Solo review round-up: Dulquer's film is a good concept gone awry

The bilingual (Malayalam and Tamil) film Solo starring Dulquer Salmaan released on 6 October and the critics have given their verdict. [caption id=“attachment_3867991” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Solo poster.[/caption] Bejoy Nambiar’s directorial venture seems to have received a hot and cold response from critics, with some really taking a liking to the film, while the others were left unimpressed. Solo is touted as a romantic thriller, and is centered around the lives of four men, the depiction of which is done via the four elements — earth, water, air and fire. These also represent the different facets of Lord Shiva. Deepa Soman from the Times of India writes, “Most of the segments in Solo strike a chord with their serene and thrilling moments and the movie can be a delightful watch, if you are in a mood to explore something different.” Karthik Kumar from Hindustan Times  feels, “Solo, undoubtedly, is an ambitious attempt but it’s a great concept gone awry. Two of its best stories could be knitted together and made into a standalone film. The result might have been even more interesting and exciting.” Kumar’s thoughts on Dulquer are “Another good thing about Solo is Dulquer, who is a treat to watch in all the four avatars.” SR Praveen from The Hindu also gave his thoughts on Solo saying_, “Beyond the packaging, and the brilliance of some of its elements, there is nothing really to write home about. Listening to the entire soundtrack of the movie in a good headphone, with your eyes closed, can actually give you a better experience than watching Solo in a theatre.”_