Ittefaq poster
Ittefaq posterTwitter

This week's big Bollywood release is Ittefaq starring Sidharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha and Akshaye Khanna. The 2017 movie is an official adaptation of the 1969 suspense thriller by the same name that featured Rajesh Khanna.

Ittefaq is a murder mystery that features Sidharth as an author, Sonakshi as a housewife, and Akshaye as a police officer. Directed by Abhay Chopra and co-produced by Karan Johar, the movie revolves around a dual murder case, in which Sidharth and Sonakshi's characters are the only witnesses, and also the prime suspects.

While Sonakshi's character has one story to tell about the murder of her husband, Sidharth has another tale to narrate. Although confused, Akshaye the cop is determined to dig out the truth.

The trailer of Ittefaq looked intriguing and had created much curiosity among the viewers. Although all Bollywood movies release a day ahead in the UAE, makers of Ittefaq decided to release it everywhere on Friday itself to avoid any kind of spoilers.

The buzz around the movie is quite positive, and B-Town celebs have been praising the film. It is being said that Ittefaq has a gripping storyline and the suspense factor is to the point.

As the original film was a classic, expectations on 2017 Ittefaq were quite high. Check what the critics have to say about the movie and the ratings:

Umair Sandhu: #Ittefaq is true to its genre, delivers what it promises. Taut, gripping, no distractions, no lull - 100 min of pure suspense. 3.5*/5*

Umesh Punwani from Koimoi: Want to live 100 minutes of suspense? Go for it before the spoilsports come in to ruin everyone's experience. By the interval, you'll feel you know what's going on, but sit back and see yourself getting proved wrong. 3.5*/5*

Ritika Handoo from Zee News: You will see some untapped chemistry between Sid and Sonakshi which can work wonders if given a chance. The supporting cast, especially Himanshu Kohli and the one who played the constable did a fab job in adding some light moments in an otherwise dark narrative. Do watch the film over the weekend to appreciate some fine performances. Who knows this Ittefaq might intrigue you. 3*/5*

Raja Sen from NDTV: To me, the big and mysterious crime this film brings to light is the way Sidharth Malhotra now finds himself typecast as a novelist. It happened in Kapoor And Sons, and it happened here again, in this film that describes him as a "mashoor novelist" and where cops chase a murder suspect down the street yelling "Ei, writer!" as if it were an expletive. Then again, to those who make Hindi cinema these days, perhaps it is. 1.5*/5*

Rohit Vats from Hindustan Times: The plot is not absolutely water-tight (the movie would have blown you away with its twists, if that was the case), but Chopra does put his resources to good use. Ittefaq tries its best to create intrigue, and doesn't give the audience a lot of time to think twice about a single event. That is its biggest achievement. Ittefaq is a decent crime story that will keep you hooked, and guessing. 3*/5*

Meena Iyer from DNA:  Frankly, this rankles. One is aware that people often get away with murder, but the way this thriller unfolds is hardly exciting. Instead of the having the edge-of-the-seat quality that brain twisters ideally should, this one is a tiresome cat-and-mouse chase. Of course, if you're a die-hard fan of murder mysteries this one may hold some magic for you. 3*/5*

Anna MM Vetticad from FirstpostIttefaq may not be perfect, but it is clever enough. Bollywood rarely does thrillers well. This one is not brilliant, but it is fun while it lasts. 2.75*/5*

Here is what the Bollywood stars have been saying about the flick: