Afwaah tells an important story that is very relatable to the times we are living in. As the title suggests, it revolves around a rumour started by certain people with ulterior motives that put lives in danger. The film starts on a slow note but then gets engaging. Director Sudhir Mishra exposes not just how rumours are generated and spread but also how gullible people don’t think twice before forwarding unverified claims. There are quite a few nail-biting moments which keep the interest going. On the flipside, some developments are silly. The director tried to smartly intercut a crucial moment in the climax with another scene and it didn’t really work. Also, to make Nawazuddin Siddiqui speak in English seemed unconvincing. Otherwise, the actor has done very well. Bhumi Pednekar performs better and gets completely into the skin of her character. Sharib Hashmi is terrific as always while Sumeet Vyas, Sumit Kaul and Eisha A Chopra are dependable. T J Bhanu (lady cop) leaves a mark. The same goes for Appurv Gupta; he’s too good as the IT cell expert. All in all, Afwaah is a decent one-time watch thanks to its plot, message and performances.

My rating - *** out of 5!