Love Hostel Review: Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra & Vikrant Massey’s gritty performances make the average story watchable

Bobby Deol has been experimenting with his characters since the last few years and every performance proves to be even better than his last. His latest release Love Hostel is proof of the same. Starring Bobby along with the very talented Sanya Malhotra and Vikrant Massey in the lead, the crime thriller arrived on our screens via ZEE5 today. Directed by filmmaker Shanker Raman, who helmed the 2016 film Gurgaon, Love Hostel follows the story of two lovers running from a man who thinks of himself as a ‘social worker’. While the trailer won us over, here is what we thought of Love Hostel after watching the film.

The story begins with a mini introduction of Dagar, played by Bobby. He is a merciless killer who makes his victims smile for the camera before finishing them off. He also thinks of himself as a ‘social worker’ who is out to ‘clean’ the society. The audiences then meet Ashu aka Ahmed Shaukeen, portrayed by Vikrant, and Jyoti Dilawar, played by Sanya. The lovers run away from their homes and get their marriage registered because Jyoti’s younger brother, mother and MLA grandmother are against their union. The judge sends them off to a safe house which is specifically for runaway couples to stay till their court hearing. Well, Dagar soon gets a call and he sets off to find the newlyweds.

Seems pretty straightforward but there are many twists along the way which make the story an edge of the seat experience. Without giving out any spoilers, we’ll just mention that there are many back stories involved. The film is edgy, fast paced and unpredictable. But it is also quite pointless and is definitely not for the faint of heart. While it is not a horror movie, there is too much unnecessary bloodshed and some bits are quite dark, which can get slightly disturbing for some people to watch. The story is basically average and while the film is intriguing, not many would find it entertaining.

Coming to the star cast-- Vikrant and Sanya have great on-screen chemistry and have wonderfully aced their accents. They look very believable as Ashu and Jyoti and you end up rooting for them. Actor Raj Arjun, who has played the role of DCP Sushil Rathi, does wonders in the little screen time he gets. We wish we could see more of him. Coming to the star of the show-- Bobby Deol has killed it as Dagar! He transformed into a villain you can’t stand but can’t stop watching either, which is proof of his versatility. When you see him on-screen, you see Dagar not Bobby. The actors have portrayed their characters very well and we wish the story did justice to them.

Final thoughts: While the story behind Love Hostel is well thought of and gripping, it sometimes feels unnecessary and pointless. However, the star cast has delivered powerful performances and will most definitely blow you away. A special mention to the sound effects and dialogues, which make the film watching experience more intense. So now we leave the decision to you! If you do watch Love Hostel, do let us know what you thought of the film.