A movie starring two veteran actors cannot go wrong. “Vadh” stars Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta. The film focuses on the life of an old married couple whose son has gone to America and how they deal with financial troubles. Sanjay Mishra plays the character of a teacher who has high values and does his best to keep his wife happy. However, one night, his whole life changes. How? Let’s find out.
Spoilers Ahead
‘Vadh’ Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?
Shambhunath Mishra is an old teacher who lives in Gwalior, India, with his wife, Manju. Even though on the surface, the couple looks happy, they struggle with money. Shambhunath Mishra is a man with pride, and he is too ashamed to ask for money from his son. We know that money struggles are a common and often stressful experience. We see the same in the movie for Shambhunath and his wife. They live a normal life and cut down on expenses. Now and then, they go to a cybercafé to talk to their son, who lives in America. Years ago, Shambhunath had taken a huge loan to send Guddu (his son) to America. However, after going to America, Guddu changes immensely. He rarely talks to Shambhunath and Manju, and he also refuses to come to India.
Shambhunath Mishra has a 12-year-old student named Naina, who is very close to him and Manju. Shambhunath, in one of the scenes, expresses his emotions about having a daughter instead of a son, looking at Naina and the way she cared for Shambhunath and Manju. Since Shambhunath had taken a huge loan, a goon named Prajapati Pandey often comes to his house for money. Shambhunath and his wife are demeaned in their own house. The helpless couple can only endure since they are in debt. They watch Prajapati Pandey insult them silently. Shambhunath is constantly harassed by Prajapati. Even though the movie had the potential to deepen the plot, it failed to do so. Anyway, the movie shows the struggles of Shambhunath as he tries to repay Prajapati Pandey. One day, Prajapati Pandey shows up at Shambhunath’s house with a man with the intention of selling the house to him. Shambhunath is again helpless because he gave his everything to send his son to America.
Shambhunath keeps struggling with debts in the first half of the movie. One night, Prajapati Pandey shows up at Shambhunath’s house. He tells Shambhunath he wants to meet Naina, and in exchange, he will lessen the amount of the loan he has taken. Enraged that someone would have such evil thoughts about a child, Shambhunath murders Prajapati Pandey. When Manju returns home, she is shocked to see a dead body but doesn’t say a word. Shambhunath then tries his best to get rid of the dead body. He travels to a place far away from Gwalior and burns the dead body.
‘Vadh’ Ending Explained: Was The Murder Justifiable?
According to Shambhunath, he did the right thing. He says he killed a “demon,” and clearly, someone who has an eye on a child needs to be punished. Shambhunath’s anger changed him as a person. In the entirety of the movie, his stance on killing Prajapati is the same. Manju, however, feels that they have sinned. According to Manju, it was not their place to punish Prajapati. We see that this incident takes a toll on their marriage; Manju seems upset and stops talking to Shambhunath.
The police come to Shambhunath’s place to question him about the disappearance of Prajapati Pandey, but Shambhunath acts like he knows nothing at all. Since he is a well-respected person in society, the police mind their own business. However, ever since the police had come to their place, Manju became restless. She had to act like she did not know anything, but for a religious person like her, she found it hard to stay quiet. One day Prajapati Pandey’s wife comes to Shambhunath’s place, asking if he knows anything about Prajapati, and his answer remains the same. After his wife’s visit, Manju starts feeling more and more guilty. Since Manju feels like what Shambhunath had done was a sin, he goes to the police to confess that he is the murderer. When he confesses that he killed Prajapati, the inspector in charge of the police station that day does not believe him. He makes fun of Shambhunath’s confession and asks him not to waste his time. However, SP Shakti Singh started getting suspicious of Shambhunath after hearing that he had confessed earlier. When Shakti Singh calls Shambhunath again to the police station to write down his confession and get his signature, Shambhunath declines that he had confessed to killing Prajapati Pandey. The tables turn, and the movie’s plot deepens here. Shakti Singh constantly tries to get Shambhunath’s confession, but he is adamant about knowing nothing. Shambhunath has nothing to worry about since he got rid of all the evidence. Shakti Singh asks for Prajapati Pandey’s phone and nothing else, but Shambhunath refuses to know the phone’s whereabouts. However, the phone is in Shambhunath’s house. Meanwhile, Rathore comes to his house and starts beating up Shambhunath. He damages his property and asks for money, but Shambhunath has nothing to offer. Devastated, he confesses everything to Shakti Singh. What was wrong and what was right was up to Shakti Singh to decide. Shambhunath also tells Shakti Singh where the murder weapon and Prajapati Pandey’s clothes are hidden. In the end, we get to know that Shakti Singh had an affair with an MLA’s wife, and Prajapati Pandey was threatening him. Shakti Singh frames Rathore for Prajapati Singh’s murder by writing a false report. Shambhunath walks home free and decides never to contact his son again. The couple also decides to live somewhere else and start a new life. They give their house to Naina, which shows that they love her like their own daughter. Even though the movie is not a perfect crime thriller and might remind you of “Drishyam,” Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta’s work makes the movie worth watching. It was a decent watch but didn’t quite live up to expectations.
