Director: Hansal Mehta
Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Brar, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Duration: 114 minutes
Language: Hindi and English
Ratings: a 3.5 out of 5.★★★☆☆
The Buckingham Murders isn’t just a standard crime thriller; it’s a compelling exploration of grief, social unrest, and the fractures within multicultural societies.
Director Hansal Mehta delivers a film that is as much about investigating a murder as it is about examining the broader socio-political fabric of modern-day Britain.
With a powerful lead performance from Kareena Kapoor Khan, this film manages to strike a fine balance between a taut murder mystery and a reflection on contemporary societal issues.
But does it all come together as a satisfying whole? Let’s dive in.
A grieving detective at center
At the heart of The Buckingham Murders is the character of Jaspreet “Jass” Bhamra, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan, a police officer who’s recently lost her son and is struggling with the weight of her grief.
Jass transfers to a quieter town, hoping to escape the painful memories.
But, as fate would have it, she’s pulled into the investigation of a missing teenager, Ishmeet Kohli, whose family is embroiled in a complex web of cultural and religious tensions.
Kareena’s performance as Jass is nothing short of stellar.
She fully embraces the emotional depth of the role, delivering a portrayal that is raw, introspective, and restrained.
Rather than relying on grand emotional outbursts, Kareena brings a quiet intensity to Jass’s character, and it’s in the subtle moments — the silences, the tiny flickers of pain — that her performance truly shines.
Social message behind the mystery
While the whodunit aspect of The Buckingham Murders is certainly engaging, what sets it apart is the social commentary embedded within its plot.
The story doesn’t simply follow a detective piecing together clues — it’s also about the communities that Jass is investigating.
The film takes an unflinching look at the racial and religious divisions in a multicultural town, particularly within the South Asian diaspora.
The missing boy, Ishmeet, is caught between his Punjabi heritage and the complications of his father’s strained business partnership with a Pakistani Muslim.
The investigation stirs up old wounds and ignites racial prejudices.
As the investigation unfolds, we see how the characters’ biases, ingrained over years of cultural and religious strife, impact their interactions with one another.
Jass’s position as an outsider in the community allows the film to critically explore these tensions.
She’s not just solving a murder; she’s unraveling a larger, more insidious issue: how grief, loss, and prejudice shape people’s actions and perceptions.
Thrilling but not that worth
As a murder mystery, The Buckingham Murders follows a familiar formula.
A grieving detective, a troubled family, and a host of shady characters who could be hiding dark secrets.
The film sets up a series of red herrings, leading the audience down several possible paths before finally revealing the killer.
But here’s the problem: while the mystery is intriguing enough to keep you invested, it’s not particularly groundbreaking.
The twist, though thematically relevant, is somewhat predictable.
While the film succeeds in drawing out the emotional complexities of its characters, the actual unraveling of the crime feels a bit routine.
The killer’s reveal is expected, and the ensuing dramatic moments feel like they’re playing into well-worn tropes.
The film’s use of flashbacks and abrupt cuts doesn’t help in keeping the suspense tight; at times, it feels more like a trick to keep the audience engaged rather than a natural development of the plot.
Supporting cast: shading the grey area
One of the strengths of The Buckingham Murders is its well-rounded supporting cast.
Characters like Daljit (Ranveer Brar), Ishmeet’s father, and Hardy (Ash Tandon), Jass’s superior officer, add layers of complexity to the story.
These aren’t just background characters — they each have their own personal struggles and flaws that influence their behavior and decisions.
Cinematically beautiful, yet flawed
From a cinematographic standpoint, The Buckingham Murders does an excellent job of setting the tone.
The film is visually arresting, with a muted, atmospheric color palette that complements the grim mood of the narrative.
However, there are moments where the film’s editing and sound design detract from the overall experience.
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The background score, at times, feels jarring — too loud, too on-the-nose, and too keen to tell us how to feel.
In a film that leans heavily on emotional depth, the overbearing music often disrupts the natural rhythm of the scenes.
Similarly, the film’s attempts to create suspense through abrupt scene cuts can feel more forced than organic.
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