Story: 'Parastri' which roughly translates to English as "Paramour" is an Indo-Nepali film that revolves around a perverted fetish of a man and his wife's extra-marital affair.
Review: The celibate premise has been done to death in Indian cinema, but with it come aspiring filmmakers, who feel they have more to offer - in the form of lust and dare we say, necrophilia! A marriage on the rocks involving the attractive and alluring Abhaya (Shilpa Maski) and the confused Biswas (Jhaken BC), turns into a sick story of abuse, violence and murder.
While the husband is away at work, adultery is going on at home, with young Ayan (Gaurav Bista) seducing Abhya at the local gym. Making romantic overtures to his bored wife on the radio show he hosts, he manages to take her to the mountains in his bullet, where one of the movie's two forgotten songs unfolds. The clichéd lyrics of "Aankan Mein Ho Tu" against the backdrop of rivers and rocks seem like throwbacks to old filmy musical sequences.
But then, the film abruptly returns to the narrative, where a love triangle leads to revelations and resentments, which, in turn, lead to a bloody conclusion.
What could be a better movie because of bad performances. The onscreen emotions leave a lot to be desired and the dialogues are sometimes stilted, especially when characters break into offensive English. Love is slightly better executed than anger, but most of the words and gestures are disappointing. The use of mirrors as a motif to express emotions, from the inspirational to the humorous.
Modest production qualities and a predictable screenplay don't help much. The music is strictly passable, which should ideally be strong given that it's a crime and emotional story.
Overall, Parastry is predictable and not very original. If you've got two hours to kill and you're in the mood for some twisted sex fetishes and gore, 'Parastri' might be of some use to you. But like most mediocre Indian movies, it lacks any real emotional resonance. Enter at your own risk.
