Pari

Dark, dangerous and immersive

Pari Story: Arnab (Parambrata Chatterjee) rescues a traumatised Ruksana (Anushka Sharma) found under mysterious circumstances in a secluded jungle. With nowhere to go and her life being in danger, he offers her refuge at his home until he discovers a different side to her. Who is this woman and what is her story?

Pari Review: Ram Gopal Varma’a iconic creep fest Bhoot came 15 years ago and since then there has been a dearth of well-made horror films in India. Not a single movie, barring Konkona Sensharma’s track in Ek Thi Daayan, came close to Ramu’s cult classics, let alone outshining them. Anushka’s third film and perhaps her strongest work as a producer-actor, Pari has the ability to redefine the genre as it’s refreshingly different, atmospheric and moody.

Unlike most mainstream horror films, there’s no jarring background score, cliched jump scares, excessive conversation between characters or dramatic ‘possessed by evil spirit’ performances. Pari is an art-house, indie thriller which moves at its own pace, in its own unique way. It collates elements that are rare to find in commercial scary movies — eerie silence, haunting yet soothing melancholic music, an enchanting love story and an air of paranoia that grips you slowly and steadily.

Led by a fine set of actors — Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chatterjee and Rajat Kapoor infuse substance to the story with their understated act and ensure it doesn’t fall flat even when the pace drops. A headphone scene in particular will be remembered as one of the best sequences in a horror film for years to come.

The art direction deserves a special mention, too. From lonely roads and bylanes of Kolkata, thunderous rains, dark and isolated houses to flickering lights and ghostly curtains… the setting sends shivers down your spine. The makeup and special effects are thankfully not comical or over the top and immensely contribute to making Pari, a mysterious and suspenseful creepy thriller.

If you like horror as a genre, and prefer a genuine theme over sheer succession of scary sequences, you will find this one fascinating as it isn’t bound by the diktats of commercial cinema.