Excellent, But, Not Exceptional – Anushka Sharma’s Supernatural Horror Thriller has its Moments, but Fails to Maintain the Emotional Rhythm – Pari Review
Pari Review
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Conquering the horror genre in Bollywood is tough. There have been very few directors in Bollywood who can boast of making a successful horror movie. Barring a few surprise hits like Raat (1992), Bhoot (2003), 13B (2009) etc. most supernatural horror films in India have failed to spook the audience or give them any kind of horrid nightmares.
Jump scares, gratuitous skin show, cheap gore effects, recycled storylines, over-the-top acting – Bollywood directors and producers have tried everything to make the audience sit through a horror movie and come out of the theatres feeling satisfied to have not wasted their time in watching a Hindi horror movie. Most of the time, it didn’t work.
A few films have come close, though. Unfortunately, Pari isn’t it.
It does try, though…
Pari Review – An Untouched Blend of Supernatural and Non-clichéd Horror
Pari, the debut film of director Porsit Roy and co-produced by and starring Anushka Sharma, tells the story of Arnab Bagchi (Parambrata Chatterjee) as he attempts to help a woman named Ruksana (Anushka Sharma) who appears to be a victim of abuse. Arnab finds Ruksana under mysterious circumstances in a secluded jungle, chained up in a hut. He tries to help Ruksana in his own way, but everything is not as it appears on the surface. Who is this woman and what is her story?
Straight off the bat, Pari is a valiant effort from Anushka Sharma, no doubt about it. She is the heart and soul of the movie and the recently-married actress pulls all the stops to ensure she gives her best effort, which she does. Her portrayal of Ruksana is a spirited performance and the many spooky layers she brings out in the character leaves the audience with mixed emotions: should they feel pity for her or should they be afraid of her? She skillfully executes the paradox that is her character.
The other actors also competently play their part; especially Parambrata Chatterjee’s Arnab going through his internal conflict of his own, and Rajat Kapoor as the Professor-cum-Ghostbuster do full justice to their roles.
Pari Review – The Good and The Bad
The movie is kinda like an art-house, indie thriller which moves at its own pace without jarring background scores, clichéd jump scares or the go-to stereotypical horror movie formulas. It’s fresh and unique in its own way and maintains the constant feeling of dread and anxiety throughout its 150-minute runtime, keeping the suspense alive till the very end. The picturesque locations of Calcutta also lend the movie an original touch of its own.
But, the story suffers from a weak script & subpar direction. The fact that Pari is Porsit Roy’s first attempt at filmmaking is clear within the first few minutes of the movie; he drags on with the story for the sake of keeping it linear. The thrills are there, it just not thrilling enough! The dark and gripping screenplay helps, but the over-dependence on spirits, ‘ifrits’ and ‘jinns’, satanic cults, disfigured women in black robes and witch-hunters leave a bad aftertaste.
Though it’s not perfect, it’s a bold attempt at making something that is seldom experimented with in Bollywood. It’s a daring film!
Pari Review – The Idiot Speaks
I won’t go into the details as to why you should see it or give it a miss. Let’s just say, if you are tired of all the stereotypically silly and unintentionally funny Bollywood horror flicks that even children cannot bear to watch, try Pari.
Oh, and… the horror scene involving earphones will be one of the most memorable scenes in the history of horror films.
Pari won’t give you a heart attack; but, it won’t make you break your TV in frustration either!
Trivia: In August 2017, during the shooting of Pari in south 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, a technician named Shah Alam died of electrocution. The shooting of the film at the shooting site was immediately stopped.
Verdict of The Idiot
Idiot-o-Meter: Take It Easy, Dude!
[yasr_overall_rating]
The Idiot’s Rating System:
4.0 – 5.0: The Dude Abides!
3.0 – 4.0: Far Out, Man!
2.0 – 3.0: Take It Easy, Dude!
1.0 – 2.0: You’re Out Of Your Element!
0.0 – 1.0: The Goddamn Plane Has Crashed Into The Mountain!
What did you think of Pari? Let us know in the comments…
The Idiot's Corner 