OFFICER ARJUN SINGH IPS | 18 October, 2019

Shreya Films International’s Officer Arjun Singh IPS (UA) is the story of a police officer who investigates a rape-and-murder case.

Arjun (Priyanshu Chatterjee) is a police officer who is posted in Allahabad to investigate a rape case. Maya (Rita Joshi), who lives in a women’s ashram, is raped by agriculture minister Balaknath Chaudhary (Govind Namdev). She goes missing thereafter. As the investigation progresses, Arjun befriends Durga (Raai Laxmi) who has just recently come to live in the ashram run by Leela (Shabnam Kapoor).

Kundan (Vijay Raaz), son of Balaknath Chaudhary, has a glad eye for Durga. He kidnaps her and is about to forcibly marry her but Arjun arrives in the nick of time and arrests him. Hawaldar Shekhar Verma (Shoorveer Tyagi) had informed Kundan about his impending arrest but it was too late for Kundan to escape. After bail, Kundan beats up Shekhar Verma. This prompts Shekhar Verma to spill the beans about Maya’s disappearance, before Arjun. He tells Arjun that after her rape, Maya had been murdered by Balaknath’s son, Kundan, for having dared to approach the police station.

Arjun arrests Kundan on the murder charge. Balaknath is livid and plots Arjun’s murder at the hands of Kundan who is inside the jail. Arjun escapes the attempt on his life. Meanwhile, Durga does a sting operation on Balaknath Chaudhary and exposes him.

What happens thereafter?

Prof. P.C. Singh’s story is hotch-potch and relies little on logic. He tries to pack in too many things but sadly, nothing is fresh. Arshad Siddiqui’s screenplay is one of complete convenience. As a result, it fails to engage the viewers. Dialogues, written by Arshad Siddiqui, are very dull.

Priyanshu Chatterjee is okay in the title role. Raai Laxmi is alright as Durga. Govind Namdev does a fine job as Balaknath Chaudhary. Vijay Raaz lends fair support as Kundan. Deepraj Rana is natural as police inspector Pawan Kumar Pande. Rita Joshi (as Maya), Shabnam Kapoor (as Leela), Shoorveer Tyagi (as hawaldar Shekhar Verma), Ehsaan Khan (as Karamveer Bharti), Anju Sharma (as Maya’s friend, Anju), and Sonali Kulkarni (as Leela’s visually impaired daughter) provide decent support.

Arshad Siddiqui’s direction is weak. He is unable to keep the interest level of the audience alive for long. Music (Anand Raaj Anand and Liyakat Ajmeri) is poor. Lyrics (Ahmed Siddiqui, Husna Khan, Laxmi Narain Pandey and Satya Prakash) are ordinary. Firoz Khan’s choreography is below average. Background music (by Parvez Ajmeri and Pratik Gandhi) is weak. B. Laxman’s camerawork is just about functional. Hanif Shaikh’s action and stunts lack thrill. Sunil Singh’s art direction is nothing to shout about. Bibhuti Bhushan’s editing leaves a lot to be desired.

On the whole, Officer Arjun Singh IPS is a flop show right from the word ‘go’.

Released on 18-10-’19 at Maratha Mandir (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Aum Exhibitors. Publicity & opening: very poor. …….Also released all over.