Pindam

There are a few good and a few improvement points.

Direction is good.

Screenplay is slow. Misses a pace and could have been reduced to a length of 1.5 hr.

The horror isn't forced, has a backdrop.

Few jump scares are really good.

Casting of the main characters is good. Good acting by Srikanth and Easvari ji.

The plot is not new still keeps you engaged.

Much better than regular horror movies which pretend to be scary.

A bit gory though.

Climax is predictable amd can be guessed in the beginning itself.

My advice to makers- spare children being your target of scaring the audience.

Overall a 1-TIME-WATCH.

"Pindam" (2023) distinguishes itself within the horror genre by anchoring its supernatural narrative in deeply rooted cultural and familial anxieties. This Telugu film masterfully blends traditional Indian beliefs about ancestral spirits with a chilling tale of possession and haunting, creating a uniquely unsettling experience.

Here's a breakdown of the key elements contributing to "Pindam's" effectiveness: * Cultural Grounding: * The film's title itself, "Pindam," refers to the ritual offering made to departed ancestors in Hindu tradition. This immediately establishes a connection to deeply ingrained cultural beliefs, lending a sense of authenticity and weight to the supernatural events.

* The film intricately weaves in the concept of ancestral spirits and their potential to influence the living, tapping into a collective cultural fear and respect for the afterlife. This cultural context is vital for the viewer to understand the character's motivations, and the spirits power.

* Familial Horror: * "Pindam" centers around a family grappling with a malevolent presence within their home. This focus on familial bonds amplifies the horror, as the threat directly targets the safety and well-being of loved ones.

* The movie creates a feeling of dread, as the viewers watch a family become terrorized within their own home.

* Atmospheric Tension: * The film excels at creating a palpable sense of dread through its atmospheric tension. The use of sound design, lighting, and camera angles effectively builds suspense, keeping viewers on edge throughout.

* The sound design, and the visual effects, are used well to create a feeling of horror.

* Thematic Depth: * Beyond the surface-level scares, "Pindam" explores themes of ancestral curses, unresolved past traumas, and the consequences of neglecting traditional rituals.

* The film explores the importance of respecting traditions, and the danger of ignoring the past.

* Realistic Portrayal: * The film uses realistic portrayals of family interactions. This allows the audience to connect with the characters, and therefore feel more fear when the characters are in danger.

* The use of realistic acting, and settings, help to make the movie feel more real.

In conclusion, "Pindam" (2023) is a compelling horror film that successfully blends cultural traditions with chilling supernatural elements. By grounding its narrative in familial anxieties and deeply rooted beliefs, it creates a uniquely unsettling and memorable cinematic experience.

It's actually a 30 min short film which they extended to 2 and half hours with unnecessary and slow dragging filler scenes. The story isn't that great either and the ending is not satisfactory. Kind of reminded of the western horror movies where the entire movie is built on a short premise and the entire movie is just the characters acting counterintuitively and slowly walk towards the danger rather than away from it. There was potential to use some of the elements introduced in the movie and actually build a universe out of it with it's own laws on how god and ghosts work but none of that expanded upon. It's an empty shell of a movie with a wasted potential.

Would recommend this to insomniacs, one hour into the film and you'll automatically go to sleep.

Poorly directed and executed film which has desperately tried to show abrahamic faith in a positive so much so that if given a chance the director would've made Easwari Rao hold a 10 feet long cross in her hand 🤣.

The desperation to show abrahamic faith positively is a common pattern in films made in the South of Bharath. Radicals and evangelists are running the southern film industries and it's a norm that they show Hindus and the Hindu dharma in poor light. Take any industry, except sandalwood, they've set their agenda.

Beware of such propagandist 'films'.

Hands down, it is the best horror film ever made in India.

But there are many films in Hollywood that can easily beat Pindam, but I enjoyed watching it. Brilliant writing, performances, music and cinematography. The director does a very decent job in delivering a horror flick in the most believable way. The screenplay is also solid, though the climax is a bit cliched. The story is not properly conveyed, but I think the director wantedly left the gaps, he was creating a theme and wanted the audience to fill the gaps and form the story which for me is brilliant work. Not a lot of directors do this, as we like spoon feeding more. But this movie made me think a lot, which is what i liked. I was hooked to the film in the first few minutes and kept watching. Overall it is top notch, dubbing could be better.