Plot of 'Inkaar' is pretty much out in open. The character played by Chitrangda feels that Arjun is harassing her at the workplace since things turned awry after their break up.
Arjun feels that she is making up all these charges since she has rose up the ladder of the corporate world and doesn't need her any more. The one who is pulled in to facilitate the entire charge and arrive at a logical conclusion is an outsider, Deepti Naval. As it turns out, she is left confused, and rightly so as both sides have strong pointers to come. Eventually, it is left to Arjun and Chitrangda to figure out right v/s wrong. Do they manage?
It is the way 'Inkaar' comes to the point at the very beginning is what makes one look forward to this Sudhir Mishra affair. There is no time wasted in establishing the core plot of the film and as the film moves back and forth in time with incidents being narrated from the point of view of both Arjun and Chitrangda, you know that it isn't going to be an easy ride ahead. What is explored though is not just the core conflict about sexual harassment but how things can go so very wrong between two colleagues when it is professional rise at stake.
This is pretty much conveyed through some very well structured scenes. Those that stand out are the ones which take place in a car manufacturing company's conference room, the one that unfolds in a house party thrown by Arjun, the isolation that Chitrangda starts encountering at the workplace or the outburst that Arjun indulges in when his hires are fired. All the more interesting are the scenes where Deepti Naval presides over the whole affair in the closer door conference room.
There are a few distractions though. Kanwaljit, who plays Arjun's father, comes out of nowhere and it is tough to comprehend how his episode fits into the narrative. Arjun's visit to Chitrangda's home town has a watered down appeal. A couple of scenes, albeit short, around the designing of ad campaigns don't quite make much of an impact. Goa episode, which finds multiple references in the film, doesn't quite have a classy set up and has a loose structuring.
However the point where one is bound to have extreme reactions are the pre-climax and the climax. Yes, it is different but not the kind that could be digested by all. The first and foremost thought that actually comes to mind is that why couldn't the protagonists just talk it out to avoid getting into this mess. Isn't openness one of the key drivers in any corporate house, leave aside the advertising world in which the film is set?
If one leaves aside these pointers then 'Inkaar' does turn out to be engaging enough. While a large part of the credit should go writer Manoj Tyagi, direction Sudhir Mishra and of course the editor Archit D Rastogi, the film wouldn't have been the way it turns out to be, courtesy Arjun Rampal and Chitrangda Singh.
One can well imagine Arjun to be actually a CEO of a company and the fact that he doesn't come across as a film personality even in a single scene is a huge win for the actor. He does really well. Chitrangda, who has played a head strong character in most of her films, shows her vulnerable side and well expresses the plight of an outsider who has found success at a young age and is now trying to strike a balance in her personal and professional life.
Supporting actors play their part well. Deepti Naval is natural yet again. Vipin Sharma is fabulous every time he mouths a line or appears in a scene. Rehana Sultan mouths one important line and leaves an impression. Mohan Kapoor should have been more prominent. The man who plays Arjun's boss is good.
With 'sexual harassment' as the core of the film, there are egos, power games, corporate upswings and downers as well as emotionally driven decisions coming into play as well that round up the whole affair. Though the film's end doesn't quite make one feel euphoric or saddened by the turn of events, the fact that the narrative stays on to be quite interesting for first one and a half hours makes up for it.
Rating: ***
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