Sometimes,
you
miss
out
on
a
few
movies
due
to
their
uninspiring
promotion.
You're
so
put
off
by
the
quality
of
promos/posters/billboards
that
you
are
in
no
mood
to
leave
everything
and
rush
to
the
nearby
cineplex.
There're
times
when
inadequate
publicity
also
plays
a
vital
role
in
keeping
the
moviegoers
away
from
theatres.
Uninspiring
promotion
as
also
an
unsung
release
goes
against
Bhram
largely.
Honestly
speaking,
Bhram,
helmed
by
Pavan
Kaul,
is
engaging
in
parts.
The
film
holds
your
attention
intermittently,
but
the
writing
gets
too
predictable
in
the
latter
reels.
The
problem
is,
the
incidents
leading
to
the
culmination
appear
to
be
a
complete
compromise
from
the
writing
point
of
view.
Let's
explain.
In
Bhram,
director
Pavan
Kaul
doesn't
open
the
cards
at
the
very
outset.
You've
to
be
alert
to
grasp
things
since
the
past
and
present
move
concurrently
in
the
first
hour,
which,
let's
face
it,
tends
to
get
confusing
at
times.
It's
only
at
the
interval
point
that
you
exclaim,
'Okay,
got
it'
and
you
look
forward
to
the
second
hour
with
enthusiasm.
Any
thriller
works
if
the
culmination
hits
you
like
a
ton
of
bricks.
In
Bhram,
it
doesn't.
The
ending
is
so
tame,
so
hackneyed
that
you
know
the
answers
even
before
they're
spelt
out
on
screen.
That's
when
the
impact
evaporates
into
thin
air!
Antra
[Sheetal
Menon]
is
a
successful
model,
but
is
hiding
behind
the
veil
of
a
traumatic
past.
Shantanu
[Dino
Morea]
is
initially
attracted
to
Antra,
who
snubs
him
initially,
but
the
two
develop
a
strong
bond
subsequently.
Things
take
a
dramatic
turn
when
Antra
is
introduced
to
Devendra
[Milind
Soman],
Shantanu's
elder
brother.
The
wounds
re-open
and
the
skeleton
tumbles
out
of
the
closet...
Pavan
Kaul
has
managed
to
lay
his
hands
on
an
intriguing
story,
but
the
writers
let
him
down.
While
the
first
hour
isn't
faulty,
things
go
awry
in
the
second
hour.
When
Dino
lands
up
in
Manali
to
experience
the
truth,
he
meets
a
series
of
people
who
were
present
on
the
fateful
day.
Now
note
this:
Everyone
seems
to
be
talking
of
the
birthday
party,
but
the
incident
never
takes
place
then.
It
happens
at
a
time
when
only
the
young
kid
is
a
witness.
So
how
would
the
entire
town
know
what
really
transpired?
The
assorted
people
Dino
meets
in
Manali
are
suddenly
told
to
keep
their
mouth
shut.
Wait,
a
still
photographer
is
murdered
as
well.
The
question
is,
how
does
the
key
culprit
[name
withheld]
enjoy
such
clout
in
an
altogether
different
state,
when,
in
the
first
place,
people
blame
him
for
the
rape
and
death?
Clearly,
the
writers
[writer:
Bhavani
Iyer,
screenplay-dialogue:
Radhika
Anand]
don't
know
how
to
culminate
matters.
Incidentally,
the
dialogues
are
too
hot
to
handle.
Sure,
it's
right
to
change
with
the
times,
one
doesn't
argue
that,
but
why
so
many
words
and
terms
which
are
in
poor
taste?
Not
required!
As
a
storyteller,
Pavan
Kaul
has
chosen
an
interesting
story
and
the
execution
of
the
subject
supersedes
his
earlier
efforts.
He
has
handled
a
few
sequences
with
maturity,
especially
the
finale
[filmed
on
a
breath-taking
location].
But
why
the
sepia
effect
in
most
parts
of
the
film?
Not
needed!
Music
[Pritam,
Siddharth-Suhas]
is
quite
okay,
although
the
songs
aren't
too
popular
and
therefore,
don't
come
easy
on
your
lips.
Cinematography
[Hiroo
Keshwani]
is
first-rate.
Editing
[K.
Rajgopal]
is
loose.
The
film
should
be
tightened
by
at
least
15
minutes.
Milind
Soman
gives
a
decent
account
of
himself.
There
wouldn't
be
a
reason
to
dislike
him.
Dino
Morea
carries
off
his
part
with
sincerity.
The
vulnerable
look
comes
across
well
at
places.
Sheetal
Menon
fits
the
role.
Simone
Singh
is
first-rate.
Chetan
Hansraj
is
strictly
okay.
Sheetal
Shah
is
hardly
there.
Ditto
for
Deepshikha.
On
the
whole,
Bhram
has
an
interesting
story
to
tell,
but
lack
of
hype,
face-value
and
uninspiring
promotion
will
hit
the
business
hard.