Ittefaq is crisp at 107 minutes, but not particularly brisk. It’s well shot and skillfully executed, but the big climactic twist is entirely unconvincing.

To me, the big and mysterious crime this film brings to light is the way Sidharth Malhotra now finds himself typecast as a novelist. It happened in Kapoor And Sons, and it happened here again, in this film that describes him as a “mashoor novelist” and where cops chase a murder suspect down the street yelling “Ei, writer!” as if it were an expletive. Then again, to those who make Hindi cinema these days, perhaps it is.

Do yourself a favour. Don’t watch this pale inert uninvolving remake. Watch the original.And see why Rajesh Khanna was the greatest star-actor ever.

If the lead actors: Sidharth Malhotra and Sonakshi Sinha weren’t so passionless in trying hard to be mysterious, this film could have been less painful to watch.

A formulaic whodunit sans intrigue…The non-linear narrative appears confusing and repetitive for the viewer.

We would have liked to give such a film (on the basis of its plot and its smart connection to the original film) a higher rating, but the plodding and uninteresting narration and flawed treatment make us remove one star and only acknowledge the effort made.