Check out our review of Anushka Sharma and Parambrata Chatterjee's Pari.
Anushka Sharma and Parambrata Chatterjee’s Pari is bound to send chills down your spine. It’s definitely not a fairytale, a warning that comes with all the posters, screamers and the teaser. It is by far one of best horror films that have seen in Bollywood in a very long time. Here’s a detailed review of the horror flick.
What’s It About:
Not for the faint hearted is a phrase often used with horror films. These disclaimers haven’t done justice to an Indian horror film in a very long time. Hollywood films like The Conjuring and Annabelle have found audience at our shores, but our filmmakers have stayed comfortable in the tried and tested formula of horror meets sex and seduction. Prosit Roy’s Pari breaks the stigma associated with our horror films with great finesse. Set in Calcutta the film revolves around a Desi folklore that involves demonic possession of a woman to take ahead the lineage of the devil. Ruksana (Anushka Sharma) plays the role of Pari, a victim of a supernatural form of abuse who crosses paths with Arnab (Parambrata Chatterjee) after a freak accident. Pari’s entry in Arnav’s life results in a series of bizarre and unexplained events that lead us to trace the origins of the folklore surrounding her past. Rajat Kapoor plays a professor who is on the hunt to finish off a job he started decades ago. Without giving away much of the plot, I can easily say that Pari has a solid story line that ties all the loose ends in a harrowing climax that will leave you restless and uneasy.
What’s Hot:
A good horror film needs 3 things – a strong plot, a cast that understands the genre and a director who has some understanding of the human mind. True horror goes beyond the gory visuals and taps into your real fears. The ghost that lurks in the dark and figures and sounds the mind conjures up are the buttons that need to be pressed to make a successful horror film. Director Prosit Roy is able to do all of the above with ease. The way he’s treated the subject and build the narrative is a stroke of genius. The production values and the technical aspect of Pari right from the cinematography to the background score are exemplary. The star of the film is the poster girl Anushka Sharma whose risk of dabbling with a not so popular genre has paid off big time.
As Pari and Ruksana, Anushka physically becomes a creature we will not be able to forget for a long time. Her facial expressions, body language, the use of eyes and the way she speaks, everything adds up to make Pari a nightmare to watch. Parambrata Chatterjee is the perfect cast as the man trapped in a situation that has no logical reasoning. His initial scenes with Anushka are brilliant and their timing is superb. Pari is disturbing and there are several moments that will not only scare you but make you extremely restless. The true sign of a successful horror film is when you try to find some way of making light of the situation cause you don’t want to participate in what’s happening on screen. The make up department needs a special mention cause their skills are put to full use in the film.
Rajat Kapoor’s act as the professor out to get Pari is eerie and scary in a good way! There are at least three to good scares in the entire film that will haunt you even after the lights turn on. Also under the garb of a horror film, Pari is actually a love story which has a heart breaking climax.
What’s Not:
Pari does have its flaws. The first half is good but the second does get a bit lethargic. The song in the first half kills the pace and tempo of the film. Anushka’s interaction with Parambrata get a bit monotonous and predictable as the film nears its climax. The folklore and the story surrounding the devil is a bit winding and confusing to follow at first, but does make sense once we reach the near end.
What To Do:
If you love horror then Pari is a fitting tribute to the genre. I suggest sleeping with the lights on if you end up watching a late night show ! Yes, it’s that good.
Rating:4 out of 5
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