Blind Movie Review: A lacklustre retelling anchored by an indifferent Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor's Blind, the Hindi adaptation of the 2011 Korean film of the same name, is set in Scotland, a country that boasts picturesque locations. The lit-up grid-patterned streets, lavish countryside mansions, contemporary tower blocks, and the magnificent bridges over the Clyde River come alive through the vibrant spectacle of the film. And the vibrance becomes dormant with just the visual grammar, as we can hardly feel any in the heart of the story or the execution.

Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Purab Kohli, Shuman Saraf, Lillete Dubey

Director: Shome Makhija

Streaming on: Jio Cinema

In Blind, Sonam plays a visually-impaired cop, Giah, who grew up in an orphanage in Scotland. Early in the film, we see Giah as a skilful cop and a sharpshooter. In a tragic accident, she loses her 'brother' Adian and her eyesight. Cut to a year later, Giah lives alone with her guide dog Elsa in an apartment. Giah strives to ensure she can survive all alone without anyone's help. Even after many nights and days have passed by, the guilt of being the reason for Adrian's death still haunts her. Her efforts to join back the forces also fail. One day, when she returns from her orphanage after meeting her guardian (Lillete Dubey), she encounters a suspicious man who offers her a ride in the guise of a taxi driver. The rest of the story connects with the mysterious case of missing girls in the city and Giah turning witness to aid the investigative officer, Prithvi (a fantastic Vinay Pathak), in solving the case.

Although it is a thriller film, Blind tries to reflect on some emotional factors like the bond of a chosen family, hope and the ability to overcome disability to fight against evil. These sentiments are certainly established, but they do not delve into depths to elicit fervent feelings in the viewer. For instance, there's another eyewitness to the missing girls' case, Nikhil, who is the same age as Adrian. Over time, the jagged relationship between Giah and Nikhil matures into an understanding and empathetic one. Towards the end, we almost feel like Giah has found Adrian in Nikhil. Such heartfelt intentions could have been flushed out effectively with some profundity in writing the interpersonal relationships. Take, for instance, the scene where loses her guide dog, Elsa. It should have been a poignant moment pregnant with emotions. But unfortunately, it just remains another missed opportunity. After the demise of Adrian, Giah loses faith in God. And there's a track that reflects her inner conflict with belief, shown through her interactions with her guardian. Such scenes just feel like fillers, and they don't really turn out to be the intended value additions that could define the transition in a character's arc.

That apart, there are very little to no chills and thrills even after we get to know the villain, played by Purab Kohli. The abrupt cuts to the dingy room where he retains the kidnapped girls and some random shots of him abusing them reflect on inferior stitching of scenes and very wishy-washy execution.

On the other hand, it may be noted that Sonam makes her comeback after a short hiatus with Blind. However, her performance oscillates from being insipid to a tad bit over the top but it hardly hits the right notes. There are moments where she tries too hard, and even the conversations, especially with the villain, remind us that it's just 'acting'. Above all, the chafing and clamant soundscape turns out to be a test of patience. But to give credits where it is due, apart from the aesthetic visuals, the staging of a chase sequence featuring Nikhil and the villain, and a crucial fight sequence in the climax were definitely compelling.

Blind, with its potential and the advantage of drawing from the source material, had the opportunity to embrace a redemptive light. However, it failed due to a lack of effectiveness and coherence in the narrative and not striking the right emotional chord with the audience. It also missed the chance to make us sincerely empathise with the loss of the brother and the dog or at least resonate with the fighter Giah. Instead, we only stumble along with a struggling narrative that yearns for greater attention and nuance.