Cinema has been obsessive about the horror style. Generally, it really works at a purely psychological stage, and at different occasions, it’s the jump-scare stuff. The 2007 Humorous Video games (with Naomi Watts and Tim Roth) by Michael Haneke – I keep in mind clearly – had adults operating out of a Chennai auditorium in sheer fright. Some puked. Such was the screenplay that fantastically introduced out the horror of two younger psychopathic males who destroyed a household of their residence. Then now we have had Bees Saal Baad, which got here a lot earlier, that just about knocked you out of your seat.

And now arrives Shaitaan, directed by the Queen fame Vikas Bahl. Really, it’s a remake of the 2023 Gujarati film, Vash by Krishnadev Yagnik. Bahl retains the essence of the unique and shoves creeps throughout. Apparently, the work jogged my memory of Humorous Video games, and as an alternative of two males terrorising a household there, now we have in Shaitaan, a single man, performed to fantastic perfection by R. Madhavan. He’s Vanraaj, who makes use of his hypnotic powers to lure younger ladies right into a cave (Piped Pier, is he?).

When he picks a cheerful household of 4 at a wayside dhaba – Kabir (Ajay Devgn), his spouse Jyoti (Jyotika), their daughter Jhanvi (Janki Bodiwala) and son, Dhruv (Anngad Raaj) – there may be hassle that’s horrible and terrifying. Vanraaj follows the household to their grand vacation villa in a desolate spot, and when the drama begins it’s a night time of heavy rain, lightening and thunder. Bearded and each inch evil, Vanraaj lays his eyes on the lady, unbelievably mesmerises her. She obeys each command of his to slapping her father to slapping herself. Dance, he orders, and she or he will get on her toes until she faints gasping.

Issues come to a head when Vanraaj instructions – although in a delicate method that hides a depraved exterior – Jhanvi to kill Dhruv, and when she takes a knife and units to go about, a tussle and a death-defying drama start. I actually don’t wish to go additional, for that might be a certain spoiler.

Shaitaan is a whole Madhavan film, and what an arc. From a chocolate hero to a lover boy, he has come a great distance on this work. He appears to be like eerie, and sounds too, oscillating between two diametrically reverse photos – a sage and a villain. If Devgn performs the loving father, decided to take his daughter out of the Devil’s clutches, Madhavan is the very incarnate of a demon. Jyotika is flawless because the distraught mom who watches helplessly as Jhanvi performs a puppet, whose strings are managed by Vanraaj.

The movie is gripping and chilling, however leaves logic behind. Is hypnotism so highly effective and so manipulative? I actually marvel.

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