If the makers of Apurva had not aspired to be gritty and realistic, it might have come close to being a slasher film. This Disney+ Hotstar movie aims to make a feminist statement while highlighting the resilience of a courageous yet vulnerable woman confronting a group of ruthless men.
The film's introduction thrusts viewers into a chilling tale of brutality, as a quartet of men mercilessly attacks three travellers on a desolate highway in Chambal, plundering their valuables. Emboldened by their success, they embark on their next target, crossing paths with Apurva (Tara Sutaria), a young woman journeying by bus to Agra to surprise her banker boyfriend on his birthday.
Fate takes a cruel turn as Apurva's plans are shattered when she catches the attention of Sukhi (Abhishek Banerjee), a menacing gang member. The following scenes are crafted to unsettle and disturb the audience, immersing them in Apurva's harrowing ordeal.
The film seamlessly blends flashbacks of Apurva's life and her engagement with Sid (Dhairya Karwa) amidst the harrowing events, serving the dual purpose of character development and love story exposition while providing brief respites from the film's intensity.
While there are heartwarming moments between the two, particularly during Apurva's visit to Sid's home with her parents, their on-screen chemistry fails to ignite. This lack of connection impedes the emotional bond the audience could have established with them, especially Apurva, the film's central character.
Apurva's desperate flight from her captors leads her to a desolate village shrouded in an atmosphere of fear and isolation. The vacant houses serve as stark reminders of her predicament as she fights to survive her nightmarish ordeal and escape her captors' clutches.
The film delivers several suspenseful and tense moments, with the constant threat of assault casting a dark shadow over the narrative. However, the predictable nature of the storyline somewhat hinders the impact of these intense scenes.