Nitin Vaidya Productions, SN Productions LLP and Abhishek Merukar Productions’ Like Aani Subscribe (Marathi; UA) is the story of a vlogger and her friend. Their lives turn upside down when they get entangled in a murder mystery.
Khushi (Jui Bhagwat) is a vlogger and an aspiring actress in Bombay. She lives as a paying guest with friend Shruti (Rajasi Bhave). Khushi becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Rohit alias Rohidas (Amey Wagh) who had committed a fraud of Rs. 20 lakh in his village and had come to Bombay. Rohit and Faisal (Vitthal Kale) used to work in partnership in the village. Rohit had hoodwinked Faisal and made good with Rs. 20 lakh which he was supposed to share with Faisal. After that, Rohit had continued to make money by unfair means in Bombay too. His accomplices in Bombay were Ravi (Shubhankar Tawde) and Bipin (Shivraj Waichal). However, Rohit and Bipin had had a fallout. So had Faisal murdered Rohit or was Bipin behind the killing? Do Khushi and/or Shruti have anything to do with Rohit’s murder? How did they know him? Or is the murderer someone else? How does Deepika (Amruta Khanvilkar), a journalist in a television channel, get involved in the murder case? Why does she appoint a private detective, Varun (Pushkraj Chirputkar), to investigate the murder case?
Abhishek Merukar has penned the story which is quite convoluted. Characters keep getting added to the story and the moment a new character is introduced, it becomes clear that the needle of suspicion might now point towards him/her. The revelation of the actual murderer is not clear in the end as the revelation is in the imagination of one of the characters of the drama. There is nothing for the viewers to think that the actual murderer is the one shown in the end. Abhishek Merukar’s screenplay is engaging in parts only. It sometimes gets confusing too. His dialogues are alright.
Jui Bhagwat does well as Khushi. Rajasi Bhave is okay as Shruti. Amey Wagh performs ably as Rohit/Rohidas. Amruta Khanvilkar lends fine support as Deepika. Shubhankar Tawde is alright as Ravi. Vitthal Kale has his moments as Faisal. Virat Madake makes a mark as police inspector Sandeep Inamdar. Pushkraj Chirputkar is so-so in the role of Varun. Shivraj Waichal does not quite impress as Bipin. Gautami Patil makes an appearance in an item song-dance.
Abhishek Merukar’s direction is ordinary. He has not been able to create the thrill associated with a whodunit. Music (by Amritraj and Suyash Kelkar) is average. Lyrics (Kshitij Patwardhan and Valay Malgund) are okay. Rahul Thombre’s song picturisations are fair. Suyash Kelkar’s background music is nothing to shout about. Gaurav Kulkarni’s camerawork is average. Gayatri Shinde’s production designing is ordinary. Aniket Kale’s editing is fairly sharp.
On the whole, Like Aani Subscribe is an ordinary fare.
Released on 18-10-’24 at Plaza (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Panorama Studios. Publicity & opening: dull.