Cult movie review: Zaid Khan’s ‘bloody love’ story is a misogynistic mess

Cult movie review: Cult movie review: Alcohol and hating on women and the notion of love is the only effective combination to deal with heartbreak, according to Zaid Khan’s new film, Cult.

Zaid Khan in Cult

Cult movie story: Childhood sweethearts Madhava (Zaid Khan) and Geetha (Malaika Vasupal) promise each other a lifetime of togetherness, even as they go their separate ways for higher education. He heads to Manipal and she to Bengaluru. As the days go by, he finds it increasingly difficult to even get in touch with her. When he eventually tracks her down, he realizes that Geetha is no longer the langa dhavani clad naïve girl he last saw; she has well and truly integrated herself in the ‘Bengaluru lifestyle’. This version of Geetha, who parties and wears skimpy outfits, is not something he can come to terms with. And if that isn’t bad enough, she has also moved on and found herself a rich boyfriend. Can the heartbroken Madhava get over his true love?

Cult movie review: I was one of only 6 people who watched Cult in a show that, according to the exhibitor, was houseful. Corporate bookings to create fake narratives of a film’s performance is not new, irrespective of the scale of the movie. But if you are anyway buying tickets, why not give them away for free and actually get people to the theatre? Anyway, that’s a different issue, but that was, the first red flag about Zaid Khan’s Cult.

The real problem, though, was the script by director Anil Kumar. It is regressive storytelling at best, reinforcing the narrative that the best way to deal with heartbreak is to spew hatred towards women and the notion of love itself. Also, whenever possible, slut-shame. The protagonist, Madhava, is the flagbearer of the bro code and is saving other men from being trapped in relationships that are not about true love. And all this while drowning his ‘pain’ with booze and cigarettes.

It is at this point that I also decided to do some maths. Is Madhava even of legal age to be drinking? His love story falls apart shortly after he begins his engineering studies. The back logs he is hoping to clear are of the 3rd and 4th semester, so that he can get back on track. Going by that calculation, he was not even 20 then, when he dropped out due to a bleeding heart? Anyway, that is besides the point.

Also read: Cult actor Zaid Khan rejected an offer to work with Dulquer Salmaan; here’s why

Even when he meets Rachita Ram’s character, there’s instant judgement, based on her attire and lack of sobriety. You see, it is okay for Madhava to parade into a room full of people in only briefs and have girls admiring the size of, well, you know what. The accompanying line was something about a big idol in a small temple. But the other way around is just not okay. The length of the outfit and the depth of the neckline determine how virtuous a woman is, apparently.

Rachita’s character Ithi has a traumatic backstory, which is one of the better handled portions of the film, but when she is ready to open up her heart for love again, gone are the skimpy outfits and in comes the demure salwar kameez. You get the drift, right?

Cult movie verdict: At nearly 3 hours run-time, Cult is a difficult watch, more so because it has literally no redeeming elements. And this, according to the leading man, is supposed to be a step in his journey to superstardom. Well, better luck next time. This was, most definitely, a massive misstep.

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