3 Storeys movie review: Great concept, fine performances, but drama is underutilized

RATING: 3/5

MOVIE: 3 Storeys

CAST: Renuka Shahane, Pulkit Samrat, Sharman Joshi, Masumeh Makhija, Richa Chadda, Aisha Ahmed, Ankit Rathi

DIRECTOR: Arjun Mukerjee

GENRE: Hindi drama

Bollywood has of late been breaking the norms and coming up with a number of unconventional films that may not ring loud at the box office, but has had an impact on the minds of viewers. 3 Storeys is one such movie. However, the makers of the film failed to utilize the full potential of the drama that unfolds.

STORYLINES

3 Storeys is a compilation of multiple stories of some people residing at a particular chawl in Mumbai. They all have dark pasts that eventually affect their present very strongly.

The first story involves Vilas Naik (Pulkit Samrat), whose hunt for a decent house brings him face to face with a cranky Christian old lady named Flora Mendonca (Renuka Shahane). What happens after he buys her mediocre-looking house for a highly inflated price of Rs 80 lakh is one of the best parts of the film.

The second story unfolds around Varsha Atre (Masumeh Makhija) and her alcoholic and abusive husband. Here the director shows how a woman, who has accepted her pathetic married life, changes drastically after she comes across an old lover (Shankar, played by Sharman Joshi) who is now married to her neighbor.

Then comes the story of a young couple — a Hindu girl played by Aisha Ahmed and a Muslim boy played by Ankit Rathi — who decides to elope after realizing that their parents will never let them get married to each other. A dark truth from the past that hits them eventually is completely a shocker.

Apart from these three stories, a young mysterious widow Leela (Richa Chadda), who is believed to have a bad character, has a story of her own, which develops in the climax.

PERFORMANCES

3 Storeys is filled with some excellent performances. All the actors in the film play their roles to perfection. The emotions portrayed are up to the mark, and look highly realistic. Renuka Shahane and Masumeh Makhija deserve special mention here.

POSITIVES

The director narrates all the stories in a very beautiful manner. Although each story is completely different from the other, the characters are still seen connected in one or the other way.

The performances are highly impressive, which makes the unique plot even more engaging. Despite being a mix of various stories with numerous transitions, the narration never gets complicated.

NEGATIVES

The climax of the movie is a little disappointing and abrupt. Also, the first story involving the characters of Renuka Samrat and Pulkit Shahane leaves some questions unanswered. The movie at certain points appears too slow.

VERDICT

3 Storeys is an interesting film with some small drawbacks. It may not appeal to the typical Bollywood audience, but you can go for it if you want to experience an unconventional Hindi movie with some fine performances and engrossing stories.

It had the potential of being a much more intriguing experience.