MOVIE REVIEW: MURDER 3 // By: Rachael Ogunmuyiwa

Murder 3, an Indian psychological thriller and murder film series released in 2013 about three major characters: Randdep Hooda as Vikram, Aditi Rao Hydan as Roshni, and Sara Loren as Nisha.
Love they say is sometimes not just enough. As swift as lightning, it strikes, brings two people together while it usually leaves them to carve out other ways to build the relationship. Of course, like most relationships in reality, the movie does not fail to reveal that there is much insecurity that each party brings into the relationship. These insecurities when not put under check, are the bedrock of monstrous jealousy and mistrust. Inasmuch as love is a beautiful thing, its potential to bring you up to do the most amazing things equates its potential to make you do the most stupid things. Just like the tongue, love has the power of life and death. Let’s stop here and get back to the movie.
Vikram is a wild life photographer who also engages in photo shoots for city animals; that’s how he describes the beautiful belles he photographs. In the movie, we are presented with a plot where his girlfriend, Roshni, agrees to abandon her job and family in order to be with him for a one-year photo shoot contract he has to execute in India. All is smooth between these love birds until suddenly another woman, Naomi, a colleague of Vikram comes into the arena and Visha begins to let out her shaded concern for her lover who despite being too busy to be with her, still has the world by his side to drink and laugh with Naomi.
Isn’t it okay to be jealous and iron out our insecurities with our partners? Communication, of course, is paramount to overcoming challenges like this in relationships. They go to some resort to make things up but as soon as they return, the struggle continues especially as she goes through Vikram’s phone and finds stalking messages from Naomi. During her process of introspection, she remembers the secret shared between her and Mrs. Fieldings, the British lady who sold the house to them, that there is a hide-out in the house. This hide-out is the heart of the house which every event going on in the other room can be seen while voices can be captured.
She decides to work out her own salvation by moving into this hide-out while she pranks Vikram into believing she has left him for another man before he returns to the house with some flowers to make up for the argument they had in the morning. However, the only thing that greets him in the bedroom is a note directing him to check her recorded video message. He feels disappointed and broken. And for Roshni who sees him from where she is hiding, his reaction is enough assurance that he cares about her and there is nothing between him and Noami.

Unfortunately, Roshni can no longer come out because the key fell out of her bag while she was hurriedly packing. Too bad, Vikram does not know the hide-out exist neither can he hear her scream nor pleas for help. Does loving someone mean not accommodating colleagues and friends of the opposite sex? Should a demonstration of how much we love our partners steal our freedom of association with the other? However, I find fault with Roshni admitting too that there was nothing between her boyfriend and Naomi because he came home with flowers and was angry that she had left. It seems to me a child’s play. Just like that?
Meanwhile, Vikram reports to the police but since her leaving Mumbai cannot be confirmed at the Airport or anywhere, her disappearance becomes a murder case with Vikram being the only suspect. However, to the shock of everyone, including the police, he moved on too fast with another girl, Nisha, one of the waitresses who help him on a night he gets drunk. One begins to ask: For how long do you think he should have waited for a lover who made it clear that she had left with another man and should not be looked for?
Well, you need to see the face of Roshni when from her hide-out she sees the sexual escapade between Vikram and the new girl. In no time, she moves in and it seems she is the answer to Roshni’s unknown disappearance as she becomes curious about another voice she hears in the house. She finds the lost key and keeps on paying attention to the voice and eventually realizes that Roshni is still alive and in the house. Also, she finds out that the door is actually behind the mirror in the bedroom but just like every businessman has to consider his risks, Nisha has a second thought about opening the door. She is after all, just a waitress in search of a greener pasture. With the glitz and glamour that comes with being Vikram’s girlfriend, is she not supposed to be weary of the complications which the reappearance of Roshni will cause? And so, she closes up her humanity and life continues. Vikram is not a murderer after all as against what Roshni’s unrelenting crushes and police officer has been trying to prove.
However, the enemy of Roshni also begins to trouble Nisha as the police officer gave her pictures of Naomi and Vikram caught in camera in a compromising sexual position. Maybe Nisha thinks Noami is an enemy she has to fight with Roshni by her side but for the latter, having common enemies does not make two people friends. The cold hands of jealously drabs her rigidity and pushes her to the imprisoned rival. Nisha picks the key and opens the door to the hide-out but she only meets the lifeless body of Roshni who pretends to be dead as soon as she heard the sees the door opening. She gets closer to check her pulse and in the process, Roshni, out of her feigned death, hits her with a bottle which leaves her unconscious in the hide-out. She locks her up but victory is not to be celebrated as she finds the pictures of Naomi and Vikram on the bed. Her fears were true after all even though I think the brokenness which still lingers in the heart of Vikram must have pushed him finally towards the consistent and persistent Naomi.
At the end, she disappears while she envelops the key and sends to the police officer with the inscription of “HELP” on it. On the other hand, Vikram who is yet to unravel the mystery of Roshni’s disappearance and alleged murder opens the door only to find the police asking him about the whereabouts of Nisha too. Will he ever get out of this? Love is indeed life and death; the portrayal in the movie did not fail to keep one interested till the end. For me, though it is tense, suspense did not really stand out. The scene where Nisha is about to unlock the hide-out while Roshni is already celebrating her freedom only for Nisha to change her mind is impressive. You can take my tip and watch although I think it deserves a better title.