'420 IPC' movie review: Vinay Pathak-starrer fails to deliver

The story had potential but the execution is not up to the mark

Cast: Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, and Gul Panag

Director: Manish Gupta

Rating: 1.5/5

Platform: Zee5

Zee5's latest offering 420 IPC is a hot, heaping pile of mediocrity that fails to do justice to a promising plot and its talented cast. The movie revolves around the life of Bansi, a chartered accountant from a simple background. His world is turned upside down when a client accuses him of fraud and forgery.

The rest of the plot deals with the question 'is he guilty?'. The storyline works fine on paper as it has pretty much everything -- right from an underdog as a protagonist to courtroom sequences -- that one expects from a film set in the thriller space. The premise sadly fails to even touch its potential as the execution is as sloppy as can be.

Sloppy writing

As cliched as it may sound, a thriller can make an impact if the characters have been fleshed out properly. Ajay Devgn's Drishyam, for example, emerged as a success as the narrative featured simple sequences such as the ones in which the protagonist has a meal with his family that made it easier for the viewer to relate to the action. This is just where 420 IPC fails to deliver.

The opening sequences are not able to establish the film's world. The viewer is told that the protagonist is a family man but then that's just about it. The film doesn't feature a single sequence that explores the dynamics between them. Simply put, the characters come across as mere caricatures as the writing is quite rushed. The half-baked character development is, however, hardly its biggest shortcoming as the courtroom sequences are even more underwhelming.

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In no man's land

Courtroom scenes need to be either extremely realistic or highly dramatic to register. The ones seen in 420 IPC are, sadly find themselves in no man's land. There are a couple of promising exchanges between Bansi's lawyer and the public prosecutor but then that's about it. The film redeems itself a bit towards the end courtesy of a twist but it proves to be a case of 'too little, too late'.

Actors deserved better

Vinay Pathak, who is regarded as one of Bollywood's underrated actors, tries to salvage 420 IPC with his sincere performance. His work in the initial portions has shades of his performance in Chintu Ka Birthday. Ranvir Shorey put his best foot forward and stands out with his unconventional accent. 420 IPC could have been a memorable release for him had the writing been upto the mark.

The less said about the Gul Panag and Rohan Mehra's characters the better.

Not too sound

There is hardly any scope for songs. The makers wisely avoid adding any unnecessary songs to the narrative. Editing is lacklustre as 420 IPC drags at several points in the first half. The background score tries too hard to add dramatic intensity to the movie, especially in the initial portions. The other technical aspects are upto the mark.