Bollywood filmmakers seem to have run out of new stories to tell. Maybe that’s why the past few years have seen a string of remakes that bombed at the box office and butchered by the critics as well. And there are a few more in the pipeline for 2022/2023 already. Released recently on Netflix, the Rajkummar Rao starrer “HIT: The First Case” is also one of those films made remade for the larger number of Indian audience. Writer/director Sailesh Kolanu, who debuted with the 2020 Telugu-language action-thriller of the same name, now takes up the same position in this Hindi-language remake of the critically and commercially successful original. Vikram Jaisingh (Rao), is a police officer in the Homicide Intervention Team (HIT) division in Rajasthan. While Vikram is established as an able officer, he has a traumatic past that still haunts him and gives him crippling anxiety and panic attacks at times, even when he is working.

Although Vikram is advised by his therapist to take a break, he is adamant on continuing with his work, despite his PTSD making things hard for him. Then when 18-year-old Preethi disappears without a clue, Vikram’s mental health is reduced to shambles in trying to solve the complicated case.

Vikram decides to take a long break from his job despite the case remaining unsolved but is pulled back after a couple of months when his girlfriend Neha (Sanya Malhotra) goes missing. During investigation, he finds there could be a connection between the two possible kidnappings and the suspense gets deeper. HIT is a whodunnit with twists and turns at every corner. The protagonist Vikram and his team of police officers are sent on wild goose chases, looking for the ladies who could possibly have been kidnapped and murdered. They do not know what crime has been committed and have no clue as to who could have done it. The investigation leads to multiple suspects but without concrete evidence to prove anyone guilty or find the whereabouts of the kidnapped women. When we talk about how South Indian films come with complex storylines and unexpected plot twists, it’s the likes of HIT that we are raving over. Sailesh Kolanu does an amazing job remaking the film for the Hindi-speaking audience without much change in the original plot. But that was expected since he retains almost the exact crew he had used in Telugu-language HIT. The Hindi version is almost a literal remake of the original as only the language, the setting and the actors are changed. Having watched the original as well, the only big difference I feel between the two films is the role of the protagonist. Vishwak Sen played Vikram in the original film and was very impressive in the role. In the Hindi version, Rao in the same role emulates the intensity and the various vulnerabilities of Vikram as required by the film. Having taken up a host of different roles already, Rao’s versatility shines in the film. Despite all its pieces falling into right pieces, there is something missing in the remake that doesn’t let it rise into the same class as the original. Maybe it is the burden of expectations or something is lost in translation, the remake is not as gripping as the original. The beginning and the gradual progression of the film is quite captivating but just at it touches the half mark, it starts digressing and cannot quite capture the audience’s undivided attention till the very end. Nevertheless, the climax is a surprise and the build-up towards it is not poorly executed either. Who should watch it? If you have watched the original HIT, you might not enjoy this one so much. But if you haven’t and find reading translated dialogues tiresome, you will definitely love this mind bending thriller. Actors: Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra Director: Sailesh Kolanu Genre: Action, thriller Rating: 3.5 stars Runtime: 2hrs 5min