Friday, 21st October 11:00 AM IST

 
31st OCTOBER Is Impressive Yet Sad Depiction Of True Evenuts

Pluses:

Vir Das is first rate, Soha Ali is outstanding, superb writing 

Minuses:

Stretched screenplay, poor editing 

Critic Rating:

3.5/5

Business Rating:

1/5

Verdict:

Watch it for topic of the film 

Detailed Analysis:

Shivaji Lotan Patil made this film couple of years back but it was stuck due to censor issues. Finally it's out for audience. 

Plot is complicated. 31st October is an account of that one day when the national capital burnt with its own rage after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. Official estimates put the death toll in the aftermath of the riots to nearly 2,500 but it’s believed that the actual numbers are at least three times more. Communal tension is growing every second in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar where Devinder (Vir Das) and his wife Tejinder (Soha Ali Khan) live and killings start by the afternoon. It’s mayhem as rioters are catching up with every Sikh at a pace beyond imagination. 

Tilak Nagar is an obvious target because of its dense Sikh population, mostly middle class and helpless. Local politicians see it as an opportunity to rise in the ranks and thus it’s likely to continue for a few more days. Devinder has friends like Pal (Deepraj Rana), Yogesh (Lakhwinder) and Tilak (Vineet Sharma), who have vowed to get his family out of the barricaded Tilak Nagar area. But, is it already late?

Film has intense screenplay. It has life in 1st half but in middle of 2nd half it becomes over dramatic and stretched. But it has impact. 

Performance wise Soha and Vir Das are outstanding. Deepraj Rana and Tilak Sharma are good. 

Music is poor, very average cinematography and even worse costume. Editing is poor and Costumes are apt. Art design is authentic. Story is good but screenplay gets messed up at places. 

Director Shavaji has made a decent film but he loses the grip towards the end. Also over use of drama and intensity at places work against the film. 

Film will release today with limited awareness and it will find hard to score at box office. 

Go watch it if real life drama is your cup of tea!