Never seen a Bolly-Horror before.
In fact I think this might be the first Indian film I've seen period.
Ever open-minded, I approach with zero expectations and give it full chance to tell me its story.
In tg opening 30 minutes I felt it does a decent enough job of setting the scene, raising questions and planting supernatural hints.
It's clear something is up, but you have to wait to find out exactly what. The tennis ball, disembodied childish laughter and sinister growling all add to the growing sense of unease. It's not exactly groundbreaking, more competent. It's clear that the sinister old banyan tree is in some way key, as it's here that the majority of inexplicable phenomena is centred.
Personally I like a slow build to the tension, rather than immediate monsterbloodeath. It makes you feel you've worked to 'enjoy' the scares, having traveled the same emotional journey as the characters.
I feel it works here as it's well over 30 minutes into the runtime before we get an actual spooky assault on one of the principals. That kind of restraint that could be a big gamble but I don't think it drags too much in the setup.
Love how the subtitles clearly aren't translated by someone who is fluent in both languages;
"Moreover, he's so much of imaginative." Worried mum Jill (who is definitely an IMILF - and I don't mean Apple have got into mature escorts...)
Or later when the hermit-type jabbering loonatic is trying to warn mum and sister - by hammering on the car window and chasing them.
What kind of reaction did he expect from them to this behaviour?! It doesn't help that he goes on to yell,
"It's very inauspicious, you don't know." Either even Indian crazies speak remarkably formally or the translator was having a bit of a laugh.
By the hour mark, the jump-scare sudden noises/demonic growling begins to wear a little thin. When we first actually meet Manish, I think it would have been more effective if it was accompanied by silence. If memory serves me correctly, I'm sure that the ominous, pale and corpselike little boy Toshio who haunts some of the unfortunate victims in Ju-On: The Grudge, isn't accompanied each time with jarring loud music/sound effects.
When we reach the final third of the film, the continuing jump-scare sudden noise/tiger growling is wearing pretty thin. Especially as the angry 'bad man' is still not really doing a great deal.
Poor little Rohan, despite all the clearly creepy stuff going on, none of the adults want to believe him so he is admonished for lying. We'll see who'll have the last laugh...
It's a crying shame that the very attractive aunty Radhika gets got by the Bad Man, especially without letting us get a good look at her ;-)
Despite hints and speculation, we still have no clear idea who these restless spirits are and why they have such a downer on the new family in the house. Better left as a tantalising and chilling mystery? Hmmm, but that tree is definitely a hub of evil.
In fact I think this might be the first Indian film I've seen period.
Ever open-minded, I approach with zero expectations and give it full chance to tell me its story.
In tg opening 30 minutes I felt it does a decent enough job of setting the scene, raising questions and planting supernatural hints.
It's clear something is up, but you have to wait to find out exactly what. The tennis ball, disembodied childish laughter and sinister growling all add to the growing sense of unease. It's not exactly groundbreaking, more competent. It's clear that the sinister old banyan tree is in some way key, as it's here that the majority of inexplicable phenomena is centred.
Personally I like a slow build to the tension, rather than immediate monsterbloodeath. It makes you feel you've worked to 'enjoy' the scares, having traveled the same emotional journey as the characters.
I feel it works here as it's well over 30 minutes into the runtime before we get an actual spooky assault on one of the principals. That kind of restraint that could be a big gamble but I don't think it drags too much in the setup.
Love how the subtitles clearly aren't translated by someone who is fluent in both languages;
"Moreover, he's so much of imaginative." Worried mum Jill (who is definitely an IMILF - and I don't mean Apple have got into mature escorts...)
Or later when the hermit-type jabbering loonatic is trying to warn mum and sister - by hammering on the car window and chasing them.
What kind of reaction did he expect from them to this behaviour?! It doesn't help that he goes on to yell,
"It's very inauspicious, you don't know." Either even Indian crazies speak remarkably formally or the translator was having a bit of a laugh.
By the hour mark, the jump-scare sudden noises/demonic growling begins to wear a little thin. When we first actually meet Manish, I think it would have been more effective if it was accompanied by silence. If memory serves me correctly, I'm sure that the ominous, pale and corpselike little boy Toshio who haunts some of the unfortunate victims in Ju-On: The Grudge, isn't accompanied each time with jarring loud music/sound effects.
When we reach the final third of the film, the continuing jump-scare sudden noise/tiger growling is wearing pretty thin. Especially as the angry 'bad man' is still not really doing a great deal.
Poor little Rohan, despite all the clearly creepy stuff going on, none of the adults want to believe him so he is admonished for lying. We'll see who'll have the last laugh...
It's a crying shame that the very attractive aunty Radhika gets got by the Bad Man, especially without letting us get a good look at her ;-)
Despite hints and speculation, we still have no clear idea who these restless spirits are and why they have such a downer on the new family in the house. Better left as a tantalising and chilling mystery? Hmmm, but that tree is definitely a hub of evil.