Survival thriller is a genre on which very few films have been made in Hindi cinema. In such a situation, audiences are always quite eager to watch it on the big screen. Bejoy Nambiar-directed Tu Yaa Main has been drawing attention ever since its interesting announcement. The trailer and songs further increased the excitement, because of which the film garnered tremendous buzz even before its release. Bejoy is a filmmaker who knows very well how to present intense emotions and sequences. Tu Yaa Main tries to blend romance, influencer culture and survival thriller into a high stakes adventure. Will this survival thriller succeed in entertaining you in theatres? Read ahead to find out.
Tu Yaa Main: Story
Two social media influencers from completely different backgrounds come together to work, but they fall in love and their lives take a sudden shocking turn. The story revolves around Avni Shah (Shanaya Kapoor) and Maruti Kadam (Adarsh Gourav). Both are emerging names in the world of social media. Avni, who is known online as Miss Vanity, belongs to a wealthy family. She has millions of followers and a professional team behind her. Maruti, also known as Aala Flopara, is a rapper and content creator from Nalasopara who works hard to create his identity. They meet at a music event where Maruti gets an opportunity and suggests working together. Frequent meetings turn into love and soon they fall for each other. Avni grows close to Maruti’s family and steps into a world very different from her own. Trouble begins when tension arises within their families and they decide to prioritise their careers. Hoping to ease the situation, their family sends the couple to Goa. There, their lives suddenly change when both find themselves trapped inside an empty, deep swimming pool with a crocodile and no way to escape. Will Avni and Maruti survive this difficult situation? Who will win, the crocodile or love?
Tu Yaa Main: Performance
Adarsh Gourav does a great job at portraying a rapper and content creator from Nalasopara. He has completely immersed himself in the character and does not drop the local Mumbaikar tapori style accent even for a second. Shanaya Kapoor impresses with her acting. She fits well into the role and delivers a strong performance. The actress looks convincing in emotional scenes and when she says, “Tu yedi ho gayi hai kya bacchi?” - her different style stands out.
Supporting actors like Kshitee Jog, Ansh Vikas Chopra, Amrita Srinivasan, Parul Gulati, Rajat Kaul and Srikant Mohan Yadav appear powerful in their respective roles. However, Parvathy Thiruvothu should have had a bigger role in the film.
Tu Yaa Main: Music
In a survival thriller like this, background music plays an important role and Prateek Rajagopal has done a very good job. The background score enhances the overall viewing experience. The recreated version of Aankhen Chaar also impresses. Every moment is supported well by tracks like Aankhen Chaar, Fame Humein, Jee Liya and other old tracks that present the situations effectively. “Tum hi hamari ho manzil my love” has been presented according to the situation.
Tu Yaa Main: Cinematography takes the cake
Remy Dalai’s cinematography is excellent and special mention must be made of the animatronics team, because the crocodile created by them looks very real.
Where does Tu Yaa Main falter?
Tu Yaa Main has many thrilling moments and some strong performances. However, the story progresses slowly and feels longer than necessary. The tension holds you at times, but the pacing makes the journey tiring. It is thrilling, but it tests your patience. The suspense is sometimes stretched too long to maintain tension, which becomes boring. The first half establishes the basic story, such as how Avni and Maruti meet, their content creation, family background, their love story and more. The first half is entertaining and does not bore you. In the second half, the film moves into a thrilling zone. Several scenes keep you on the edge of your seat and make you feel scared. The film struggles to connect the high stakes situation with the earlier emotional build up. By the end, many threads of the story remain unresolved, leaving a sense of incompleteness.
Tu Yaa Main: What works
Tu Yaa Main succeeds in creating moments of tension and claustrophobia, especially during the survival sequences. The contrast between influencer romance and real jungle danger keeps the story interesting. Some jump scare moments are well executed, maintaining suspense in the second half.
Tu Yaa Main: The final verdict
Oerall, Tu Yaa Main is a survival thriller drama with several exciting moments. The performances are good and the music is rather impressive. Even if you have watched The Pool, this film will give you a completely different experience. In fact, it is slightly different from the original and is worth watching at least once.
3 out of 5 stars for Tu Yaa Main.
Also read: Not Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan but Bedhadak was Shanaya Kapoor's debut film, here's why it got shelved
