Roy is too confusing to be an enjoyable mystery

Arjun Rampal, left, and Ranbir Kapoor in a scene from Roy. Courtesy Freeway Pictures

Roy

Director: Vikramjit Singh

Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Jacqueline Fernandez

Two stars

With Roy, an ambitious film within a film, first-time director Vikramjit Singh attempts to set up a thrill ride of complex emotions but loses his audience along the way.

The movie revolves around Kabir (Arjun Rampal), a maverick filmmaker, and Roy (Ranbir Kapoor), an art thief who is the central character in a film Kabir is making. The life of the “reel” Roy mirrors that of the “real” Kabir, and the plot switches between the two to add suspense to the story. However, the transitions are often jarring and only confuse the audience.

To their credit, both Kapoor and Rampal deliver good performances, but the screenplay lets them down. Rampal does well to bring out the eccentricities of a creative man, and his second-half transition from a carefree Casanova to a heart-broken lover is impressive. Kapoor plays the mysterious Roy with great intensity, but the plot does not allow his character to develop beyond delivering profound one-liners.

Jacqueline Fernandez, who is disappointingly lacklustre in a double role, plays the love interest of both men – Ayesha, a maker of serious, worthy films, and Tia, a painter and art collector living a lonely life. So one-­dimensional are her histrionics that the biggest difference between the two characters is their hair colour.

The film does have an excellent score by the veteran composer Sanjoy Chowdhury (Dolly Ki Doli; Baby) and a few good songs, such as Sooraj Dooba Hain and Tu Hai Ki Nahi. A glaring exception, however, is Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan. Though at the top of Indian music charts, it seems like it has been forced into the movie – resonating neither with the story nor with the character of Ayesha.

What Roy does have going for it though is the superb cinematography. Shot mostly on the beaches of Malaysia, it is a visual treat. Particularly noteworthy are the scenes of Roy in the ocean, trying to evade arrest, and Kabir staring into the sunset with smouldering eyes.

In the end, Roy is a feeble attempt at creating a mystery. Lacking a coherent plot, it leaves the audience befuddled and disappointed.