Like Aani Subscribe: Movie Review
Rating: 
️️1/2
Plot: A young vlogger, Khushi, is trapped in the rabbit hole of a murder mystery when she stumbles upon a dead body in one of her vlogs.
Runtime: 142 Minutes
Director: Abhishek Merukar
Cast: Jui Bhagwat, Amey Wagh, Amruta Khanvilkar, Shubhankar Tawde, Vitthal Kale
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About the film:
A bizarre Twitter post served as the catalyst for Director Merukar’s 2021 screenplay project. This film marks the directorial debut of Abhishek Merurkar. The sharp rise of influencers and the grey area between good and bad are some of the principal themes explored in the film.
Plot Overview:
Struggling actor and social media influencer, Khushi (Jui Bhagwat), finds an unattended paper bag on Juhu Beach during one of her live sessions. She goes through the bag and decides to do the right thing and return the bag. She goes on to track the man down and finds his house. Alternatively, Rohidas (Amey Wagh), a con artist in the village of Pimpalner. He is building a reputation for doing insurance frauds, as he files false claims for those in need and earns some commission. Khushi, when she finally finds the owner of the bag, discovers his house is already broken into. She enters the flat stumbling upon a dead body, all the while her live has been on. A case is filed against her, and she rises to more fame overnight.
In the police station, Khushi meets a documentary filmmaker, Dipika (Amruta Khanvilkar). While Khushi is struggling to get her head right, Dipika helps her find an escape and helps her prove her innocence.
How is all of this connected, whose dead body is it, and why is Khushi taking the brunt of it?
This is how narrative moves forward. Watch it to find out.
Technical Aspects:
The narrative would have been very concise and interesting if the screenplay had been tighter. The first half starts really slow, establishing all the characters and their motives—maybe too long for a mystery thriller. Then the second half unfolds at a faster pace.
The editing is seamless, yet a lot of establishing events and scenes could have been chopped off. The cinematography and the sound design are underwhelming at best. The visuals don’t do justice to the intrigue, which could have been achieved. The background music also isn’t as suspenseful as required.
The plot twist works to some extent but doesn’t really have a mind-blowing impact. It also leaves a few questions unanswered, which might be a bit tacky for some viewers. Don’t expect a tightly knit narrative, and you will enjoy it the most.
Performances:
Jui Bhagwat as the damsel in distress delivers a promising performance and holds her presence well in all the scenes. Amruta Khanvilkar’s role as the catalyst to the investigation feels undercooked, but she does her job. Amey Wagh steals the show here with whatever screen time he is given. His dark humour and comic timing, along with the sly nature of his dialogues, creates an interesting character. Other supporting cast also deliver the needed drama.
Overall Verdict:
All in all, Like Aani Subscribe is a murder mystery underwhelming at best but has an interesting twist to look forward to. If you don’t mind some slack in the narrative, you might enjoy this mystery!
