‘Saali Mohabbat’ Review: Lust Lies and Vengeance

New Delhi, December 12, 2025: Tisca Chopra’s directorial debut, ‘Saali Mohabbat’ (The Cursed Love), has arrived on ZEE5, weaving a complex and unsettling psychological thriller that is anchored by a chilling performance from Radhika Apte. Expanding on the thematic ingredients of the writer-actor’s much-lauded short film Chutney (2016), the feature explores the quiet rage and devastating consequences of infidelity in a small-town setting.

The Story: A Tale Within a Tale

The film cleverly uses a “story within a story” structure. It opens with Kavita (Radhika Apte), a polished housewife, who begins to narrate a dark tale to her party guests after spotting her own husband flirting with another woman. The story she tells is about Smita (also played by Radhika Apte), a seemingly simple, demure woman living in the town of Fursatgarh.

Smita, a gold medalist in Botany, has sidelined her career to be a devoted wife to Pankaj (Anshumaan Pushkar)—an alcoholic gambler deep in debt to the local gangster, Gajendra (Anurag Kashyap). Smita’s quiet life is shattered when her cousin, Shalini (Sauraseni Maitra), comes to live with them and begins an affair with Pankaj. The betrayal leads to a shocking double murder of the husband and the cousin.

The Cautionary Core: Lust and Punishment

The central theme, as the early reviews suggest, is a cautionary tale of lust and punishment. Smita, initially portrayed as the naive and suffering victim, quickly evolves into a character with a dangerous inner strength. Her love for botany, the science of plants, becomes a powerful and unconventional metaphor in the narrative, hinting at a quiet, methodical power beneath her seemingly frail exterior.

When the dead bodies are found, Smita becomes the prime suspect for the investigating officer, Ratan Pandit (Divyenndu). Divyenndu, known for his nuanced roles, delivers a sharp performance as the ambitious but morally ambiguous cop trying to crack his first big case against a woman who seems to be holding a world of secrets.

Performances and Direction

• Radhika Apte delivers a stellar, low-key performance, making her character, Smita, both empathetic and deeply unsettling. Her eyes convey the anguish and quiet, deadly forbearance of a woman pushed too far.
• Divyenndu’s portrayal of the calculating Ratan Pandit provides a perfect counter-balance to Apte’s stillness, resulting in a compelling face-off in the film’s final act.
• Tisca Chopra’s direction is praised for creating a moody, tense atmosphere. She chooses a slow-burn approach, letting the dread simmer instead of relying on jarring jump scares. The film is less about a clear “whodunit” and more about a “howdunit”—focusing on the psychological unraveling and the morality of the crime.

The Verdict

While critics note that the film’s central infidelity plot is somewhat predictable, its strength lies in the rich characterizations and the subtle build-up of suspense. The film successfully joins the ranks of domestic thrillers that explore the consequences of betrayal from a woman’s perspective. It raises unsettling questions about what a seemingly ordinary person is capable of when their life is utterly broken.

Some reviewers point out that the narrative feels incomplete, suggesting a setup for a potential sequel. Nonetheless, ‘Saali Mohabbat’ is highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and for anyone keen to see Radhika Apte shine in a role that solidifies her position as the “queen of complex women” on OTT platforms.