If you start counting the number of things that don’t work for “The Vvaan – Force of the Forest,” you might reach the film’s climax sooner. If not, your life’s choices might flash before your eyes, the topmost being the one to watch this film. I had to write this review. The audience has no such

If you start counting the number of things that don’t work for “The Vvaan – Force of the Forest,” you might reach the film’s climax sooner. If not, your life’s choices might flash before your eyes, the topmost being the one to watch this film. I had to write this review. The audience has no such

If you start counting the number of things that don’t work for “The Vvaan – Force of the Forest,” you might reach the film’s climax sooner. If not, your life’s choices might flash before your eyes, the topmost being the one to watch this film. I had to write this review. The audience has no such

If you start counting the number of things that don’t work for “The Vvaan – Force of the Forest,” you might reach the film’s climax sooner. If not, your life’s choices might flash before your eyes, the topmost being the one to watch this film. I had to write this review. The audience has no such compulsion.

The film marks TVF's first, which has long entertained and impressed audiences with its slice-of-life web series. Here, it’s rather unsure of what it’s trying to make — a mythological thriller, a folklore, or a 136-minute-long devotional video. Whatever it is, it doesn’t work.

Sidharth Malhotra plays Mumbai-based engineer Rishi, who’s happily married to Mamta (Tamannaah Bhatia). Only that Mamta (maternal love) can’t have children. How original!

Turns out, Rishi is a former believer who turned atheist following an accident with his pregnant wife six years ago at a revered forest in his hometown, Devanchal. And where’s Devanchal? Where else but in Purvanchal — TVF’s favourite playground.

Long story short, Rishi decides to return to Devanchal six years later to sort out a land acquisition deal with his elder brother (Anup Soni). The deal involves a road being constructed through the sacred forest, which the villagers oppose out of fear of infuriating Van Devi (forest goddess).

Rishi had a different relationship with the devi six years ago, and the entire film zigzags through him becoming a believer, then a non-believer, and again a believer. It would have been rather believable if the idea was to use folklore to make a case for the environment, like in Kantara. Here, whatever the case appears to be made is for superstition. There are a lot of bhajans, “Mata ka bulawa aaya hai” (The goddess has called us), and even a rhyming “bhakti ki shakti” (power of devotion).

This isn’t even the problematic part of the film. Maniesh Paul, who plays the quintessential best friend, develops a spooky relationship with Rishi’s aunt (Sulabha Arya). He believes she’s a witch, which is invoked for comic relief. It's unfunny but also problematic, given that women continue to be attacked in India over suspicions of witchcraft. At one point, Shweta Tiwari, who plays Rishi’s sister-in-law, says, “Hum pisachini hai, hum hi daayan hai.” (I am the demon, I am the witch).

And when a dark-complexioned child with a few missing teeth is named Sundar, meaning good-looking, Rishi reacts sarcastically.

Apart from these problematic depictions, there are other things too that don’t work for the film. The equally revered and feared forest doesn’t evoke mystery; Devanchal feels unreal; the screenplay is all over the place, and the film’s humour makes you cringe.

As much as Panchayat-fame Deepak Kumar Mishra’s direction feels out of touch, Arunabh Kumar’s writing has little meat to even make for a story. The performances, too, complement the film, and there’s nobody who stands out.

In the end, “The Vvaan – Force of the Forest” is so mind-numbingly mindless that it doesn’t even qualify as brainrot.

Film: The Vvaan

Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah Bhatia

Stars: 0.5/5

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