'The Buckingham Murders' review: Kareena Kapoor's understated performance fuels a slow-paced thriller that may test your patience | Bollywood

The Buckingham Murders' running time of about an hour and a half is that “tiny portion,” and the dish is a combination of the most unlikely minds coming together – Kareena Kapoor (as mainstream as it gets), Hansal Mehta (as realistic as it gets) and Ekta Kapoor (dramatic, what else). All three belong to different schools of thought, but they team up to produce a film that none of them have attempted before in their respective careers.

What the film is about

The story revolves around Sergeant Jasmeet “Jass” Bhamra (a wonderfully understated Kareena), who is grieving the loss of her young son Ekam (Mairaaj Kakkar). She is assigned the case of a missing boy, Ishpreet, who is about the same age as Ekam, and initially refuses to take it on. She is reminded that work is work and starts investigating. Daljeet Kohli (Ranveer Brar) and Preeti Kohli (Prabhleen Kaur), Ishpreet's parents, have a failed marriage. As the investigation intensifies after Ishpreet's death, new aspects emerge, leading us to a finale that, while not shocking, is impactful. To write more about the plot would be criminal (pun not intended).

What works

Set in Buckinghamshire, The Buckingham Murders is decidedly a slow-paced film. Hansal, being the talented filmmaker that he is, wraps up the film about Jasmeet's loss in the first five minutes, keeping the focus on the case at hand. The action is set against the backdrop of the Hindu-Muslim riots in Leicester 2022 following the India-Pakistan Asia Cricket Cup. This gives writer Aseem Arrora enough scope to come up with scenes and plot points that fit the tense situation. The film is not didactic, which is a relief. “Justice beats religion,” is the only takeaway.

The first half of the film takes time to build up, and you're not exactly thrilled until the intermission card pops up. In fact, I was surprised when it popped up just 40 minutes into the running time.

But once you return with your popcorn bowls to find out how Ishpreet died, things move along quickly. If you're a diehard Crime Patrol fan, you might guess right before the big reveal. That doesn't take away from the film, as it also touches on themes like drug abuse and gender identities.

Certificate of performance

Kareena is the heart of this film. After about 20 minutes, you forget that this is the same person who was portrayed so well as the constantly yapping Geet in Jab We Met or the money-hungry air hostess in her recent flick Crew. Kareena has just the right amount of pain and anger, except for the scene where she screams in frustration. It feels… like a tick on the list of 'things a frustrated mother must do in every film'. When things are subtle, like when she holds back her tears until the end, they are effective.

Also, Kareena's fame doesn't overshadow the story or the other characters, and that's important. Otherwise, self-financed films often become a means for actors to satisfy their vanity.

Ranveer Brar fits the role perfectly as the short-tempered Daljeet and shows his skills outside the kitchen as well. Prabhleen Kaur fits the role of the seemingly innocent Preeti Kohli perfectly. Kudos to Mukesh Chhabra and Shakyra Dowling – the casting directors for “The Buckingham Murders” for putting together a group of actors who do the role very well.

What doesn't work

The Buckingham Murder delivers on its promise. Yes, the story isn't something that will shock you to death. There aren't any big revelations that could be slipped into everyday conversations around the water cooler. The audience for such films is therefore, from a box office perspective, a niche one. Slow films rarely find widespread acceptance. We hope that changes.