Dhamaka is one of the few real-time thrillers produced in Hindi cinema. It is An official remake of the South Korean film The Terror Live. It is written, directed and produced by Ram Madhvani, who previously made thrillers like Neerja and Aarya.
A caller threatens to blow up the bridge during Arjun Pathak’s radio show. He then demands a live interview. This exclusive interview with the terrorist culminates in a chaotic and tragic conclusion. Dhamaka highlights issues about our society, morals, and lack of humanity with such an intriguing plot. It also shed some light on the TRP driven TV industry.
Dhamaka is very gripping. Ram Madhvani knows his craft of making a thriller very well. Kartik Aaryan plays Arjun Pathak, a former news anchor who gets demoted from TV anchor to radio show host. He is divorced as well. As a result, Arjun is having a difficult time in both his personal and professional life. So He sees this exclusive interview as an opportunity. Kartik Aryan has done an excellent job portraying this ambiguous character. Definitely a career changing move.
Somehow, the remake deviates from the original idea. While The Terror Live focuses on the motivation for the terrorist act. Dhamaka is more concerned with sensationalising news and vying for TV ratings. In the original film, the terrorist demands the President to apologize on the live TV, however in Dhamaka, it was changed to a minister. The casting of the terrorist is perhaps the most problematic aspect of Dhamaka. The terrorist looks older here, so his naive demands don’t look convincing.
Dhamaka would have been a stronger film if it had concentrated on the accountability issue of Democracy like the original. However, Dhamaka loses its way, particularly at the climax. Arjun’s boss getting less screen time could have kept the movie from being a diversion. This is a perfect case study for getting lost in translation. Ram Madhvani’s weakest work.
Finally, Dhamaka is a gripping film with a perplexing plot. You can watch it at home because it is a Netflix original. However, if you get an opportunity, watch the Original.
