Love Hostel Movie Review: Bobby Deol Makes Your Stay Worthwhile With His 'Killer' Act

Story

Love Hostel begins on an ominous note where a newly-wed couple is seen recording a video message in which the bride informs her family that she has got married to her beau against their wishes. Cut to the lovebirds meet a tragic end at the hands of a ruthless mercenary Dagar (Bobby Deol).

The film then shifts to another interfaith couple Ashu Shaukeen (Vikrant Massey), a Muslim Jatt and Jyoti Dilawar (Sanya Malhotra), a Hindu girl who elope with the help of their teacher (played by Shreya Dhanwanthary) and register their marriage in a local court.

Fearing their lives might be in danger, the couple seeks help from the cops who shift them to a dingy hostel which is a district police safe home. When Jyoti's grandmother who holds the political influence in the state learns of her elopement, she hires Dagar to hunt down the runaway couple.

She asks him to bring the girl back home alive so that she can strangulate her with her bare hands for bringing disgrace to the family's honour. The evil assassin sets out in search of Aashu and Jyoti leaving behind a pile of dead bodies. Will the star-crossed lovers meet a tragic end like others?

Direction

Director Shankar Raman who made his directorial debut with the dark and gritty neo-noir thriller Gurgaon in 2016, touches upon some hard-hitting themes like honour killing, love jihad and others in Love Hostel. While he handles them with sensitivity, he doesn't sink his teeth deep enough to leave a lasting imprint.

Shankar Raman along with his co-writers Mehak Jamal and Yogi Singha introduce you to a dark, twisted world where there's barely any light moment. Further, some of the dialogues might have stirred a controversy if the film had taken the theatrical route. The fact that Love Hostel is an OTT release helps the director in maintaining the authenticity of the narrative and take some bold steps.

On the flip side, Love Hostel does have its moments of weakness where the screenplay struggles to stay on its feet. A subplot involving a cop is left unexplored. As a result of a few misfires, the climatic punch fizzles and fails to yield the desired impact.

Performances

Vikrant Massey as Ashu/Ahmed Shoukeen delivers a sincere performance. What makes his character relatable is that he is devoid of heroic stunts and has his own demons to confront after he takes a bold plunge in love. Sanya Malhotra who last charmed everyone in Rajinikanth style in Meenakshi Sundareshwar, pulls off another impressive act as the firebrand, Jyoti Dilawar. She's at her expressive best even when the scenes are mundane.

But the person who steals the show in Love Hostel is Bobby Deol. As a cold-blooded assassin who believes that he is cleansing the society by eliminating interfaith couples, the actor sends shivers down your spine. With deranged mind that makes him a ruthless killing machine, Bobby's character Dagar embodies the repercussions of communalism. Shreya Dhanwanthary does a good job. Raj Arjun suffers from a poorly written role.

Technical Aspects

Vivek Shah's cinematography captures the blood and gory in a rivetting way. The editing by Nitin Baid and Shan Mohammed is taut which makes the film crisp most of the time.

Music

The film has only one song 'Chali Aa' which is a part of the narrative. Clinton Cerejo's background score adds more to the intensity in Love Hostel.

Verdict

Looking at a dingy building, Jyoti mockingly tells Ashu, "Hamara Taj Mahal." To this, the latter replies, "Yeh bhoot bangla tane Taj Mahal dikhehey?" Amid all the blood and violence, Love Hostel has a pulsating heart which screams love. A part of it kills too.