In R Balki's latest film 'Chup: Revenge of The Artist', a serial killer is killing noted film critics one by one and giving ratings to their dead bodies. Gruesome right? Featuring Dulquer Salmaan, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Sunny Deol, 'Chup' is meta in so many levels. While Deol plays an investigating officer, Salmaan plays a mysterious florist called Danny who falls for entertainment reporter Nila, played by Dhanwanthary. Dulquer's role is complex and he gives his all to play Danny to perfection. Is the role his career's best? Watch Critically speaking to find out more.

Critically Speaking: Has Dulquer Salmaan delivered his career best in 'Chup'?

Film criticism is a strange job these days. If one takes a cursory glance at Rotten Tomatoes pages of some of the recent crowd-pleasing movies, Bollywood or otherwise, there is a huge gulf between the critics' ratings and the audiences' ratings. On social media sites, particularly Twitter, if critics end up giving a negative review to a well-loved movie, trolls heap abuse -- it's a given at this point. There is a certain lack of trust here. And R Balki uses that in his latest, 'Chup: Revenge of the Artist'. Balki is worth admiring for always trying to do something different with each film. The resulting experiments are not always successful, but he deserves the points when most of his peers use readymade formulas to make big bucks.

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The concept of 'Chup' alone is worth the price of admission, even if the execution turns out to be clumsy. The film gets enough things right for it to be an oft-interesting-and-never-boring film. It will also probably kick off a debate about critiquing works of art (if we consider films works of art, that is) -- something, I presume, the writers (Balki, Raja Sen, and Rishi Virmani) intended.&nbsp;

A serial killer is loose on the rain-drenched streets of Bandra, Mumbai, and this one is pretty finicky. He (or she?) only murders film critics. And his modus operandi is brutal, almost vengeful. The corpses are found, in different cases, slashed as though by a coked-up wolverine, cut in half a railway track, and in one case, the major internal organs are removed. The killings appear to echo the metaphors used in the reviews.&nbsp;

&nbsp;(it's like R Balki is daring us critics to give 'Chup' bad reviews)

The culprit does have one thing going for them. They are fair. They target those critics too who they believe are over-generous with their star ratings. A movie called 'Kalinga', an expensive spectacle and little else (a reference to 'Kalank', no doubt) is effusively praised by the fearful critics, one of whom is killed anyway.

So who is this picky killer? Is it a disgruntled filmmaker? Or one of their fanatics? Or just a psychopath who believes film critics should not exist. This is the question Inspector General Arvind Mathur (a refreshingly understated Sunny Deol) is tasked to answer.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-chup-movie-review-dulquer-salmaan-sunny-deols-film-may-silence-most-of-its-critics-518916">'Chup' movie review: Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Deol's film may silence most of its critics</a>

One other subplot follows a gentle but lonely florist Danny who has a habit of talking to himself. He falls in love with entertainment reporter Nila Menon (a brilliant Shreya Dhanwanthary, who also played a journalist called Sucheta Dalal in 'Scam 1992'), after spotting that she, too, talks to herself (yes!).&nbsp;

Eventually, these two threads coalesce, as they must.

'Chup' is not really a murder mystery, which the trailers had led me to think. The film does not even try to hide the person who has acquired the status of bogeyman for the film critics. Or at least I think that is the case. That would have been fine by me. But the movie tries to cram too many ideas into its plot, which is way more than it can handle. It is, simultaneously, many things -- a tribute to Guru Dutt, a police procedural, a thriller, a meditation on the art of film criticism, and even a bit of a character study. In the end, it fails at being any of those. For instance, Arvind, despite Sunny really nailing the role that requires him to be more subtle than he likely wanted, comes across as something of a dunce for a high-ranking police officer (I am sure that wasn't the attention).&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/critically-speaking-has-dulquer-salmaan-delivered-his-career-best-in-chup-519144">Critically Speaking: Has Dulquer Salmaan delivered his career best in 'Chup'?</a>

There are moments when 'Chup' throws up a few interesting questions and then leaves one hanging. Also, for an out-and-out psychopathic serial killer, the script goes too long a way into explaining why they became what they became -- the rough childhood, the abusive parent, the dead dog, and so. Oh, the poor thing. One character even says something like, "It's no surprise then they turned into a serial killer." It's not just off-putting, but also rather quotidian.

There are, of course, a lot of things to like here, which is why I said earlier that the movie is never boring even when it stumbles. The performances are excellent all around. Deol, Salmaan, and Dhanwanthary are all pretty great. Cinematographer Vishal Sinha, going along with the movie's throughline, makes Mumbai even more beautifully cinematic than it is during Monsoons. The visuals are quite lovely, and well-complemented by Aman Pant's score. The classic Hindi songs appear in the movie every now and then, and this reminded me of 'Bombay Rose', a stunning hand-animated feature that is, in my opinion, the finest tribute to Bollywood.&nbsp;

And finally, 'Chup' does succeed in bringing out the fraught relationship between filmmakers and critics. So, that's it. This film is largely watchable but is not as profound as it thinks it is. 
&nbsp;

Film criticism is a strange job these days. If one takes a cursory glance at Rotten Tomatoes pages of some of the recent crowd-pleasing movies, Bollywood or otherwise, there is a huge gulf between the critics' ratings and the audiences' ratings.

Film criticism is a strange job these days. If one takes a cursory glance at Rotten Tomatoes pages of some of the recent crowd-pleasing movies, Bollywood or otherwise, there is a huge gulf between the critics' ratings and the audiences' ratings. On social media sites, particularly Twitter, if critics end up giving a negative review to a well-loved movie, trolls heap abuse -- it's a given at this point. There is a certain lack of trust here. And R Balki uses that in his latest, 'Chup: Revenge of the Artist'. Balki is worth admiring for always trying to do something different with each film. The resulting experiments are not always successful, but he deserves the points when most of his peers use readymade formulas to make big bucks. The concept of 'Chup' alone is worth the price of admission, even if the execution turns out to be clumsy. The film gets enough things right for it to be an oft-interesting-and-never-boring film. It will also probably kick off a debate about critiquing works of art (if we consider films works of art, that is) -- something, I presume, the writers (Balki, Raja Sen, and Rishi Virmani) intended. A serial killer is loose on the rain-drenched streets of Bandra, Mumbai, and this one is pretty finicky. He (or she?) only murders film critics. And his modus operandi is brutal, almost vengeful. The corpses are found, in different cases, slashed as though by a coked-up wolverine, cut in half a railway track, and in one case, the major internal organs are removed. The killings appear to echo the metaphors used in the reviews. (it's like R Balki is daring us critics to give 'Chup' bad reviews) The culprit does have one thing going for them. They are fair. They target those critics too who they believe are over-generous with their star ratings. A movie called 'Kalinga', an expensive spectacle and little else (a reference to 'Kalank', no doubt) is effusively praised by the fearful critics, one of whom is killed anyway. So who is this picky killer? Is it a disgruntled filmmaker? Or one of their fanatics? Or just a psychopath who believes film critics should not exist. This is the question Inspector General Arvind Mathur (a refreshingly understated Sunny Deol) is tasked to answer. Also Read: 'Chup' movie review: Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Deol's film may silence most of its critics One other subplot follows a gentle but lonely florist Danny who has a habit of talking to himself. He falls in love with entertainment reporter Nila Menon (a brilliant Shreya Dhanwanthary, who also played a journalist called Sucheta Dalal in 'Scam 1992'), after spotting that she, too, talks to herself (yes!). Eventually, these two threads coalesce, as they must. 'Chup' is not really a murder mystery, which the trailers had led me to think. The film does not even try to hide the person who has acquired the status of bogeyman for the film critics. Or at least I think that is the case. That would have been fine by me. But the movie tries to cram too many ideas into its plot, which is way more than it can handle. It is, simultaneously, many things -- a tribute to Guru Dutt, a police procedural, a thriller, a meditation on the art of film criticism, and even a bit of a character study. In the end, it fails at being any of those. For instance, Arvind, despite Sunny really nailing the role that requires him to be more subtle than he likely wanted, comes across as something of a dunce for a high-ranking police officer (I am sure that wasn't the attention). Watch | Critically Speaking: Has Dulquer Salmaan delivered his career best in 'Chup'? There are moments when 'Chup' throws up a few interesting questions and then leaves one hanging. Also, for an out-and-out psychopathic serial killer, the script goes too long a way into explaining why they became what they became -- the rough childhood, the abusive parent, the dead dog, and so. Oh, the poor thing. One character even says something like, "It's no surprise then they turned into a serial killer." It's not just off-putting, but also rather quotidian. There are, of course, a lot of things to like here, which is why I said earlier that the movie is never boring even when it stumbles. The performances are excellent all around. Deol, Salmaan, and Dhanwanthary are all pretty great. Cinematographer Vishal Sinha, going along with the movie's throughline, makes Mumbai even more beautifully cinematic than it is during Monsoons. The visuals are quite lovely, and well-complemented by Aman Pant's score. The classic Hindi songs appear in the movie every now and then, and this reminded me of 'Bombay Rose', a stunning hand-animated feature that is, in my opinion, the finest tribute to Bollywood. And finally, 'Chup' does succeed in bringing out the fraught relationship between filmmakers and critics. So, that's it. This film is largely watchable but is not as profound as it thinks it is.

'Chup' is a beautiful, well-acted film, but squanders a lot of interesting ideas

'Chup'

Oh, the joy of watching a film about film reviewers! Actually, R Balki's slasher film 'Chup: Revenge Of The Artist' is equal parts interesting and equal parts scary.&nbsp;Entertaining because it's a refreshingly new story- which does a hat-tip to Guru Dutt and his last few films and manages to create an intriguing premise for the viewers. Scary because it has a psychopath killing film critics and giving them ratings based in their last review. i should probably word this article well, lest it is taken literally much like the film and my fate is decided accordingly.

In meta-esque 'Chup', R Balki writes a love letter to Hindi cinema and also highlights the love-hate relationship that makers share with film critics who with their writing and verdict can make it break a film and the hard work that goes behind making it.

The plot of 'Chup'&nbsp;

Set in Mumbai, the film opens with a noted film critic found gruesomely murdered at his home. As investigative officer Arvind Mathur (Sunny Deol) sets out to figure out the motive behind the murder, two more film critics are killed. All have stars etched bloodily on their forehead. Meanwhile, a young entertainment reporter Nila Menon(Shreya Dhanwanthary) finds herself falling for her neighbourhood florist Danny(Dulquer Salmaan). Nila is passionate about cinema and aspires to be a film critic eventually. And while she finds herself drawn to the mysterious Danny, who seems to be clueless about films, the police approach her for help to nab the killer who Mathur is sure will strike again as he/she is a 'critic of the critics'

The killer can be anyone, the motive is unknown and even though the police narrow it down to an angry filmmaker or actor, or a producer, it's difficult to identify the exact person as the killer leaves no trace.

Written by Balki who has co-written the screenplay with Raja Sen(film critic himself) and Rishi Virmani, 'Chup' draws inspiration from Guru Dutt's last film- a failure called Kagaz Ke Phool' and 'Pyaasa' - another dud and uses it as a metaphor on several occasions. It also takes in instances from the cutthroat world of media where several reviewers are quick to pass judgment and are not always honest in order to get views or maximum clicks.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V51sMMFMWqg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The curse of second half

A good slasher film usually keeps the viewer hooked till the end. While 'Chup' manages to do just that, there isn't much of an element of surprise in the very linear narrative. Perhaps the build-up to the plot was such that I had hoped for some major twists. But in the second half, the film trudges toward the love story more and the slasher film becomes more of a drama. By the time of the climax, the film becomes quite predictable and you know how it will pan out.&nbsp; 
 
Despite, a sluggish second half, 'Chup' is definitely worth a watch. Primarily for its cast, its camera work, and its unique story.&nbsp;

The performances 
 
The performances in the film truly are praiseworthy. Dulquer as Danny with a split personality of sorts is stupendous. The role will go down in history as one of his career-best for sure. Dulquer manages to strike a balance with his portrayal of Danny who is vulnerable, slightly weird, and strangely mysterious. Complementing him is Sherya Dhanwanthary, who after 'Scam 1992' has now aced the modern, big city journalist role. Shreya makes her Nila look almost like an extension of herself and is natural throughout.&nbsp; 
 
It is refreshing to watch Sunny Deol in a film after ages. Restrained but quick-witted, Deol's Arvind Mathur brings in a certain calmness to the eerie premise overall. There is also Pooja Bhatt in an extended cameo. The ensemble cast makes Chup a very interesting film to watch.&nbsp; 
 
The film also has amazing camera work by Vishal Sinha who captures Mumbai's Bandra area in all its glory. Poetic and sublime, 'Chup' elevates because of its beautiful shots of Mumbai. While Amit Trivedi and Sneha Khanwalkar provide beautiful tunes, it is the usage of SD Burman's beautiful songs in Guru Dutt's films that stand out. Classics like 'Jaane Kya Tune Kahi' and 'Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaari' are beautifully incorporated into the story.&nbsp; 
 
I recommend you to watch 'Chup: Revenge of the Artist'. It's an original story, slightly quirky, and has good performances from the entire cast. Guru Dut and SD Burman's songs are just the cherries on top.

Oh, the joy of watching a film about film reviewers! Actually, R Balki's slasher film 'Chup: Revenge Of The Artist' is equal parts interesting and equal parts scary.

Oh, the joy of watching a film about film reviewers! Actually, R Balki's slasher film 'Chup: Revenge Of The Artist' is equal parts interesting and equal parts scary. Entertaining because it's a refreshingly new story- which does a hat-tip to Guru Dutt and his last few films and manages to create an intriguing premise for the viewers. Scary because it has a psychopath killing film critics and giving them ratings based in their last review. i should probably word this article well, lest it is taken literally much like the film and my fate is decided accordingly. In meta-esque 'Chup', R Balki writes a love letter to Hindi cinema and also highlights the love-hate relationship that makers share with film critics who with their writing and verdict can make it break a film and the hard work that goes behind making it. The plot of 'Chup' Set in Mumbai, the film opens with a noted film critic found gruesomely murdered at his home. As investigative officer Arvind Mathur (Sunny Deol) sets out to figure out the motive behind the murder, two more film critics are killed. All have stars etched bloodily on their forehead. Meanwhile, a young entertainment reporter Nila Menon(Shreya Dhanwanthary) finds herself falling for her neighbourhood florist Danny(Dulquer Salmaan). Nila is passionate about cinema and aspires to be a film critic eventually. And while she finds herself drawn to the mysterious Danny, who seems to be clueless about films, the police approach her for help to nab the killer who Mathur is sure will strike again as he/she is a 'critic of the critics' The killer can be anyone, the motive is unknown and even though the police narrow it down to an angry filmmaker or actor, or a producer, it's difficult to identify the exact person as the killer leaves no trace. Written by Balki who has co-written the screenplay with Raja Sen(film critic himself) and Rishi Virmani, 'Chup' draws inspiration from Guru Dutt's last film- a failure called Kagaz Ke Phool' and 'Pyaasa' - another dud and uses it as a metaphor on several occasions. It also takes in instances from the cutthroat world of media where several reviewers are quick to pass judgment and are not always honest in order to get views or maximum clicks. The curse of second half A good slasher film usually keeps the viewer hooked till the end. While 'Chup' manages to do just that, there isn't much of an element of surprise in the very linear narrative. Perhaps the build-up to the plot was such that I had hoped for some major twists. But in the second half, the film trudges toward the love story more and the slasher film becomes more of a drama. By the time of the climax, the film becomes quite predictable and you know how it will pan out. Despite, a sluggish second half, 'Chup' is definitely worth a watch. Primarily for its cast, its camera work, and its unique story. The performances The performances in the film truly are praiseworthy. Dulquer as Danny with a split personality of sorts is stupendous. The role will go down in history as one of his career-best for sure. Dulquer manages to strike a balance with his portrayal of Danny who is vulnerable, slightly weird, and strangely mysterious. Complementing him is Sherya Dhanwanthary, who after 'Scam 1992' has now aced the modern, big city journalist role. Shreya makes her Nila look almost like an extension of herself and is natural throughout. It is refreshing to watch Sunny Deol in a film after ages. Restrained but quick-witted, Deol's Arvind Mathur brings in a certain calmness to the eerie premise overall. There is also Pooja Bhatt in an extended cameo. The ensemble cast makes Chup a very interesting film to watch. The film also has amazing camera work by Vishal Sinha who captures Mumbai's Bandra area in all its glory. Poetic and sublime, 'Chup' elevates because of its beautiful shots of Mumbai. While Amit Trivedi and Sneha Khanwalkar provide beautiful tunes, it is the usage of SD Burman's beautiful songs in Guru Dutt's films that stand out. Classics like 'Jaane Kya Tune Kahi' and 'Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaari' are beautifully incorporated into the story. I recommend you to watch 'Chup: Revenge of the Artist'. It's an original story, slightly quirky, and has good performances from the entire cast. Guru Dut and SD Burman's songs are just the cherries on top.