A delightful Varun Dhawan with a predictable storyline, makes ‘October’ an OK affair

Directed By: Soojit Sircar
Produced By: Ronnie Lahiri,  Sheel Kumar
Cast: Varun Dhawan, Banita Sandhu
Duration:115 Minutes
Bollywood Bubble Rating:3/5

Varun Dhawan is without a doubt one of the most sought-after actors of Bollywood today. The young actor has been giving frequent hits and proving his mettle in the industry, but it sure was high time that he stepped out of his comfort zone and tried his hands on something different. So for everyone who was tired of seeing Varun in masala potboilers, the actor did listen to us and how. His recent release ‘October’, directed by the impeccable talented Soojit Sircar sees Varun in a totally different avatar.

Living as a hotel intern, Dan (Varun Dhawan) is all about enjoying his life with his friends and living carefree. It is only when one of his colleagues Shiuli (Banita Sandhu) faces an accident and ends up in a hospital, which changes Dan’s life forever. The story unfolds as the careless Dan embarks on an emotional journey. He starts finding love in the strangest the places and the strangest of ways.

If you too thought of Varun’s forte lying in potboilers and comedy flicks, this movie is made to prove you wrong. The actor deserves an applause for Not only taking a risk of playing a role this complex but also for executing it’s so flawlessly. Dan is innocent and a brat at the same time. He will make you fall in love with him, and you will feel what he feels until the very last scene. Banita, on the other hand, is a revelation. She can go places if given the right path. The rest of the cast, especially Shiuli’s mother, Professor Vidya Iyer (Gitanjali) are fabulous playing their parts.

Shoojit handles the sensitivity of the plot brilliantly, it is however his direction which is not up to mark. The movie starts off nice but gradually gets into the boring zone. The parts shot in the hotel are sure to keep you hooked. However the hospital sections soon start to doze you off. Even after being a mere 1hr 56minute long, the movie seems to take a lifetime to end. The storyline is predictable and leaves no scope for suspense or surprise. The climax however is engaging and gets you thinking even after you exit the movie halls.

The camera work by Avik Mukhopadhyay is top notch, while the wound track goes well with the flow of the plot.

Overall,’October’ is about passion and love and is meant for the ones who do not believe in giving up easy. The film however lacks the entertainment quotient and becomes tedious in the middle. Watch it for the performances.