Pari gives a new definition to bollywood's attempt at horror movies.With brilliantly executed story line,the performance from each and every actor makes this a masterpiece which is quite unusual from hindi cinema in horror genre.From direction to the background score everything just seem to fit in place.The movie will give you chills at some instance but will surely leave you with imagination with its on the spot story. Though this art is not meant for 'Mass-Audience' but the content-lovers would surely give this a thumbs up without any doubt.If you want to see something that might excite new thoughts in your mind this surely is dedicated piece of art meant for you.The poor reviews of the movie are due to sleepless audience that find comfort in cinema seats & air conditioned environment and have got nothing to do with content of the movie.
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biswajit-sil-1316 March 2018Pari.... what a movie it was. The atmosphere, sound design and acting of all the cast are top notch. Pari is not like other silly Bollywood horror flicks. The complete story is thoroughly gripping. Anushka delivers a mind blowing performance here. I would watch it again. There's only two ways either you like the movie like anything else or you simply hate it.
Pari awesome. -
This movie is very different, it's not your traditional horror story where you see possession by the ghost and how the ghost is sent out of body etc. etc. Only after you complete the movie you will get the complete picture. It's not at all confusing, the story is pretty clear and straightforward but the way the complete picture is unveiled is brilliant. Acting by all the actors is upto the point and top notch. The movie shows both positive and negative sides of all characters, there is no villain or a hero here. It's based on supernatural elements but presented very realistically.
A must watch, after NH10, one more master piece by Anushka Sharma. -
Amyth471 December 2018My Rating : 6/10
'Pari' is an intelligently told horror film. I wasn't expecting it to be as awesome as it turned out. A great storyline which genuinely embraces its horror premise with sincerity and does justice to the script. I highly recommend this film to fans of horror and hope you give it a chance. -
Pari has garnered below average reviews, which I think is a bit harsh on a project which rather attempts to bring in a different horror genre to Bollywood, with kudos to Anushka for her brilliant acting and trying out yet another new theme under her production. Parambrata does very well in these good guy roles, for a change I quite liked him here, Ritabhari Chakraborty of "Ogo Bodhu Sundari" teleserial fame also made a mark in her Bolly debut. Rajat Kapoor and Dibyendu Bhattacharya (the morgue worker) are very convincing too. The music and background score need special mention as it reflected the mood of the movie throughout. The scare scenes I felt did not work that well sometimes (make-up of the KalaPari looked cliche), and yet at some other times these scenes were timed to perfection. Overall, it is worth a watch on big screen, particularly being of horror genre but with a humane angle, some viewers may have an issue with this different take on horror, but Bollywood is slowly going where Holly has far traversed in terms of content. 6.5/10
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arshdeep-6143818 March 2018Every second of the movie is engaging. As the plot uncovers you realize that the characters are not who you thought they were, which makes this film unpredictable and keeps you guessing what's going to happen. This film had ventured into an area which had probably not been explored by any film before - Bollywood or Hollywood. One benchmark for sure.
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usamaafzaal18 February 2021Great story, really surprising twists, acting by the leads especially Anushka Sharma, perhaps a beginning of a new era in Indian horror movie genre.
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vikasy-810854 March 2018This is an absolutely amazing horror film which thankfully doesn't include any unnecessary false jump scares. Many critics and audiences are hating this film and that can be understood because this film is not for the masses. You would either hate it or truly love it.
When Arnab finds Rukhsana chained in an abandoned house, he decides to take her under his wings and teaches her how to behave like a human. Arnab's reasons and Rukhsana's past are explored chillingly in the film. It's green and blue frames are scary and admirable. A horror scene involving earphones has to be the most memorable scene in the history of horror films. The performances from all the cast is exceptionally good. Do watch Pari if you are tired of all the silly and unintentionally funny horror films of the bollywood and want to seek something new and fresh. -
kapil-yadav8527 April 2019While you might have an urge to avoid watching the movie for it being supernatural including ghosts I'd say just go for it. This is not a typical ghost or witch movie.
Direction was good, it keeps you bound to your seat. There are some scenes that would give you chill. Still I personally feel that direction could have been even better, but no complaints.
Rajat Kappor needs accolades for his role as a Professor who is on the hunt to finish the devil's bloodline. He has done his job like he has always been, you won't find any flaws in his acting. Parambrata Chatterjee has done a commendable job. He has been so effortless throughout that you wont see him acting, he's natural. I was disappointed by Ritabhari Chakraborty. She needs to improve a lot in my opinion. In front of Rajat, Parambrata and Anushka she was like a mice surrounded by cats. Coming to Anushka, she stole the show. Carrying the whole movie on her shoulders, she spares no one. This is her best act as per me. I liked her in RNBDJ and since this is the second time I have loved her work.
Go for it, you won't be disappointed. -
aaishahaque8 March 2018This was surely a product of a confused mind. First of all any movie involving black magic or satanism needs a lot of research and if the writers dont do justice with the theories presented in that movie the result is loose ends and confused wrap ups (ends where nothing makes sense). Pari was no exception to that catastrophe which many before it have faced. the theory presented here was inexplicably messed up. I really wanted this movie to be great and unique but it fell flat when they tried to turn it into a love story. It was more like a doomed romance where the girl just so happens to be a vessel for a demonic entity (djinn) and so they both couldn't live happily ever after. As per direction, this movie was just sharing cinematic characteristics of a low budget drama. Though it had a muslim back story it was in no way against islamic values being a muslim and pakistani myself I found no reason for this movie to be banned in the name of Islam. Was a one time watch and very forgettable. I expected a lot and was disappointed.
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Why you should watch Pari.
"If she is a monster, then what does that make me?"
This is not a typical ghost story. If you ever watched Let Me In; which is a story about a little boy being friends with a girl who turned out to be a vampire, you would surely liked this one.
The characters are unique in their own way.
The religious guru which is portrayed by Rajat Kapoor hunts down a djinn who is the most dangerous evil spirit in his beliefs. He then tortures them mercilessly before finally killing them. He may be doing a right job, but doesn't that makes him an angel?
In other way, Arnab is a shy guy who is soon to be married to Piyali, a doctor whom he met on a blind date. However on their way back home, they hit a person and she died on the spot. When they trying to get her relatives to settle things, Arnab only found a woman chained in a small hut; who happen to be her daughter; Rukshana.
A series of events led Rukshana to Arnab's place and you definitely have to watch the movie to see it unfolds.
What I can't forget the most is Arnab's phrase to Piyali when he finally come to sense, "If she is a monster, then what does that make me? I left her all alone"
The last part is totally unsettling. You either love it or hate it.
'Pari' is not a fairytale. Not totally a ghost story either. It deals with a normal scenery of everyday life and everyone have their own reasons for their actions.
Never before have I seen a movie that leaves me so mystified before.
Well done Prosit Roy. Well done India. -
i_odin19 December 2018One djinn and his hopelessly romantic daughter, Anushka and Parambrata as lead pair so you might think what can stop it from being a revolutionary film. The answer is it's bad screenplay. Though the idea is very noble but the execution seems to be confusing. The film promises to be whole lot of things but misses it's each target by miles. The makers tries hard to make the film qualify for horror genre by putting forced jump scares and irrelevant scenes. And certain portions of the film could have easily been cut, keeping in mind the length of the film. Anushka's performance is commendable and Parambrata has done a decent job, though nothing in comparison to his past works.
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Pari appears puzzled as if they don't know how to end what they started. Anushka Sharma's film attempts to look different than usual 'bhoot ki film', but in the end, finishes right where 1920 Evil Returns or Alone did. With 136-minute screen time, Pari doesn't head anywhere. It's jumbled, chaotic and bland. You may not want to let the clan spread.
The horror part of it unspools right alongside. Thunder, lightning, rain, women in black robes with rotten skulls for faces, noises off, creaking doors. What you don't get, in all this blood-and-gore and groan-and-moan and slash-and-burn, is a film. But the whole enterprise never rises above its silliness. The plot, trying desperately for gravitas by referencing certain yesteryear events in Bangladesh, without really giving us a credible reason, never hangs together, never feels true.
The horror part of it unspools right alongside. Thunder, lightning, rain, women in black robes with rotten skulls for faces, noises off, creaking doors. What you don't get, in all this blood-and-gore and groan-and-moan and slash-and-burn, is a film. But the whole enterprise never rises above its silliness. The plot, trying desperately for gravitas by referencing certain yesteryear events in Bangladesh, without really giving us a credible reason, never hangs together, never feels true.
The film isn't scary but it will leave you with an unsettled feeling. Pari has disturbing sequences -- like the birthing scene from the trailer -- that will gross you out and make you nauseous, at least the weak-hearted ones. Like any typical horror film in Bollywood, Pari resorts to using loud noises sporadically to startle you but fails miserably. Anushka climbs up, jumps on to humans, bites into dogs, hangs from the window, flies midair but doesn't really send shivers down your spine. All she manages to do is leave you disturbed. -
Pari - Film Review by Kalyug Briefs
Do watch the film folks!
It is about how badly you get tied down in the web of evil spirits when you take to vices....not necessarily in current lifetime but maybe in one (or many) of the lifetimes - when you give in to evil desires - indulged in the 7 sins - lust, greed, anger, sloth....and those samskars (karmas) stick to your soul for many lifetimes....
Time and again you have to go through the tortures of hell - even while being born on the temporary Earth realm - still you continue to suffer (yea, in spite strict laws and orders and cops and cctvs and all those technological inventions - nothing could intervene with the law of karmas - could it?)
With some light of knowledge, those under the spell of evil spirits try to escape - and this is the story of such an escape! Very difficult indeed! The evil has a huge fraternity after all - they can make life like a hell pit for anyone trying to escape their clutches - this is the story of one such entity - who tried to release her clan from the evil spell - Pari.
Anushka was just excellent! -
Pari is an impressive movie in the Indian horror genre which otherwise is cliché. Though it has its positives and blemishes. But being an ardent horror fan I like any new attempt as a fruitful experience. I liked the valor attempt from the producer and as an actress Anushka Sharma to explore on the least forbidden path of hindi cinema. Pari also explores the horror category about Muslims and Djinns which if I recall has been rarely used as a backdrop in any movie. Good to see no Christian style exorcism and hindi horror style mumbo jumbo.
The story kicks of depicting Arnab( Parambrata Chatterjee) returning from Barakpore with his family. While driving amidst a deep forest in rain all of sudden his car hits an old woman wearing burqa and who dies on the spot. Arnab finds her daughter chained in her house. He rescues Rukhsana (Anushka) and keep her in her house and things move fwd will not give any spoilers.
Meanwhile we are introduced to Professor Qasim Ali ( Rajat Kapoor) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Professor meets Arnab and explain him that he is living with a Peri (As per Persian mythology a mythical superhuman being, originally represented as evil but subsequently as a good or graceful genie or fairy). She being the daughter of Ifrit the most powerful Djinn. How things proceed therafter please watch the movie. Though lot of gore Black Magic , Chained women , child abortion is being depicted which could not be digested by many viewers.
The genocide in Bangladesh during 1971 was also taken as reference.The cinematography is great the use of blue and green color is spectacular as it gives an eerie tone. The setup is quite dark in the entire movie where the dark forests and rain makes presence of an unknown entity. Background score is thunderous and also complement to the spookiness. The breathing sound of Ifrit adds to it. We are spared, no songs though 2 one hindi and one bengali but used in the background. No unnecessary comedy. Acting part Anushka and Rajat Kapoor standout. Anushka as Rukshana put in lot of effort and that shows on screen. Rajat Kapoor as a brutal and real professor is top notch. Parambrata Chatterjee as Arnab do justice to his role. Ritabhari Chakraborty in her first hindi movie is passable and looks preety. Rest of the cast is ok as they do not have too much say in the movie.
The problem with Pari is its writing and screenplay Abhishek Banerjee (story and screenplay), Prosit Roy(story and screenplay) is very weak. This movie obscures the viewers, because the director and the writer are not clear in their narrative. They wanted to make a horror movie but the poor love angle between Rukhsana and Arnab is not plausible. Though It was important to show the sexual connect as Rukhsana is the devil daughter who wants to increase the legacy of Ifrit. But making her so much in love with Arnab is confused writing. Also, the child Rukhsana give birth to is a normal as it was born out of love leaves the viewers thoughtful. The explanation of Ifrit during the second half sounds like spoon feeding. Overall, good acting and some innovative film making goes sour due to bad writing. Still Indian audience need to wait more for a polished horror movie. -
monark-rathod4 March 2018Rightly said " It's not a fairy tale" , A proper justice given to tag line. Most of the time I experienced that less marketed movies was far better than 100,200,...Crores club movies, this is the perfect example of that. No one was expecting this type of story line from watching the trailer but believe me the different story (connection haven't found in any bollywood movie) with awesome screenplay by Prosit Roy & Abhishek Banerjee is magnificent, Those who are comedy lover & entertainment lover who finds comedy & entertainment in each & every movie, this is not for them, so don't go for it but If you want something new, this is for you & they can go definitely. Editor Manas Mittal has given his life's best performance. Main heart of the movie is obviously Anushka Sharma(kohli) because she has hit a century like Virat. A movie with good message, a mystery, some part of suspense & obvious horror. As a debut director Prosit Roy has done fabulous job. As the last it's not for all but if you are a horror movie lover this is the one you will find something majestic.
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First of all, marketing for this movie was very much misleading. It has been marketed as a horror movie, whereas in actual it is a love story with horror element in it. This may piss many people, since many people will be expecting a pure horror movie in Bollywood style, whereas it is nothing like that. What I feel personally is that if you want to enjoy this film then you'll have to keep an open mind and should have no expectations.
Coming to the acting, Anushka Sharma knocked it out of the park!!! I was constantly surprised by her acting since I didn't know whether I should feel pity for her or I should be afraid of her. Without a doubt this is her best performance till date, she's very realistic and mysterious. Another spectacular performance is by Bengali movie actor Parambrata, you exactly understand why is he doing certain things. We get his mindset perfectly, you can feel the conflict within him, should he allow Anushka Sharma to live with him or not? And that's what makes this movie effective. Moreover character development in this film is really brilliant for main cast but has been less focused towards other supporting casts.
Apart from lead characters other supporting cast has also done a really good job. For eg Rajat Kapoor as the professor is very much intimidating.
Coming to the screenplay, it's really, I'll say dark and gripping. You will find some really heart felt moments in the movie, which will leave you smiling. Moreover the execution of the script is in such a way that you won't be able to predict what's going to happen next. It keeps the suspense till the very end and not leave you bored. Prosit Roy did a really good work in directing this movie, you get his vision, you get what is he tryna show. And for the most part we buy it.
I must admit camera work and cinematography for this film is very gorgeous, the whole film is really good looking. Even though the mood of the film is pretty dark but that's necessary, and I get it.
Coming towards my negative for this film, it can be felt as if it has been dragged sometime. Many people may feel bored due to it's slow pace. I think that the movie could've been short if they would've taken out some scenes which were unnecessary. It will also help in increasing the pace of the film. Also some questions about the film is left unanswered, which I feel is a good thing as it leave us wondering but many people may not like it. Another drawback in this movie is that it lack chills. It does have some pretty good scares but they are not spread throughout the film. And what I really hated were the false jump scares, like why the hell do they have to produce a high pitched sound all of a sudden so that audience can jump on their seat for no good reason. It's a sound, don't use it as a scare, and if you're using it then make sure that it's made by something really disturbing, rather than some stupid person jumping infront of the camera all of a sudden. It's really annoying, it kills the tension and make scares very much predictable.
So concluding my review, I'll say that this movie is a really good attempt by Bollywood, but if you really want to enjoy it, don't go in with expecting that you'll see a horror movie that'll leave you sleepless for nights, you may feel disappointed. But overall if you'll see it with an open mind, you may fall in love with it. -
swarup-136623 March 2018Anushka as Rukhsana shines,totally nails it.The plethora of emotions,ohh my.....and yeah Parambrata is totally convincing as Arnab,the innocent and the introvert one.
Pari gives a new definition as well as a direction to the genre of horror films in Bollywood,the audience of which was sick of hearing stories like the mental asylum ghost or the newly married bridal ghost,blah,blah.
Instead,Pari is a fresh ,well conceptualised,well crafted horror film with all the eerie elements,the background score and of course a great direction.
I am a fan of horror films but I have criticised almost all of the Indian horror films but it's different this time. Anushka with her films like NH10,Phillauri is on with experiments,and guess what..It totally works. -
Commendable attempt at a very dark subject. Well knit story and powerful performances. The plot unfolded very well and I really enjoyed it. The movie could have been 15mins shorter, but for a first timer, this is brilliant work, better than many nig ticket debutants of our age. Takethispunch is clearly the Tiger Zinda Hai loving guy who has no idea about movies.
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arashiquem30 March 2020The screenplay was very intense. It will definitely give you the feel of a horror move. No unnecessary drama or fake sound effect to scare you. The plot and the script was really good enough to make you believe the story. But the ending was fuzzy. Lack of information and you will be confused about the real goal of the story. The ending was really too dramatic. This move could have a better ending.
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kandainderpal3 March 2018Pari is a classic horror movie. It does not have unecessary jump scares or typical bhoots/chudails with cringeworthy make-up. Its a story of a naive/innocent guy named Arnab(Parambrata) who gives shelter to a mysterious girl named Rukhsana(Anushka), only to find out in the end that Rukhsana is not a human, but demonic inhuman creature whose work is to spread the bloodline of Devil. Anushka Sharma as the lead, successfully carries the whole movie on her shoulders with her career-best performance. Her innocence as well as spookiness will keep you on the edge of seats till the end. This film proves why she is one of the most versatile actresses. Parambrata Chattergee brings out the effortlessness in his acting and is perfect in his role. Rajat Kapoor(as the religious-professor who catches these inhuman creatures) deserves appreciation for what he has done in this movie. In the end, i say Pari is worth watch, full paisa-vasool movie and a teat to Horror-lovers. Most famous Bollywood critics not liking this movie much shows how low their own standard is! ...
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binducherungath4 March 2018Pari, a film by Prosit Roy, is a latest addition to the horror genre. Generally, Indian horror films have regular set patterns of execution with some creepy / spooky sound effects, revenge seeking saga, murder, extortionist bringing some remedies etc. A few of the Indian horror films which did well in the recent past are Raat, Bhoot, 1920, Raaz etc. Many times, what happens with the horror films is that it turns out to be a comedy, or it just turns out to be a screenplay with some forced logical plots. But, we have Pari, a supernatural horror film, which is with an exception of not using creepy / spooky sound effects and illogical plots, although, the screenplay gets incoherent at times. The film has reference of a supernatural creature 'Ifrit' of Arabic and Islamic culture. Ifrit means the most powerful and dangerous jinn. It also showcases devil-worshipping cult and women in chains. The film also addresses human issues that of romance, drama etc. Pari is certainly a different film, but it does not establish itself as one of the best engaging horror film. Pari starts slowly, it takes almost first half to build up the plot. The strength of this film is the performance of Anushka, who is horrifying, vulnerable, scary etc. Anushka is also one of the producer of this film (this is her third production attempt after NH 10 and Phillauri). Should Anushka try making a happy film next?
The backdrop of the film is Kolkatta. Major incidents in the film are clubbed with rain too. Arnab (Parambrata Chatterjee) along with his parents is on his way back home after meeting Piyali (Ritabhari Chakraborty) as part of matchmaking process. His vehicle hits an old lady who is declared to be dead at hospital. Search for her relatives end up in Arnab's finding Rukhsana (Anushka Sharma) in shackles in an isolated house in the forest. The external world is new for me. Circumstances shape up in such a manner that Rukhsana starts staying in Arnab's house. Arnab's empathy goes with Rukhsana, but as expected, story takes a different turn, where Arnab gets to know another side of timid Rukhsana.
Qasim Ali (Rajat Kapoor) is a Bangladeshi professor, who was once heading Qayamat Andolan. His motives seem ambiguous to the viewers in the beginning. But later on, it becomes clear.
Further details of the story may divulge the screenplay. Watch the film to seek answers to these questions. Why Rukhsana was kept in shackles? What was the intention of Qasim Ali ? What was this Qayamat Andolan all about? How does Arnab's relationship with Piyali move ahead? How does Rukhsana's presence around Arnab make a difference to his life? And also how does it affect Piayali's relationship with Arnab ? How the climax shapes up?
Anushka is very convincing as Rukhsana and it is appreciable the way she conducts herself, her body language and timid demeanour. Parambrata does give a good calming performance. Rajat Kapoor is a veteran and professor's role seems like a cakewalk for him. Anshuman Jha does a cameo in the film in a scene with Rajat Kapoor. It would have been interesting to watch Anshuman in a little bigger role. Ritabhari Chakraborty does give noticeable performance. Pari had the potential to be a great film. But it fails to be so due to slow pace, clichéd climax and incoherence in certain scenes. Watch it, if you want to watch a different film in the horror genre.
Pari, a supernatural horror film, certainly is different, with an exception of not using creepy / spooky sound effects and illogical plots. It clubs the supernatural and human aspects. It had the potential to be a great engaging film. But it fails to be so due to slow pace, clichéd climax and incoherence in certain scenes. Watch it, if you want to watch a different film in the horror genre. -
loyolite18 March 2018When I read the reviews, I got excited thinking a good horror movie has come about. I thought in the lines of Pizza ( the tamil one of course, not the gore-added remake in Hindi) . Since I heard it's a different kind of movie, I knew there's got to be something more this movie will offer. Well, the story was kind of different, but they could have done a better job at executing it. The first half is very slow and boring. While heading over for popcorn in the interval, I heard other folks also rambling about how they wasted their money on this movie , some people saying it was a "bhangar" movie. However, the second half picks up a bit .... yes , just a bit. It gets more interesting definitely, yet you are not really into the movie. Maybe the first half puts you off, so you land up ridiculing the second half at times. The acting was excellent by all. The concept was good, definitely not what you find in Hindi horror movies. But then it was predictable and not as enjoyable as I thought it would be. Overall I didn't like the movie and think I could have skipped it.
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shobanchittuprolu5 March 2018Pari (2018):
Every year I wait for new horror films even when I know that most of them will definitely disappoint.The same routine happened in 2018 too with two disappointing horrors (Insidious 4 and 1921). But Pari managed to grab my attention with chilling looks and trailers.SO I watched this Pari Not a Fairy Tale..How is it??
Plot:
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?
My Review:
Just like 2017 Malayalam film Ezra which introduced Jewish "Dyubbuk",Pari introduced Islamic "Ifrit" and the occult following it.While most of the horrors rely mostly on its lame jump scares,Pari gave a creepy look like Korean films.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.
There is much leaping about, hanging upside-down, quaking at the sight and sound of anything that is godly, and some sudden YIKES!! moments. But the movie - together with its excellent camerawork and the gentle but haunting background score.The scene is mortuary and few other scenes are chilling.
Anushka Sharma is the perfect combination of innocent and enigmatic, frail and fearsome as Rukhsana. She delivers an image-defying performance that is designed to elicit pity and dread in equal measure.Parambrata Chatterjee is very good.Rajat kapoor is terrific in his role.Cinematography and Background score are chilling and really helped the movie.
But still Pari loosely resembles Shyamalan's Lady in the Water which follows same typical relation between a humane and other-worldly creature.
So,Pari is a haunting drama which are quite rare in Indian Cinema with terrific performance from Anushka Sharma and Cinematography...
My rating 6.75/10 -
paulclaassen31 March 2020The first thing I noticed here was the excellent sound. 'Pari' is creepy and unpredictable. The visuals are subtle, yet highly effective and scary. Bloody hell, there were moments when this movie gave me the chills!
In the vein of 'Let the right one in', 'Pari' builds slowly but surely, with disturbing images throughout. Personally, I feel they should have streamlined the film a bit - cut it by about 20 minutes, as there were moments that felt slow, as if it unnecessarily dragged the movie down when it should have been faster paced. Some scenes just lingered much too long. Nevertheless, 'Pari' is a well made film that packs the punch.
Anushka Sharma is excellent as the apparent victim, Rukshana, who slowly reveals her true identity.