Tattoo Film Productions Ltd.’s Mystery Of The Tattoo (UA) is a murder mystery.
Chitra Devi (Ameesha Patel) is a world-renowned surreal artist who is accidentally murdered by her son. Chitra Devi has one biological son and an adopted son.
Twenty years later, Aathmika (Daisy Shah) is learning the art of painting and is turning out to be excellent at her work. She is an art therapist. She gets involved in a murder case when the police seek her help in solving another murder case. Both the murders seem to be connected because of a tattoo design on the hands of the murdered. There’s an attempt on the life of Aathmika herself too, and, quite coincidentally, the person who saves her on two occasions, also has a tattoo on his hand. She soon falls in love with him. He is Chitra Devi’s biological son, Vikarn Abhimanyu (Rohit Raaj).
Soon, it is revealed that Vikarn Abhimanyu and Chitra Devi’s adopted son, Karan Abhimanyu (Arjun Rampal), are on the lookout for the actual murderer of Chita Devi. Does that mean that Chitra Devi was not murdered by her son? And which of her two sons had to serve jail time for the murder? Who was behind the murder? Why is Aathmika the target of the murder mastermind now? Is it because she has decided to complete the unfinished painting of Chitra Devi?
Kalaiarasi Sathappan has written such an idiotic story and screenplay that even a kindergarten student could die of embarrassment. There is absolutely no logic whatsoever in the story and screenplay. Tattoos are shown to be the focal point for no rhyme or reason. In fact, tattoos are given the importance of a lifeline in the story when, in reality, 98% of the world wouldn’t even think of tattoos. The adopted child being referred to as step-child, etc. are minor aberrations as compared to other blunders in the drama. Continuity problems are dime a dozen. All in all, the screenplay is a piecing together of whatever seemed to be convenient on the day of the shooting without caring for logic or continuity. Rajan Agarwal and Nadeem Uddin’s dialogues are pathetic. And if so many dialogues had to be in English because the story is based in London, the least that could’ve been done was to ensure that the pronunciation of the English words was proper. Sadly, the English words are so badly pronounced that an Englishman could die of a shock!
Daisy Shah acts well as Aathmika. Rohit Raaj looks quite good but gets almost no scope to act, in the role of Vikarn Abhimanyu. Ameesha Patel is fair in a special appearance as Chitra Devi. Arjun Rampal is okay in a special appearance as Karan Abhimanyu. Manoj Joshi is alright as Dr. Mark. Myra Sareen lends average support as police officer Ria Jones. Others are passable.
Kalaiarasi Sathappan and Ganesh Mahadevan’s direction is terrible. The film gives the impression of being a mindless enterprise. Abhinav Shekhar’s music and lyrics are routine. Magizhan’s background music is below the mark. L.K. Vijay Kumar’s camerawork is so-so. Iqbal Suleman’s action and stunt scenes are devoid of thrill. Ajmat Husein Ansari’s art direction is fair. Jerome Alen’s editing is almost conspicuous by its absence.
On the whole, the biggest and unsolved mystery about Mystery Of The Tattoo is, why it was ever made. It will face complete rejection at the ticket windows.
Released on 1-9-’23 at Movie Time Goregaon (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Pickle Entertainment. Publicity & opening: very poor. …….Also released all over.