 When solutions aren't made in reality, cinematic approach gratifies it. Well, it's more patent with Manish Gupta's 'The Stoneman Murders'. With the most expected biggie 'Billu' hitting screens this weekend, this film excels on all vistas beating it. When realities are made fictitious in celluloid, it strikes our senses grabbing our attention, especially for the ones film buffs and wanna-be filmmakers. Yup! 'The Stoneman Murders' is much closer to this genre. It's based on the series of real life footpath stoning incident that gripped the entire city of Mumbai in terror during early 80s. When the case still remains unresolved in the records of Police diaries, Manish Gupta strides offering'Omega' in reels that's more shocking blended with surprises.
When sub-inspector Sanjay Shelar (Kay Kay Menon) is temporarily debarred for his violent nature, it's his senior officer Satam (Vikram Gokhale) assigning him to investigate an unresolved case personally. Sanjay has to carry on the riskiest task of pinning down the culprit brutally slaughtering innocent people across the platforms of Mumbai. Everyone's face is found to be mercilessly smashed with stone. To win back his lost credits, Sanjay has to break through various hurdles hassling his investigation and of course he has his rival officer Kedar Phadke (Arbaaz Khan) obstructing his each move
Manish Gupta deserves special applause for penning a stupendous script, but what makes his stop from striking gold is a screenplay bounded with clichéd elements. Perhaps, getting inspired from the 80s incident would have made him work on the traits of those auteurs during that period. Need an illustration? The protagonist, mistaken to be a culprit as he holds the stabbed dagger, the heroine removing bullets from the hero is more ready-made. Moreover, there are certain psychoneurotic aspects grabbed from yesteryear horror-thriller flicks. Again, getting on with negative attributes, the film has lots and lots of loopholes that can be spotted by a kid… Indeed, everything gets diminished with a stunning climax, at the point of the culprit getting revealed.
 Kay Kay Menon with his puzzling-n-aggressive nature resembles more from his characterization of 'Mumbai Meri Jaan'. But similarities end as he treads on with uniqueness. Vikram Gokhale as senior officer does justice to his role while Arbaaz is middling throughout the show. Rushkar brims with hunky-dory spell and she could've pitched something more commendable.
On technical aspects, background scoring offers you chills-n-thrills at many points. Art director Satish does a brilliant job by getting us to the scenario of Mumbai in early 80s… Editing, though amateurish to certain levels goes well during the gripping narration at latter part.
On the whole, 'The Stoneman Murders' has lots of convincing factors for the audiences, particularly for those diehard buffs of suspense-thriller. But don't expect a much like the Alfred Hitchcock style.
Verdict: Worth Watching for the decent efforts.
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