Summary
This spicy and silly thriller effortlessly blends comedy and mystery. However, you just might struggle to keep up with all the murders and suspects.
Murder Mubarak, which translates to Congratulations on Murder, is an Indian Hindi-language mystery thriller based on the best-selling novel Club You To Death by Anuja Chauhan. This quirky murder mystery features an impressive ensemble cast, including Pankaj Tripathi, Sara Ali Khan, Vijay Varma, Dimple Kapadia, Karisma Kapoor, and Sanjay Kapoor.
The murder of a hunky Zumba instructor is a serious crime at The Royal Delhi Club, leaving non-traditional Assistant Commissioner of Police Bhavani Singh (Tripathi) and sub-inspector Padam (Priyank Tiwari) in a murder investigation with multiple suspects, each one fighting their inner demons.
The characters are as shallow as a puddle, and I very much enjoyed a few of them; some are well-written and developed while others are hard to relate to and engage with. There are far too many characters to keep up with. The film tries to introduce each character as they come on screen — by pausing and showing their name and a small description — because I bet they realized there are too many to keep track of.
The acting is very tongue-in-cheek, and the actors’ brilliant efforts manage to hold together a disjointed plot. At times the film feels very gimmicky, and something not to be taken seriously. It’s entertaining having a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it can make you disengage, and in this case, by the end, I didn’t really care who the killer was.
As the story develops, the case becomes more confusing as more murders are carried out through the investigation. With up to four murders and multiple suspects, the plot becomes unclear and far too much for everyone to handle. However, it does well in maintaining the suspense and it isn’t obvious who the perpetrator is. Murder mysteries are always fun as audiences enjoy trying to uncover whodunit, and Murder Mubarak certainly keeps you on your toes.
There are some very funny moments (I love how the girl’s cat is called Prince Harry), and it’s far more comical than I thought it would be. The costumes and set design are lavish and I loved the bright colours and extravagance of it all. Visually, this film is stunning. The music is bouncy, and whimsical, and certainly helps emphasize the comedy.
Murder Mubarak Is A Mixed Bag
Overall, Murder Mubarak offers a fun time, with some mystery and mayhem. However, with its long runtime and many murders and characters you might find the movie hard to engage with.
As this is something fresh, though, I recommend watching it. While the film is entertaining, it misses the chance for the audience to feel they are part of the investigation and honing in on whodunnit.
What did you think of Murder Mubarak? Comment below.
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