Movie: Bhoot Returns
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Cast: JD Chekravarthy, Manish Koirala, Madhu Shalini and Alayana Sharma
Rating: **
Having watched ‘Bhoot Returns’, the sequel to Ram Gopal Varma’s horror-thriller ‘Bhoot’, I told myself there’s absolutely no way I’m going to put myself through the torture of watching the third part in the franchise. But what keeps this sequel truly an edge-of-the-seat affair, is its earth-shattering background score and Varma’s signature camera shots.
Tarun Awasthi moves in with his family into a new house, after being allured to buy at a price lower than market price. Tarun, wife Namrata, sister Pooja, son Taman, daughter Nimmi and a male help Laxman are the newest members of the abode. Along the course, Nimmi finds a doll, which she claims was given to her by her invisible friend called Shabbu.
Irked by Nimmi’s repetitive mention of her imaginary friend, Namrata loses her cool. However, the discovery of the doll leads to abnormal occurrences such as loud banging on door and what follows soon turns a matter of high concern to the family.
It doesn’t take much time for Tarun to realize all is not well.
Ramu’s obsession for crazy camera shots continues as he places the camera in the most unexpected places such as above a ceiling fan, under the table, behind a television set and even in the wash basin. Ramu, whose philosophy of fear is an ominous setting, manages to give the audience precisely what he believes in and not an ounce more. The film, like many horror films of the past, desperately attempts to scare the audience with sound.
The script is very poorly written, while the performance of the actors, barring that of Alayana and Madhu, fall flat. Varma’s direction is haphazard and aimless. Having sat through the entire film, one finds the experience more tiresome than memorable.
3D neither thrills nor scares, but merely serves as a medium for the producers to mint extra money from the viewers.
In all, ‘Bhoot Returns’ spells three times boredom.