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Vadh

9 December 2022Hindi1h 50mPart 1 of the Vadh series

What critics are saying

Critical reception for Vadh is mixed, with most reviewers converging on the strength of its two lead performances.

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Not streaming in India

Shambhunath Mishra, a retired middle school teacher is living a mundane middle-class life with his wife Manju Mishra in Gwalior. Life takes a complete turn for the Mishra family when a situation gets out of hand and it leads to a killing at the hands of Shambhunath Mishra. Mishra ji has very little time to plan cautiously to turn this into a “perfect murder” and leave no trace behind.

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for Vadh is mixed, with most reviewers converging on the strength of its two lead performances. Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta are widely credited with elevating the film, with multiple critics noting their convincing portrayal of burdened, small-town parents. On the negative side, critics point to a sluggish and unengaging first half, a somewhat tidy resolution, and a lack of psychological nuance — particularly the absence of doubt or remorse in its central character following the act of killing.

4 rated reviews · 2 positive · 2 negative

Praised: Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta performancesCriticised: Lack of psychological nuance and depth

AI-generated summary of 5 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (5)

Updated
Shubhra GuptaTop Critic· Indian Express
4.0
“'Vadh' plays out like a Manohar Kahani, a pulpy tale of murder, where an unlikely killer does away with a bad guy in the most gruesome manner possible. But what we don't get is nuance: the sharp edged weapon is wielded bluntly, not just in this part, but through the film. What happens to a good human when he uses his hands to take a life? We get neither doubt nor even the hint of remorse.”
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Amit Bhatia· ABPLive
8.0
“Vadh is a thriller film. Sanjay Mishra has given a powerful performance in it.”
Auto-translated from Hindi
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“वध एक थ्रिलर फिल्म है. इसमें संजय मिश्रा ने दमदार एक्टिंग की है.”
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Dhaval Roy· Times Of India
7.0
“Director-writer duo Jaspal Singh Sandhu and Rajeev Barnwal's outing is an interesting crossover between small-town, slice-of-life cinema and edgy thriller. Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta's powerful performances enhance the Mishras' relatable world and struggles, with Sanjay's pivot into action being stellar. Those who like realistic cinema and thrillers will have a great viewing experience.”
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Taran Adarsh· Bollywood Hungama
4.0
“An edge-of-the-seat murder mystery, it keeps you guessing throughout as to who the killer is, and VADH scores for the identity of the killer is kept concealed till the climax. However, the first half is just about okay, with the romantic track between Nakul and Meghana Kothari not being exciting, though the goings-on pick up in the second half.”
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Sonal Pandya· Hindustan Times
Not rated
“Vadh rests on the shoulders of Sanjay and Neena who wonderfully portray the anguish of disappointed parents. While the ending seems a little too neat, it serves the film up into its overall message with its justification for killing, for the right reasons. Sanjay and Neena salvage Vadh with their dignified performances.”
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Cast & Crew

Cast

Details

Release Date
9 December 2022
Runtime
1h 50m
Language
Hindi

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