- Chetan Nadiger
Film: Grey Games
Producer: Anand H Mugad
Director: Gangadhar Salimath
Starring: Vijay Raghavendra, Bhavana Rao, Shruthi Prakash, Jai, Aparna Vastarey, Ashwin Hassan and others
With the introduction of the Internet, gaming software, apps and androids, a large section of people particularly the youths are engaged in gaming. Virtual games are currently the newest craze and this week’s release ‘Grey Games’ is a film based on the metaverse and online gaming.
‘Grey Games’ starts with the mysterious death of Julie Fernandes (Ishitha Singh) and an online gamer known as Red Hunter is arrested by the Cyber Crime Police. Following Julie’s death, Abhi a young son of a rich couple, starts having mental issues. And it’s under these circumstances enter well-known psychologist Dr Ram (Vijay Raghavendra) to treat him. Will Dr Ram be able to solve the mystery of Julie’s death? Will he be able to expose the crimes related to internet gaming? Forms the crux of the film.
Off late, Sandalwood is witnessing a wide variety of thrillers and ‘Grey Games’ is one of them. The psychological crime thriller revolves around internet gaming. The movie intelligently sheds light on the murky aspects of the metaverse and the online gaming environment in addition to discussing its addiction. Two characteristics of the gaming world have been effectively portrayed in the film. One relates to the impact gaming has on children’s life, while the other focuses on the psychological effects.
The good thing about Grey Games is that it’s not just an online gaming story. There are various other aspects to it. In spite of good content, the film has its share of ups and downs. Particularly, the second half of the film lacks the much-needed thrills and pace essential for a suspense thriller. Though the film is of two-hour duration, the film looks lengthy because of its pace. The track of Vijay Raghavendra and Shruthi Prakash could have been easily chopped off as it has nothing to do with the story. There are a few loose ends and director Gangadhar Salimath who is also the writer should have worked more on the screenplay. The film manages to hold the attention of the audience and the climax is surely the highlight of the film.
This is Vijay Raghavendra’s third film of the year and the actor excels in another different role. Vijay is calm and composed and has done his job easily. Bhavana Rao as the cyber crime officer is good. Newcomer Jai who is also the nephew of Vijay Raghavendra is a talent to watch out for in the future. He looks like a combination of his uncles Vijay Raghavendra and Srimurali. Ishita is seen in a bold role in her debut film. Aparna Vastharey who makes a comeback to films after many years shines in her role.
The makers of the film surely deserve an appreciation for choosing this kind of subject and presenting it on screen. In spite of a few points, ‘Grey Games’ is a good watch not only for the present generation, but also to their parents.
