Cast: Richa Chadha and Mrinal Dutt
Director: Arati Kadav
Rating: 2.5/5
Bollywood star Richa Chadha's latest short film 55 km/sec is a sincere attempt at storytelling that makes a decent impact despite not reaching its potential. It revolves around two friends, who express their love for each other minutes before the end of the world.
The basic storyline is intriguing and refreshing. Its impact, however, is diluted due to the middling execution. 55 km/sec opens on a dark and gloomy note that kind of sets the tone for what is to follow. Things subsequently slow down with the protagonist Mrinal Dutt not being able to carry the film. His conversation with his father is effective but lacks the proverbial X factor. The climax is likely to click with the target audience.
The problem, however, is that the chemistry between the Fukrey star and Mrinal is not as crackling as expected. It needed more depth. The silences too do not talk, a cardinal sin for movies dealing with romance.
Coming to the performances, Richa makes her presence felt despite being a bit under-utilised. The character, however, might have made a stronger impact had her bond with her child been explored properly. This would have added more layers to the film.
Mrinal, on the other hand, fails to deliver the goods even though he is the proverbial hero of 55 km/sec. He is sincere but lacks the screen presence to do justice to the role. He is unable to add gravity to his scenes with Richa, making it difficult for fans to connect with the action.
The supporting cast serves its purpose.
The film has a rich look and feel even though it was shot remotely during the lockdown, which is quite commendable. The lack of a soul-stirring background score hurts its prospects at certain points. There are no songs, which gives the film a 'realistic' feel. The other technical aspects are passable.