the director: Shashank Ghosh
Throw: Kartik Aaryan as Dr Freddy Ginwala, Alaya F as Kainaz, Karan Pandit as Raymond Nariman, Sajjad Delfrooz as Rustum Irani
Stars: 3.5/5
The Shashank Ghosh-directed film Freddy starring Kartik Aaryan and Alaya F has released on the OTT platform Disney+Hotstar. The film revolves around Freddy Ginwala and how his shy side is transformed when he falls madly in love with Kainaz.
Freddy is a 28-year-old shy, socially awkward and hesitant guy, and a dentist by profession, who runs a successful clinic. He is close to his aunt, pet turtle ‘Hardy’, and his miniature planes. Freddy is looking for a suitable match and has been on the matrimonial site for five years. However, he finds it extremely difficult to interact with women, let alone show his feelings.
Freddy bumps into Kainaz Irani (Alaya F) at a wedding and immediately falls in love with her, before learning that she is married and a victim of domestic abuse. Their paths cross again the next day when Kainaz visits him at his clinic for a medical procedure. What follows is many lunch and ice-dream dates, sharing moments and developing affection for each.
Karthik seen in the most challenging avatar keeps you hooked throughout the film. He is quiet but not dumb. He hesitates but is not adamant. And, she is socially awkward but quick-witted. The actor who put on almost 14 kilos to get into the character of a dentist has done justice to the role. He has paid close attention to learning the ways of a dentist. Karthik, who deviated from the comedy genre in his last release ‘Dhamaka’, a thriller, dominates the psychological-thriller this time. He has given an engaging performance and has taken his acting skills to a higher level and definitely deserves appreciation.
Alaya F who made a sizzling entry with ‘Jawani Jaaneman’ has done a decent job in the film. She is playing the role of Doctor Freddy’s girlfriend in the film and is looking confident. Despite the film being old, he has maintained his balance till the last scene.
The film is overall captivating and keeps you holding your breath. The dark-themed setup, dim lighting and slow background tunes keep the suspense on edge. Shashank Ghosh has done a commendable job with ‘Freddy’. The gripping story, screenplay and cinematography will not let you take your eyes off it even for a second. Talking about the music, the film has two songs – ‘Kala Jadoo’ and ‘Tum Jo Milo’, but it could have easily done without these.
To sum up, Kartik Aaryan is mastering the art of balancing styles and coming off his recliner shelf! He has proved that he can play diverse roles and not be typecast. A rising star, he has a lot of potential which needs to be unearthed.