'Reporting Live' review: Parineeti Chopra leads watchable thriller
What's the story
Parineeti Chopra's new film, Reporting Live, hit Netflix on Friday. Directed by Dhruv Tripathi and written by Mihir Jadhav and Tripathi, it also stars Deven Bhojani, Amol Palekar, Adil Hussain, and Shekhar Suman. Bolstered by sharp and socially aware writing, Reporting Live is largely engaging and intriguing. However, its predictable screenplay holds it back.
Plot
Explores illegal sand mining and its dangerous network
Chopra plays Sandhya, an ambitious young reporter, and Bhojani essays her colleague and video journalist, Vinod.
After a bridge collapses in Visargaon and claims the lives of several kids, Sandhya and Vinod begin covering the story.
Their investigation leads them to an illegal sand-mining network, and they put their lives on the line to expose the mafia.
Suman and Hussain play their bosses.
#1
Lead actors' performances pull you in
Chopra and Bhojani make an interesting, solid pair; their warm camaraderie feels instantly relatable.
We follow them in the newsroom, on dusty roads, and in dangerous situations—they are threatened and abused, but never stop speaking truth to power.
Veteran actor Palekar gets a meaty part as Shiva, who encourages them to probe the illegal network.
He gets some of the film's warmest scenes.
#2
Cast makes the most of the formulaic story
Tripathi gives us nuanced insight into Vinod's life; his relationship with his daughter becomes the story's focal point in the second half.
The cast is stacked with veterans; apart from Suman and Hussain, Saswata Chatterjee and Geeta Agrawal Sharma also uplift the narrative despite their brief screen time.
Thanks to the cast, Reporting Live works excellently as a human drama.
#3
The story is painfully predictable
While Reporting Live is earnest and well-intentioned, it's also riddled with clichés.
Tripathi has a solid premise, but the execution is strictly by the book, so there's never any element of surprise.
Tender, emotional scenes are repeatedly framed in such a way that you know a tragedy will follow minutes later.
This constant predictability lets the movie down.
#4
Tripathi opts for sensational shocks
The film also goes to great lengths to evoke a reaction.
People shouldn't just die; they must meet a horrifying end.
Early on, somebody is burned alive, and at another point, a dog is mercilessly killed.
The stakes are already high; the movie didn't warrant such sensational tactics.
Tripathi also loses grip on the ensemble; the film has far more characters than it needs.
Verdict
Far from perfect, but watchable; 3/5 stars
Reporting Live is a fast-paced yet uneven drama that shines in some parts and flickers in others.
Hussain and Suman deserved more screen-time, and the project occasionally feels overly familiar.
Nonetheless, it accurately portrays journalism's endless risks, and Bhojani is the film's beating heart.
Overall, the film remains watchable due to the performances and its brisk runtime (one hour, 56 minutes).
3/5 stars.