Released Date : 4 Aug, 2023
Avg. User's Rating : 3.5/5
Lomad's Story: Ex-lovers Abhinav and Rhea meet after a decade and travel through a secluded forest for a special occasion. But things take a dark turn when their car breaks down and an unfortunate incident foils their plans. Will they survive the next incident?
Lomad Review: A trapped couple falling prey to villainous characters and disastrous encounters is a trope often used in thriller movies. But director Hemwant Tiwari uses it as a premise to reveal that even gentle people have a lomad (fox) in them, who comes out when someone opposes them. The audience sees it in Abhi (Hemwant Tiwari), a good guy who decides to help a man even if it means getting himself and Riya (Aroshika Dey) in trouble and refuses to harm a corrupt and notorious cop (Parimal Aloke). Even if he gets a chance, he ruins his life. But its action is not so much in different situations.
Rhea puts herself first in every situation and despite being married will not shy away from killing someone or leaving a dead person on the roadside to avoid being caught with another man. The same goes for Abhi's wife Naina (Teertha Moorbadkar), whose apologetic and humble demeanor goes out the window when she feels conflicted, even though she is guilty.
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'Lomad' is the first movie to be shot in black-and-white tone in a single shot (97 continuous minutes). Hemwant and cinematographer Supratim Bhole show their craft, especially when the movie transitions from the present to the later—a difficult subject to pull off without a cut. There are many loopholes in the outing that make the narrative often unpredictable, but something one can overlook considering the single-take nature of the movie. It's a moderately paced watch, but some sequences seem a bit overstretched (to describe any would be spoilers as the film often has surprises and twists).
As a writer-director, Hemwant Tiwari has a good grip on his character and Riya plays believably as a helpless victim bewildered by sudden outbursts or encounters with the police and later Naina. His character arc is fascinating, as Abhi is a devoted husband, a great father and a moral man, yet he makes some unorthodox choices. Parimal Alok evokes hatred and makes one cry with his villainous performance. Aroshikha Dey delivers a solid performance, and Teerth Murbadkar is decent in his small role. With no retakes to fall back on, the actors deserve praise for their performances.
A little over an hour and a half, 'Lomad' will appeal to you if you like festive films. Considering its low budget and single-shot filming, it's worth seeing how a filmmaker can present a dark and compelling story despite the limitations. The film has limited screenings, so catch a show early!
