Raaz: The Mystery Continues

The first half of this movie was acceptable. Credit goes to Emraan Hashmi. The second half was abysmal to say the least. The theatre was packed. If it wasn't for Emraan Hashmi's brilliant performance & entry, I would certainly have left the theatre during the interval. The beginning of the film was somewhat bizarre. I kept on watching expecting explanations for what I just witnessed. As the plot unfolds, you realise that this movie is balderdash. The script was absolutely weak. This is a horror film and I was laughing. That isn't a good sign. Kangana Ranaut's acting skills were good. Adhyayan Suman is abominable as Kangana Ranaut's boyfriend/lover. He should quit acting altogether or at least improve his acting knowledge by joining 'ACTOR PREPARES'. His dancing was beyond ridiculous. The climax of this film was hilarious, especially Jackie Shroff's entry. This film is one to avoid at all costs. Only go to watch this film to witness Emraan Hashmi's revitalising performance. He's the anchor that saves this film from drowning.

Bonne chance.

The first Raaz starring Bipasha Basu has nothing to do with this film. The mystery indeed continues here in name only, just like how the Thai horror franchise The Art of the Devil 2 having no relation to Part 1. It's a totally different story altogether with no return of characters from the first film, so this rose could be called any other name, and would it smell as sweet? There's a certain formula followed here and comes with the obligatory "logical" explanation, but the story could have been nipped and tucked a little to help in the pacing.

Fashion model Nandita (Kangana Ranaut who seems stuck in such roles, the last of which was the recent Fashion) and her fiancé Yash (Adhyayan Suman) seem to hit all the right notes as a successful yuppie couple. At first we're told the relationship is on the rocks, but then a quick reconciliation over an awards ceremony meant happy days for both. For her, she's at the height of her career, and for him, being the successful producer-director of a long running reality television series called Superstition, which explores the many myths and beliefs in Indian culture, and goes about deconstructing and debunking them. So of course, things start to go bump in the night, but seemingly affecting Nandita more, to the point of insanity.

We get introduced to an artist Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi), who falls into a drunken trance with a few swigs, and ends up painting masterpieces of people he doesn't know, only to find that the impressions of his paintings are predictions of future occurrences. Recognizing that his drawings lately have resembled the high profile model, he takes it upon himself to explain things, and this sets everything up for a romantic triangle, where his brooding demeanor doesn't put him in the good books of flamboyant Yash.

Things with Nandita start to get worst, and just as you wonder if there would be any inkling of Hollywood come smacking in the face of the film, there had to be some homage paid to movies like Ghostbusters (Kangana's rendition of the Gatekeeper, anyone?) and The Devil's Advocate, but this being Bollywood meant it's a clothes on affair in the display of deep- rooted scars in front of a church altar. Shades from Asian horror like The Ring also gets overused here. Songs have to be worked in, and this was done fairly smartly in having to set it in pubs, private serenading and a much unwanted dream-like fantasy of Prithvi lusting after Nandita (well, it did seem that way).

Director Mohit Suri employed every trick in the scare book in order to work up some boo- moments, some of which still get effectively delivered, while others dallied on the anticipation too long and backfired. From mirror images to shaky doorknobs, from copious amounts of blood stained walls to deserted underground car parks, sound effects in the theatre were maxed out to give that sense-surround creepy feeling, with whispers and creaky doors used to great effect. Alas the narrative failed to exploit the technical brilliance at the film's disposal, and investigations by both Prithvi and Nandita (the character of Yash does get forgotten for a while) take their toil as they take just too darn long to get to where they should (about 40 minutes!).

Unfortunately we don't get to see a lot of footage of superstition which could've been milked for various scenes. Instead, it becomes a rather bland X-Files episode where the superstitious and the non-believers go head on toward unraveling the mystery of the worshippers and rites of a remote town, with some environmental concerns thrown right in just because it's the in thing. The link that binds the characters together were too weak to say the least, becoming too trying especially in its final revelation with a last ditch attempt.

If it had tightened its pace and felt no need to explain everything in verbatim, this could clock way below 2 hours, and a tighter thriller could result. Not a bad experience for my first Hindi thriller, but it had room to be much better.

Raaz TMC may not be as spine chilling as the original Raaz(2002), but it sure delivers! Kangana Raunat as Nanditha gives out her best performance till date. If she was all about attitude in her previous release 'Fashion'(2008), here she is an emotional, loving and expressive lady. Unlike most of the bollywood lead ladies she does know how to act. Her portrayal of the lady who has to deal with the supernatural was the most defining aspect of the movie.

Adhyayan Suman( son of Shekhar Suman) as Yash(Nanditha's lover boy) does well for a person doing his second film only. And the less that is said about Emraan Hashmi, the better. His role of the painter, who can paint the future(an idea lifted straight from Heroes, but presented in a different manner) was pivotal to the plot and was surprisingly less inclined towards the womanizer roles that he usually does. Jackie Sheroff was highly underused and dwelling into his character will reveal the plot, so less said , the better.

Just like the previous edition, the songs of Raaz 2 are good n hummable. The storyline also offers some respite, from the clichéd family dramas n love stories. Mohit Suri, the director has done a commendable job, but he has left a few loose ends as well, like for eg: What exactly is the role of the supernatural in painter's ability to paint the future??.

In a nutshell, I would say this is one movie that you can enjoy, if u in a mood for some Kangana Raunat special with a horror angle to it!

The cinematography was the best part of this film...The lighting and photography was brilliant! Also, some of the angles had a very frightening and mysterious feel to it. The direction and story was also unique.Yes, this was overall a well made film but it could have been so much more! A few unnecessary scenes slowed the pace down a bit. The director attempted some cliché gags to frighten the audience. Sometimes it gave me the "been there done that" feel. The acting in the film was OK. Emraan in my opinion, was the best. Adhyayan Suman and Kangana Ranaut were OK. One thing I don't understand is, what was the need of the random English dialogues? That made things a bit less believable. The film was also a bit melodramatic...But it was a good movie overall.

Well, you are bound to raise the expectations bar high if you tag it as a sequel to one of the highest grosser of 2002. While the former was a rip-off of an Hollywood movie, the writing/ story in the sequel seems to be an original piece of work - barring the few scenes which are heavily borrowed from famous horror movies.

Emraan Hashmi:: Reprises his "Awaarapan" role. Look is copied from "Iron Man". But safely to say, he is confident.

Kangana:: This lass is getting better as each movie passes by. One gets to feel, she has yet again done a bit of Fashion in here too. And yes, her choice of costumes is indeed commendable.

Adhyayan Suman:: Confident for a new-comer and perhaps can polish his skills as he goes along.

Jackie Shroff:: Was good for his part however better writing was warranted to make his track integrate seamlessly with the plot.

When the Raaz unfurls, you feel a bit letdown. So is the father-son relationship which is quite Bollywoodish. I never the got the logic of linking this movie to Raaz - could have been a stand-alone in its own right.

Happened to watch back-to-back with "1920" and felt the latter a few notches above.