she could go to get her true love.

Verdict : Go for it if you want to watch Priyanka in a different role and a different subject like foreign countries.