Mrityunjay Movie Review: An Illogical and Implausible Crime Thriller

Director: Sri Hussain Sha Kiran

Rating: 1.5/ 5 stars

After delivering a laugh riot with Vishnu Vinyasam, actor Sree Vishnu returns with the crime thriller Mrityunjay, attempting to showcase his taste for variety. However, when a crime investigative story adopts an overly hero-centric narrative, it is bound to fall flat.

The biggest flaw of the film lies in its illogical portrayal of the villain. The antagonist (Veer Aaryan), who disguises himself as a bald-headed, polio-affected man to kill people, suddenly blows his cover the moment Sree Vishnu starts enquiring about a person with certain characteristics. He even attempts to shoot the hero from the rooftop of his apartment complex in full public view. A professional killer would never behave in such an absurd manner. Even after the interval, the villain repeatedly points a gun at the hero in public places, making the narrative even more implausible.

The story revolves around a youngster who collects obituary advertisements for his newspaper by attending funerals in different disguises — an idea that itself feels outrageous. During this process, he begins tracking down a serial killer. The police investigation in the film is even more disappointing. While an advertisement agent from a newspaper manages to gather clues about a dreaded killer, the police remain clueless for a long time and keep dismissing the murders as accidents.

Actress Reba Monica John plays a police officer and performs with sincerity, but her character is poorly written. As the film turns into a hero-versus-villain narrative reminiscent of Dhruva, her role becomes largely irrelevant.

Director Sri Hussain Sha Kiran attempts to use dark humour in parts. Scenes where Sree Vishnu and his friends drink in a graveyard while discussing the sanctity of burial grounds, or where a funeral coach is treated like a valet parking vehicle at a restaurant, evoke a few laughs — but not enough to sustain the film.

The story begins with Baladitya’s character, who fears being stalked at midnight while worrying about his young daughter. Meanwhile, Sree Vishnu attends funerals of both Hindus and Muslims in various disguises to collect obituary ads for his newspaper, while dreaming of becoming a crime reporter. When he notices similar marks on the bodies of Baladitya and another victim, he begins to suspect foul play and starts collecting clues. Will he be able to crack the case?

Sree Vishnu delivers a few humorous moments and handles some intense scenes reasonably well, but even his efforts cannot salvage a screenplay filled with loopholes and convenient writing. Viewers familiar with whodunit thrillers can easily guess the twists. Apart from decent cinematography, there is little that works in favour of the film.

Director Sri Hussain Sha Kiran and his team clearly aimed to provide a different experience with Mrityunjay. But mere intent is not enough to win the audience’s hearts. A crime thriller demands razor-sharp writing and gripping narration throughout — and that is precisely where it bites the dust.