"The Last Story" — Psychological Thrillers and Psycho Killers
Directed by Himanshu Kesharwani | Review by Riya Saha
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] psycho killer in psychological thrillers is a pretty simple storyline, making the genre's plots easy to read at times. There must be an antagonist who lives in the guise of a "good" man — while living an alternate evil life, undetected.
But "The Last Story" director Himanshu Kesharwani has come up with a plot twist.
Loads of violence, some might say engrossing, this movie is tempered with satire and a cool, psychedelic style. The truth remains a mystery until the end —
But what else is the best way to romanticize crime?
Abhinav Sharma, played by Samir Raees, is a young story writer in New Delhi. His career as a crime author is at its peak. But he lives his lavish lifestyle alone.
At the same time —
A well-mannered and perfectionist killer is roaming the streets of New Delhi. The addition of the real-life murderer to the storyline brings the twist. However, what's more intriguing, is the killing pattern.
A refreshing storyline for psychological thrillers
The villain’s predatory habits and torturous self-awareness infuse the plot’s primary machinations. What is thought-provoking is the fact that crimes are happening while the criminal remains unknown to the audience.
In terms of the underlying meaning, perhaps the function of the killings is to make visible the frenzy of a territorial male when his will is frustrated.
The movie draws on the similarities between the plotting of a serial killer and the odd behavior patterns of a contemporary author in the throes of creativity.
Performances and reveals
As for the performances of the supporting actors, they're all satisfying enough to maintain the suspension of disbelief. The last scene insights a high-stakes of suspicion as Sharma walks out of the office room.
Have you ever heard of Schizophrenia? ‘The Last Story’ highlights this chronic and severe mental disorder, which affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.
People suffering from Schizophrenia lead a stressful and emotional life. Without proper treatment, they may fall into prolonged depression which can trigger a psychotic episode.
But that's not all —
There's a huge connection between the protagonist suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder — multiple personalities. However, we wonder if Sharma is the serial killer, or there is someone else, ferociously hiding under the veil of a good man.
All of the murders are equally real or fiction and there's no way to tell them apart. Are they murders from the crime novel that are happening in our protagonist's mind? Is the serial killer on a rampage? Is he one and the same?
Though the actual killer is not revealed you can draw a comparison and come to a conclusion.
Sound, Terror, and Drama
Sound plays an essential role in psychological thrillers, and the sound effects in "The Last Story" are well matched to rhythmically sustain the atmosphere of terror.
‘The Last Story’ directed by Himanshu Kesharwani may be an independent movie, but the film's presentation is a success to Indian crime drama. Also, as the film is representing the last story written by the protagonist, the title is wholly justified.
I felt the movie was eye-grabbing with a well-knit plot. This is certainly not a film you would not want to miss!
Riya Saha
Riya Saha is a Kolkata based writer, editor, journalist, and cinephile. She completed her masters with Journalism and Mass Communication from Calcutta University and currently works as a freelance journalist. Having a great interest in world cinema made Riya join Human Lab Corporation. She is passionate about setting goals and achieving them. Riya enjoys reading, writing, traveling, socializing, and meeting people, and is also very fond of watching International movies.
