The name Vikram Bhatt, has been associated with many scary movies in the recent past and the man has been regularly coming up with films made in this particular genre quite confidently. Now though one might have an idea that most of these films were not successful at the box office visibly. But considering the fact that he has been repeatedly doing the same, it seems that the costs are being recovered easily and maybe some profits are being earned too in the long run. So following this hidden safe pattern, HORROR STORY is another of his routine spooky movies as a writer-producer, directed by Ayush Raina featuring all new faces in the cast, playing the victims.
In simple words, the film gives you nothing to explain in details since it's one of those regular (weak) inspired movies only, taking their major ingredients from the west and nothing else. This time Vikram and his director take their basic inspiration from GRAVE ENCOUNTERS series (2011 & 2012) which revolves around a reality show crew getting locked in a haunted mental asylum, abandoned from years. Perhaps the sight of a 'not in use' famous hotel in Mumbai, gave the makers this idea of adapting the western horror movie, but in any case this is probably the best way a deserted hotel building can be exploited, smartly beneficial for both the parties involved, financially.
The story begins with a suicide committed at the venue and then seven students decide to enter the haunted building as their new night adventure. The references of the building being an old mental asylum, before getting transformed into a lavish hotel reminds you of the English film right away and then several sequences strengthen the fact further. However the writers interestingly add the typical Indian flavour to its storyline towards the end, similar to many already seen horror movies from the famous 'Ramsay' era of the last millennium. As it progresses further, a big merit of the film is that it thankfully doesn't venture into any romance, love affairs or songs and straight goes into the scary mode within the first 10 minutes itself. Though once again the impact is more because of the sounds than the visuals, yet it does manage to give you that creepy feeling at times but not in any regular or high dosages till the end. Hence for the die-hard fans of the genre, this would turn out to be an experimental kind of below average fare offering nothing beyond what they have already seen before. But for just the fun, it might appeal to the few, who are quite new to the world of horror films.
Talking about the commercial viability of the project, it has been planned very intelligently keeping the minimum cost factor in mind, wherein the location is a deserted one, all debutants are playing the lead roles (who play it fine) and the duration of the film is only about 90 minutes without any songs or unwanted steamy scenes. So considering it from that angle this is in fact 'A Clean Horror Movie' from the house of Vikram Bhatt unexpectedly.
However, from the consumer viewpoint, I would like to express that if the makers are ready to give us such experimental kind of movies made in a smart, cost effective manner like HORROR STORY then kindly plan the ticket rates also into some lower amount slabs to make it equal. Otherwise it cannot be called a balanced venture at all, wherein the makers are making it as a low budget project to be on the safer side, but the viewers are still paying the usual amount of Rs.200+ for the same, like fools. Hopefully the point reaches the people who can think upon it in the coming months for our mutual benefits.
