The Wife (2021) Review - Engaging horror film focuses more on the script, less on gimmicks

The Wife (2021) is a refreshing horror drama set in an urban city that will make you question your conscience when supporting any of its characters. It’s one of those few horror dramas that do not just bank on the jump scares and the eerie aura that comes with the horror genre, but also do justice to the script. It is a creation as realistic and relatable as horror dramas can get.

• Cast: Gurmeet Choudhary, Sayani Datta
• Genre: Horror Suspense
• Date Released: 19th March 2021
• Duration: 1 hour, 47 minutes

The Wife (2021) review in a nutshell

ZEE5’s The Wife starts with a disturbing shot of a rat crawling across the feet of a woman lying on a bed – shot from the point of view of the woman, which makes it easier for the viewer to imagine themselves in her position. That sets the tone for the rest of the movie. With each scene and camera angle, it strives to keep the user engaged. That's probably why The Wife (2021) imdb ratings stand at 7.3/10 within mere hours of the release.

The Wife (2021) review - what works

While the plot of the movie is not unique, however, the way it has been presented is novel. The script has predictable turns, but a good end that not many would anticipate unless they are regulars with this genre. Gurmeet Choudhary has done an exceptional job at portraying someone who does not believe in the paranormal - he makes you want to support his character because he makes Varun relatable. Sayani Datta does a good job of supporting him as his wife Arya and continues to make the unfolding drama realistic. While she plays someone who believes in the possiblity of paranormal activities, she also reins it in with the right amount of hestiation when introduced to the concepts. The plot's twist at the end is not unique but not very predictable either. 

The Wife (ZEE5) review would not be complete without a hat tip to the innovative ways it captures the shooting location. The team has leveraged the fact that it's a drama filmed inside an urban city’s flat, and not a stereotypical old haveli with more basements, attics and staircases than actual livable spaces. From having to manage your way around people while running down the stairs, to a wardrobe doubling up as a mirror - these urban nitty gritties have been used excellently to create the right effects that make it easy for viewers to imagine themselves in the character's shoes. 

The Wife (2021) review - what does not work

What may not work for some viewers is that the movie is slightly tedious to watch. One would need a lot of patience to sit through scenes that are essentially meaningless at best. Case in point - 17 long seconds of Sayani Datta's Arya reading a newspaper culminating into a disappearing cup behind her which turns out to be a not-so-satisfactory sign of the spirit's presence. The jump scares are slightly predictable, but makers seem to have anticipated that and hence, focussed more on the story. 

The Wife (ZEE5) review - hit or miss? Is The Wife (2021) IMDb rating justified?

At 1 hour 47 minutes, the movie can definitely be a good watch for a weekend night. It's especially suited if you are in it for the script and performances, and not the typical jump scares. The Wife's ratings for us are 4/5 owing largely to Gurmeet's brilliant performance, the filming and cinematography.