Kurbaan (Sacrifice)

Renzil D'Silva has more notably been known for his writing skills, such as his very first Bollywood movie, "Aks." The only place to go from there was up, as D'silva won the Popular Award Best Screenplay for "Rang De Basanti" (2006). The "Kurbaan" (2009) was not only partly written by Renzil D'Silva, but was his first directed film. What a job D'Silva does with his writing and directing as the twists of the movie seem to creep up on you. Before you know it your in a seat-clinching suspenseful thriller hanging on every moment.

Avantika and Ehsaan seem to be living the life, as Avantika is able to get Ehsaan a teaching job at the University she teaches at. Everything seems normal until a scared and nervous neighbor drops by abruptly to tell Avantika she is in trouble and should contact a trusted news authority. Avantika seems shaken up and tells Ehsaan instantly, but the situation is brushed off as Ehsaan suggests they shouldn't get involved in other people's business. Nothing pertinent happens right away, but one night Avantika sees Salma being beaten outside, so the next morning contacts the person Salma suggested. Of course the timing is awful, as the news lady wants to be very helpful, but has to leave on a flight with a bunch of news delegates. The weekend is too long for Avantika to wait, so she drudges into her own investigation, which only leads to a turn of sudden climatic events.

One of the main things that grabbed my attention in this film was how well the Cinematography was done. The different angles, the gazing zoom towards the characters, mixed with some great sound, made this movie all the more suspenseful. Not to mention the sound plays a huge role in every camera angle and aspect of the film. Couldn't have asked for better placing of sound throughout the entire film. The cinematics and music just adds to a promising debut for Renzil D'Silva as a director.

All in all, I think this was a good Bollywood film. I would recommend this film to a person who like slow drawn out suspense that ends in a thriller. "Kurbaan" definitely isn't a short movie, but with all the great directing and build up of the story, it is worth the wait. From the beginning to end, the camera angles and sound keep you entertained throughout the movie, until the actual suspense is unbearable. One of the last things that stuck out in my mind was the talented acting. If it weren't for the talented acting, the "Kurbaan" might have been too long.