So, he still wants to become a commercially successful hero and that too like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. He wears clothes just like them; even tries to look into the camera like them. Besides, he looks for the directors who will get him roles like them. Yes, you are right. He is Manoj Bajpai. Once again doing a role that would have more suited to any newcomer in the league of Arjun Rampal and John Abraham. But Manoj claims he has done this film, as he wanted to do a film with director Pankuj Parashar. He is so fascinated with this director's work. So he says he never asked for the script of this film. As a starter Pankuj Parashar proved himself a very energetic and creative director in 'Jalwa' and 'Chalbaaz'. However, that was until he made 'Karamchand', a famous sit-com. Then corruption of system and pressures from filmmakers made him succumb to pressure in making films like 'Himalayaputra', 'Rajkumar' and 'Tumko Na Bhool Payenge'. His new film 'Inteqam' is a departure from his stature. Whatever he had gained in the industry, he lost in 'Inteqam'. This movie is a nosedive for Manoj Bajpai who had been otherwise looking for a hit.
'Inteqam' if made for the first time in 1969 may have been a face-saver for Sanjay Khan. But neither Manoj nor Pankuj Parashar seems to have got any mileage from this film. 'Inteqam', poised to be a murder mystery, moves on the path of an erotic thriller. Though it is said to be based on the famous Michael Douglas-Sharon Stone strarrer 'Basic Instinct', yet it's not so. The story does take off as a serial murder mystery, but fails in moving on the path followed in 'Basic Instinct'. 'Inteqam' revolves around Avantika Suryavanshi (Isha Koppikar) who has come back to her native place from overseas after being a successful writer. Her first novel is an instant sold out, and one Indian publisher wants her to write its sequel for her. She comes to India not only for this purpose but also wants to get her empire back that her parents had lost to their business partner.
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The new voyage starts with fun and frolic and she starts her new found celebrity status to its fullest. However, before the celebration could take a full go, her host, the publisher is found murdered. The incident takes place in such a way that all eyes turn to Avantika. It's here when ACP Uday Thakur (Manoj Bajpai) enters. He is infamous for his daylight shootout of the criminals. Now transferred to investigation department he looks after the murder of the publisher. He too has his suspicion on Avantika but his friend and psychiatrist Mahek (Nethra Raghuraman) wants him to stay off this dangerous writer. Nothing becomes clear. And as ACP Thakur is still struggling to find a clue, some more murders take place. The needle of suspicion is still on Avantika, but this time things become complex. ACP Thakur starts following her everywhere and then he comes to know of Avantika's past and that makes him take a certain approach, but even now things take an altogether terrific turn.
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All said and done, Pankuj Parashar seems totally lost this time in a film that has an interesting plot but the director in Pankuj has been unable to do justice in 'Inteqam'. The film drags on. He takes too much time in establishing his characters. Thus too much footage is wasted on making Manoj Bajpai look like an ACP. Manoj looked all right in his role of Police Inspector Samar Pratap Singh in 'Shool', but he lacks efficiency of being cast as an ACP. His looks and body language do not suit the character. Moreover, he struggles too much to look normal on screen. Pankuj has also faltered in making his team click.
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If Younus Sajawal has come up with a loose screenplay then dialogues by Jalees Sherwani leave much to be done. Most of the lines in the film lack punch. It is hard to believe that characters working in the police department can speak such a pure Hindi that will leave even Puritans behind. The transition from one scene to another is very jerky. Again, it is hard to believe that Pankuj can picturize a Holi (color festival) song without color being thrown on one another. In fact, there are no traces of any color in the first part of the song at all. Even Nirav Shah's cinematography is poor, and Afaque Husssain has done almost nothing on editing table.
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Among lead actors none brings in energy and effervescence needed for such roles in this kind of a film. Manoj Bajpai takes too much time to come on his own. But it is too late for the survival of his character. Manoj Bajpai is more suited for playing strong character roles that don the lead characters. He can be a catalyst for a good story but his insistence to be a lead hero in all his films has cost him his good career. Had he chosen the path that once Sanjeev Kumar followed he would have earned name and money.
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Nethra tries to ignite the screen with her skin show a lot. But she falters in acting too. Isha Koppikar for the first time gets a good meaty role but spoils the overall acting by going over board. The film does not get any support from music even. Anand Milind's tunes are normal and below average. Not even a single song has the capability to click with masses. Overall, 'Inteqam', fails to leave any kind of impact on any kind of viewers. So its future at the box office is very bleak.
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