Main Aur Charles Movie Review – Bollywood Bubble

Directed by: Prawaal Raman
Produced by: Amit Kapoor, Vikram Khakhar, Raju Chadha
Cast: Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadha, Adil Hussain
Duration: 2 hours 03 minute
Bollywood Bubble Rating: 2/5

Charles Sobhraj, of French-Vietnamese-Indian origin nicknamed “The Serpent” or “Bikini Killer” was a murderer convicted for at least 12 murders in Southeast Asia. His escape from India’s most highly guarded prison-Tihar Jail in 1986 made him famous. The slick criminal’s charming persona made him popular not only with the women but also the media. He had cops from Thailand, Mumbai and also Goa trying to drag him in their net, but he always managed to escape. The Bikini Killer’s approach was to befriend his victims, mainly foreign tourists drug them and steal their passports after killing them.

The story is being narrated by Charles’ nemesis, Amod Kanth (Adil Hussain). The movie starts with Charles(Randeep Hooda) escaping from Thailand after killing a tourist there. He is caught in a police dragnet and thrown in India’s famous Tihar Jail from which he escapes with some help from Robert a jail mate and a law student Meera Sharma( Richa Chaddha).

Director Prawaal Raman has nailed the roguish quality of Sobhraj. The 80’s fashion has been well recreated. Randeep Hooda has brought the character of the master manipulator alive with his side-parted slicked down hair, the dark glasses, and the perfect dressing sense. The smirk on his face lends a roguish quality.

Adil Hussain as Amod Kanth has done a commendable job. Richa Chadda excels as Meera the law student so in love with Charles that she helps him escape from the prison. Iranian model, Mandana Karimi of the Bigg Boss 9 fame is just in a cameo.

The movie had all the makings of a blockbuster, but the director has not utilized the colorful story of Charles past, rather zeroed upon his escape from Tihar Jail. The script should have been slicker. There are many loose ends in the story. The background score spells disaster to the films continuity.

All in All the movie is worth a watch for Randeep Hooda’s depiction of the Bikini Killer.