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Whistle

Director: JD-Jerry
Cast: Vikramaditya, Gayatri Raghuram, Sherin, Irin, Samiksha, Vivek, Livingston

Campus-crime stories are a rarity in our films. So when you get to see one, it's a welcome change from the routine stuff. Particularly if it's an engaging one like 'Whistle'. JD-Jerry's debut film 'Ullasam' the Ajit-Vikram starrer, had a striking visual beauty and gloss, but lacked in content. The duo have ensured that in their second film, they have a solid plot in their hands, and an intriguing screenplay. With D.Imman's music (the songs and the background score), and Fowzia's camera lending the right mood, the audience is taken on a journey paved with a series of murders, an axe-wielding killer, varied suspects and motives, and an intriguing finale. Investigating cop Sayyid could have been given a more significant role, than his occasional appearances in the earlier scenes.

A series of murders rocks the campus. Shweta, driving alone on the highway is killed by a black-gowned, masked, axe-wielding killer, her death passed off as an accident. Then, it's Vinod hauled up by a rope and hanged in the dark woods next to the campus. Classmate Anjali who had been a witness and runs for help, finds the body missing when she returns. Then it's the turn of Professor Panneer, who loved to delve on the 'Naga Legend' - about a woman who was buried alive during the British period at the site where the college now stood. Many believe the incidents to be the curse of the woman. More intriguing is the pattern of the murders, which follows the sequence of the sketches, in the book on the 'Naga Legend'. With Panneer, a suspect himself being killed, the other suspects include Baji, the watchman with the ominous look; the comely Anjali; the spritely Maya; and journalist-student Jeeva - each with their own undivulged past. The closing scene paves the way for a sequel. 

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WHISTLE is a shameless remake..... - Devan Nair, Umkomaas, South Africa, 7/20/2003

If Vivek has to be included in the campus-capers, he has to be made an old student! His capers takes off from 'WHAT WOMEN WANT' (ability to read the thoughts of women), extends to 'hearing' animals, ending in his heightening sense of smell, where the cops even use him to smell out bombs! Promising is model-turned-actor Vikramaditya as Jeeva; Gayatri is credible as the sober Anjali; Sherin gets a meaty role as the lively, spirited Maya; Livingston as Panneer; and Raj Kapoor as Baji.

When reputed Hindi film-makers can take inspiration from Hollywood and churn out successes like Raaz, Humraaz, Jism etc., one cannot grude the one-film old team of JD-Jerry churning 'Whistle' out of an 'Urban legend'. What counts is that, though they've been largely faithful to the characters, the locations and the situations of the original, they've done a commendable job in the areas where they've re-worked the script.