Besides
Abbas-Mustan,
Sanjay
Gupta
has
attempted
interesting
thrillers
in
the
past.
His
new
outing,
Acid
Factory,
directed
by
Suparn
Verma,
is
a
cat
'n'
mouse
chase
that
will
have
you
on
edge
of
the
seat
as
it
unfolds.
Inspired
by
Hollywood
film
Unknown,
Acid
Factory
is
engaging
in
most
parts.
Also,
it's
well
adapted
to
suit
Indian
sensibilities.
It
starts
off
strong
enough
and
keeps
the
momentum
going
till
the
end,
though,
of
course,
it
goes
back
and
forth
at
times
and
that
could
get
a
bit
confusing.
Acid
Factory
demands
your
attention
from
the
very
start.
The
viewer
ought
to
stay
alert
and
watch
the
goings-on
carefully.
Even
if
you
blink,
chances
are
you
may
miss
a
vital
link
and
the
subsequent
portions
may
not
work
for
you
since
there's
something
happening
every
minute.
At
the
same
time,
Acid
Factory
has
its
share
of
loose
ends.
The
climax,
for
instance,
could've
been
more
impactful.
Also,
the
concept
is
too
urbane
and
holds
appeal
for
the
urban
youth,
who've
a
penchant
for
slick
thrillers.
Final
word?
Acid
Factory
is
a
well-crafted,
well
executed
film
with
the
ensemble
cast
pitching
in
competent
performances.
A
man
(Fardeen
Khan)
wakes
up
in
a
deserted
factory
surrounded
by
several
other
seemingly
dead
men.
He
has
absolutely
no
memory
of
who
he
is
or
how
he
got
there
and
he
is
unable
to
get
out.
Before
too
long,
the
others
(Aftab
Shivdasani,
Dino
Morea,
Manoj
Bajpayee,
Danny
Denzongpa,
Diya
Mirza)
wake
up
and
they
all
have
amnesia
too.
All
they
know
is
that
some
of
them
have
been
shot,
one
is
tied
to
a
chair,
a
third
is
hanging
by
his
wrist,
which
is
handcuffed
to
a
railing...
It
is
eventually
discovered
that
they
have
lost
their
memory
because
of
gas
leaked
from
a
container.
Much
later,
they
figure
out
that
two
of
them
have
been
kidnapped
by
the
other
three.
Who
are
the
kidnappers
and
who
are
their
victims?
Meanwhile,
the
police
are
tracking
a
sinister
man
(Irrfan
Khan),
while
a
worried
wife
(Neha)
desperately
searches
for
her
husband.
Acid
Factory
has
enough
going
for
it,
thanks
to
its
premise
which
is
intriguing.
But
the
plot
is
such
that
it
takes
time
to
come
to
the
point.
There's
not
much
happening
in
the
first
hour,
except
the
fact
that
everyone's
clueless
about
their
identity
and
how
they
seem
trapped
in
a
dilapidated
factory.
But
the
answers
start
flowing
in
the
second
hour.
The
answers
come
quick
and
the
reasons
why
they
are
trapped
are
also
justified.
But,
as
mentioned
earlier,
the
conclusion
could've
been
as
realistic
like
the
rest
of
the
proceedings.
Also,
the
track
of
the
harried
wife
trying
to
trace
her
husband
isn't
too
convincing.
This
is
Suparn
Verma's
second
film
as
a
director
and
midway
through
the
film,
you
realise
that
Suparn
has
grown
as
a
storyteller.
The
film
bears
a
slick
look
and
also,
the
narrative
holds
your
attention
for
most
parts.
Cinematography
is
top
notch.
So
is
the
sound
design.
Tinu
Verma's
stunts
and
chase
sequences
deserve
distinction
marks.
Every
actor
pitches
in
an
effortless
performance.
They
aren't
putting
on
an
act.
The
film
has
an
assorted
mix
of
experienced
and
accomplished
actors
(Danny
Denzongpa,
Manoj
Bajpayee
and
Irrfan
Khan)
and
yet-to-reach-there
actors
(Fardeen
Khan,
Aftab
Shivdasani,
Dino
Morea
and
Diya
Mirza)
and
each
display
confidence
in
their
respective
parts.
Neha
doesn't
get
scope,
while
Gulshan
Grover
is
as
usual.
On
the
whole,
Acid
Factory
is
a
slick
thriller
that
has
an
interesting
premise
and
also
super
stunts
and
chase
sequences
as
its
trump
cards.
The
film
is
targeted
at
the
urban
youth,
especially
those
who
relish
thrillers.
Of
course,
the
film
will
have
to
storm
the
dull
pre-Diwali
period
which
might
curtail
its
prospects
to
an
extent
despite
decent
merits
and
also,
the
three
biggies
that
arrive
next
Friday.
Producer:
Sanjay
Gupta
Directed:
Suparn
Verma
Cast:
Fardeen
Khan,
Diya
Mirza,
Irrfan
Khan,
Manoj
Bajpai,
Dino
Morea,
Aftab
Shivdasani,
Danny
Denzongpa