Shaque

I had never heard of this film before and only came across the title by chance. Vikas Desai and Aruna Raje's 'Shaque' is quite an intense thriller that is a little ahead of its time. I don't know whether the film did well at the time right after its release but I was surprised at its quality. The story felt Hitchcockian (perhaps it's loosely based on Hitchcock's 'Suspicion') even though the execution could have been better (as the lighting is poor and cinematography is flat).

The directors and actors really succeed in building the tension and while a suspicious Meena is tormented as she tries to figure out the truth, the viewer too is left questioning Vinod's innocence. The suspicion grows stronger as the story proceeds. I liked that the songs were set in the background instead of having them appear out of nowhere and slowing the pace.

A spellbinding Shabana Azmi pretty much carries the film. The ending was slightly overdone but it wasn't bad enough to ruin the film. Vinod Khanna too does an excellent job as the suspected husband who fails to convince Meena of his innocence. Bindu, Farida Jalal and Utpal Dutt provide great support.

'Shaque' is a cleverly written, suspenseful, well acted and underrated film that deserves to be watched. Even among today's Hindi thrillers, it stands high.