Shastra Movie Review : A gripping thriller with an unexpected twist

Story: A college student’s life takes an unexpected turn when her morphed photos go viral, prompting an investigation by the Cyber Crime Cell of Gujarat Police. The team, led by ACP Raghav (Chetan Dhanani), faces unprecedented challenges, and the ensuing cat and mouse game keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Director Kartaviya Shah deftly introduces an unexpected twist during the climax.

Review: The film starts with a shocking sequence of events, as several people lose their lives due to a well-coordinated cyberattack. However, not everything is like what they seem to be on the surface. Charmy (Priyal Bhatt) and Maan (Shrey Maradiya) share a cute onscreen chemistry, while ACP Raghav (Chetan Dhanani) and Vaidehi’s (Puja Joshi) love story also gives viewers some likable moments. The story takes a while to pick up pace, but once it does, especially in the second half, the film keeps viewers hooked and raises important questions about cyber safety. Both Chetan and Puja put in good performances, ably supported by Priyal, Shrey and Hemin Trivedi. Deep Vaidya is one of the surprise packages in the film and plays an interesting character. The twist at the end is a big plus. While the pace is a bit inconsistent at times, with good performances from the cast, this film should be on your list if you are fond of thrillers. Some of the smart one-liners, like one referring to Akshay Kumar’s habit of sleeping early, manage to induce laughs. Gheli Thai Jaaun, a garba song sung by Aishwarya Majmudar, is soothing and is likely to emerge as one of the favourites this Navratri.