Not a patch on the book or original movie

The Girl On The Train

Netflix

*ing: Parineeti Chopra, Aditi Rao Hydari, Kirti Kulhari, Avinash Tiwary

Rated: 5/10

Let’s talk about the positives first. It starts off on a good note. The opening scene tells you that there is more to come and it is bound to be interesting — murder-crime thrillers are definitely a treat to watch. And this latest Parineeti Chopra film is no different. A girl on the train who watches the life of another woman and reminiscing her own and wishing it was her in place of that girl is normal enough . More so when our life is in shambles and nothing is going right. So far so good.

Unfortunately, as the movie progresses it starts to spiral out of control and goes off track. Of course the makers wanted to give a Bollywood feel to the film and hence the song and dance but there was no need to let it deviate so much.

If the makers had gone with the name and copied most of the scenes, they might have stuck true to the book by British author Paula Hawkins 2015 novel of the same name. One doesn’t understand the need to go for a twist that doesn’t make much sense because there are so many gaps that are difficult to fill. However, if can manage to watch it like any other B-town movie and not look for answers that need to be addressed, The Girl On The Train manages to hold your attention. But there is a condition— one should have neither seen nor read the book by the same or watched the 2016 movie staring Emily Blunt. The character in the Hindi version is played by Chopra.

If by any chance one gas done either of the above, it will be a lost cause even if there is a deviation at the climax which is definitely a surprise.