Flat No 609

A young couple Arko Mukherjee (Abir Chatterjee) and Sayantani (Tnusree Chakraborty) are all excited on getting a flat for a good deal. But is everything hunky dory as it seems?

Flat No 609 — the name spells mystery. Not because you know numerology but because when associated with a film name, it points towards the horror/thriller genre. The film gets these important things right. It has an apt name and justifies the genre, a rare case with small-scale movies these days.

What ensues is a seemingly happy couple’s story of finding a nest. There’s no search shown as such as they zero in on a spacious duplex. Though this keeps the script tight, a little hassle on the way would have been more believable. Also, that the flat is haunted is anybody’s guess. What with the broker being cheeky about a locked room, the security inquiring now and then and neighbour couple, played by veteran actors Mamata Shankar and Soumitra Chatterjee, acting suspicious.

But the filmmaker is smart enough to hide what he wanted to. And it’s not that the rooms give an eerie feeling. In fact, he tried a little too hard to stress on the horror factor so that the thrill comes as a big surprise. Nevertheless, he delivers as promised. You do get spooked with the sudden paranormal activities, passing shadows, scary background score and Tnusree’s expressions — all of that in the first half. Especially when the film is about to break into the interval, the faint-hearted is going to break into a sweat!

The film does this even after resuming from break but the only difference is that you seem more comfortable with the ghost’s presence now as does Tnusree. He scares you off still but you can brave that. This is where the film takes a turn.

If Tnusree was on-point expressive, Abir was his usual charming and easy-going self — an on-screen presence that makes him stand out. Mamata Shankar’s bewildered look, with the help of a scary-coloured contact lens, will make you feel uncanny. But you’ll like her. Soumitra and Kharaj, known for fitting well in their roles, are believable. Pujarini makes an honest effort within the limited screen time. The director uses some camera angles, background scores and of course the actors well.

Though there are some unbelievable moments like Tnusree chasing the ghost more than the other way round, the thriller angle at the end is good but a reconciliation with the ghost — not so good! That’s scarier than anything!