The Perfect Murder [Vikkramm Chandirramani, India, 2019]

On some days, killing your spouse may seem like the only option for a bearable future. The Perfect Murder, however, gives a million and one reasons not to. Following the lives of the unhappily married Neha and Kabir, this short film is a delightfully ridiculous portrayal of the fine line between love and hate.

Throughout the film, it is hard to decide who is the most detestable: Neha, a ruthless businesswoman who will stop at nothing for her father’s approval, or Kabir, an unsuccessful actor and dim-witted manipulator. While Neha’s total lack of warmth is strikingly unlikeable, Kabir’s oafish cruelty and downright idiocy is a worthy contender.

The despicable duo give the story some much needed nuance as, initially, the good-versus-bad dynamic is a little two-dimensional. Nonetheless, this subtlety soon breaks under the weight of unintentionally funny characters and some unbelievably corny dialogue.

Lines such as ‘I need money, and lots of it!’ are far more ridiculous than they are threatening. What really takes the cake, though, is a shot of Kabir reading a book on ‘Murder Science’ in plain sight. While these aspects of the film certainly make it difficult to take seriously, they do add a charming sort of silliness. It’s almost impossible not to be entertained by Kabir’s conspicuous phone conversation as he yells at his mistress while well in earshot of his wife.

The karmic ending gives the plot a satisfying sense of symmetry, and not to mention justice. While this film is far too outlandish to be a genuine thriller, the unwittingly comic moments make it worth twenty minutes of your time.

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'The Perfect Murder' was a film in consideration for Short Focus Film Festival 2019.