36 Farmhouse: The Twist Is Not Thrilling Enough
Yogendra is freelance writer
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By Yogendra
First publised on 2022-02-05 07:03:49
About the Author
Yogendra is freelance writer
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36 Farmhouse (streaming on Zee5) has too much on the plate but since the main plot is predictable, it does not make for a gripping film. Further, as the story is placed during the first Covid lockdown, it takes place almost entirely in a huge farmhouse. But superb acting by Sanjay Mishra, Vijay Raaz and Amol Parashar makes it a good watch.
The farmhouse is owned by a matriarch Padmini Raj Singh (Madhuri Bhatia) who makes her will and leaves the entire property including the 300 acres of land to her eldest son Raunak (Vijay Raaz) who is a failed businessman living the life of luxury with his mother. His two other brothers do not like this. They send a lawyer to ask him to let him meet the mother and apprise her of their objection. But Raunak hits him with a mace and throws him in the well.
Meanwhile, Padmini's granddaughter Barkha, a dress designer, comes to the farmhouse. On the way, she picks up Hari Prasad (Amol Parashar), a talented tailor who she passes off as a fellow designer and her partner. Hari was at his wits end to reach his village, as was his father JP or Jaiprakash (Sanjay Mishra), who also enters the farmhouse with househelp Benny (Ashwini Kalsekar) by saying he is chef and has no family.
Once inside the farmhouse, the father and son duo keep up the pretence of not knowing each other but they discover the evil designs of Raunak. The rest of the story is how the murder mystery unfolds and how the rich like to get their way. The film tries to show the problems of the migrants during the lockdown and the class divide. A romance also blossoms between Barkha and Hari and is captured beautifully. But the twist in the end is not thrilling enough.
Sanjay Mishra is in his elements as the comic chef who has a habit of landing up at places at the wrong time. His comic timing is impeccable and he has the best lines. Vijay Raaz is suitably menacing as the son who will not let his brothers get a share in the property. Amol Parashar as the do-gooder is also good. The song Mohabbat is soulful and hummable and Mind Your Business, filmed on Sanjay Mishra is peppy.
