Te3n (2016) [Film Review]

Te3n; or, Vengeance for a Granddaughter

     I couldn't do anything for my daughter. And after she was gone, I couldn't take care of our Angela also. I can't sleep at night. I have to find the man who took Angela away from us. And I promise you… I will find him.

Continuing my discussion of Montage, I’m now moving on to Te3n, an official Hindi remake of the South Korean thriller.

Release Info 

Directed by: Ribhu Dasgupta Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vidya Balan

Language: Hindi Movie Industry: Bollywood Runtime: 136 min

Synopsis

8 years since the kidnapping of his granddaughter Angela, John Biswas (played by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan) is relentlessly visiting the police station day by day. Inspector Sarita Sharma (Vidya Balan) politely tells Biswas that they have no clues about the kidnapper. Also, Martin Das (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), the officer who was handling Angela’s case, is frequently visited by John. Yet, personal shame pushed him to become a priest, thus he is reluctant to help Biswas. Nevertheless, undeterred grandfather begins his own investigation as one day he notices a girl wearing his granddaughter’s cap. In the meantime, another kidnapping occurs in exactly the same manner as the one 8 years earlier. Father Martin is convinced that the same kidnapper has returned.

Crime Streets of Kolkata

Firstly, I have to point out that I’ve seen Montage and Te3n back-to-back. Though watching Montage was an invigorating experience, I was pleasantly surprised by Te3n as well. I know it’s a remake and the script clearly does not shy away from its Korean progenitor since it tells the same story, but it’s not a lesser production altogether. Indian filmmakers took what was best in Montage, framed it in Indian cultural background (great setting of Kolkata), and added a few subtle changes. What were the results:

Slow-paced progression of the events. Especially at the beginning, it is very hard to get into the story. Both films begin with the same sequence of a child’s death, but whereas Montage jumped immediately at the whole before-it’s-too-late stuff because “statute of limitations,” Te3n scraps this whole segment and we have to sit through 20 minutes of talking and flashbacks in order to understand what is going on.

Yet, it’s not entirely a bad thing. Who said that thrillers have to be only fast-paced? This introduction at least allows us to get to know three main characters: another substantial change. In Montage, there was only the mother and the detective. Here, we have the grandfather, the priest (former detective), and the police inspector (who is a woman). Major change indeed, but it significantly improves the story.

In the original film, the mother seemed two-dimensional, hence the detective had to carry on his shoulders the emotional charge of the story. In Te3n, the three characters provide fresh perspective for the viewer. We’ve got John Biswas whose traits are the mixture of the mother and the detective (determination to catch the abductor, obsession, near insanity), Father Martin who used to be like detective Cheong Ho but his guilt destroyed him, and Inspector Sharma who... does not really give a damn about the old kidnapping case. In consequence, new characters not only remake but also reinvent Montage’s plotline, making it open to new interpretations.

Additionally, the way how John Biswas discovers the kidnapper’s identity is done differently. In Montage, it was not much of an investigation than a complete accident for the mother. She found an umbrella with a logo, made the list of suspects and it was the end. However, John goes full Sherlock as he finds new pieces of evidence (a cap, a pen, a company logo). Another positive alteration.

However, that’s basically it when it comes to plot changes. The makers of Te3n knew the value of Montage and did not even try to veer off its main course. Careful re-enactment of Montage’s most important moments (kidnapping, picture in the garbage truck, and dreadful railway station sequence) was a bit of a letdown to me. I know it’s a remake, but I hoped for some greater ingenuity. Yet, what I’ve seen was satisfactory enough.

In terms of performances, the three (as the Hindi title hints) leading actors are the main pillars of this picture. Amitabh Bachchan does a marvellous job as the grandfather seeking justice. You can feel the anguish, suffering, and emotional torment of the main character. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is convincing as a disillusioned cop-turned-priest seeking redemption. Surprisingly, Vidya Balan does well as a female police officer and I’m encouraged to check out some of her other films. Padmavathi Rao, though only in a supporting role, deserves an honourable mention as John’s wife.

Recommendations

Even though it’s a remake, I highly recommend this film to anyone interested in a good thriller. Although the main crime is repeated, the movie is well written, has an awesome cast, good music, and is set in West Bengal. Even if you have already seen Montage, check out Te3n to see what was done in a different way. In my opinion, Te3n stands equally with its South Korean source material on the level of quality. A solid production among Bollywood's 2016 releases.

Overall score: 8/10