Darna Zaroori Hai

I watched this movie when I was younger and I honestly assumed at that time that it was just a low budget movie made for kids. The movie is not scary at all if you're an adult but I think 5.4 is a bit harsh score.

Its one of the best work of Ram gopal verma and must watch for ramu's fans. The film is out of box thinking though very simple message is attached to it. Its good that he has broken the typical horror movie of Ramsay Bros. trend. Don't miss the first 15 minutes of the movie ! If you miss it, You don't deserve to watch this movie. Though having six different stories , they all are blended very well. I must say that though Ramu haven't given hits like DDLJ or KKHH , but he is the most intelligent director and far ahead with his contemporaries. This is one of his successful experiment. Amitabh is at his usual best and have given excellent facial expressions. The characters seem to perfectly fit.

The first movie "Darna Mana Hain" was not really brilliant as far as implementation was concerned but scored top marks on attempt for being such a different concept in Indian cinema.( Clearly inspired from tales from the crypt though).

Hence I went in to this movie expecting that the great churner of horror films Mr. Ram Gopal Verma may have learned from his earlier mistakes and definitely offer a much better film this time.

Sadly this movie if anything was worse than the earlier one.

Basically this movie is divided in six different segments made by six different filmmakers.

It started of very well though in fact i would say exceptionally well in a segment directed and conceived by comedian Sajid Khan clearly if there was a filmfare for best opening sequence in a film this would get it. The idea was creative and it properly mixed the element of horror and some humour even poked some fun at the first film. And set the expectations for a great film in fact the brilliant start made the future disaster all the more unbearable.

The other segment that deserves mention is the one with ranjeet hooda that is not exactly that scary but scores on humour (yes humour) and more like thriller besides the opening segment this was the most impressive with some genuine creativity and convincing acting.

The only other segment that deserves mention is the one with Anil Kapoor and Mallika which again scored on humour and though predictable was convincing mainly due to the acting of the lead actors. Mallika is definitely maturing as an actress and showing her talent in the limited roles she receives.

The other segments including the one made by Ramu himself were shoddy, unoriginal, uncreative and utterly disgusting. The less that can be said about them the better, Ramu did clutter them with some big stars but the story is the greatest star in such films and no amount of acting talent can even salvage a bit entertainment from the wreck.

Special mention the for the Segment involving Rajpal Yadav and Suniel shetty which will go down in Hindi film industry as probably the most uninspiring scenes in an A-list movie ever. This segment alone had the potential to destroy this entire film. Rajpal yadav has now finally beaten Johny Lever and the uncrowned king of annoyance and i hope we are spared watching a similar role from him in the future.

Even though 3 of the segments deserved mention only one had any entertainment value and even that didn't score very high on the horror front.

This movie in fact is almost incapable of being listed in the horror category (thriller maybe)due the absolute lack if horror in it.

No marks can be given for attempt as this is the second attempt.

Please avoid this movie at all costs, the filmmakers haven't learned from their mistakes and neither did I learn from mine(watching the first one).

Please learn from mine and watch a rerun of bhooth instead. When it comes on TV do watch the beginning though.

Wanna get scared? OK. Let me try. Now? Now? Now? Scary yet? No? Really? How about now? No? Oh! You are beginning to laugh! OK. Laugh. Laugh. Laugh. Laugh.

BAM!

Thats the formula Ram Gopal Varma has come up with, for his audience, in this mercilessly shocking movie.

0. Boo...

A never-scared, self-satisfied, endlessly-laughing man, watches Darna Mana Hai in an empty theatre, hates it to the core and takes a shortcut through a graveyard, against his mother's advice. There...

1. The Professor

A Biotech student visits his professor at his house to clear his doubts before examination. The meeting turns into an annoyance when the professor behaves troubled with something. The student prepares to leave. Then...

2. One Call Please

A man, whose car breaks down, knocks the door of an unusual couple for help. As he gets more comfortable with them and as they display their new unusual hobby, they discover that their meeting was not just a coincidence.

3. Life is Risky

An ambitious Insurance Policy man approaches a middle-class family to impress them with his "Life is Risky" tactics. While he is constantly shown only the door, he even goes a step further in completing his target.

4. The Director

A romantic-movie director wants to make a horror movie. On the way to his out-of-city bungalow, where he decides to write the climax, he gives lift to a stranded girl in his car. As she narrates her story, his job becomes easier than he had imagined.

5. Ma...

A young man who saves a girl from running over by his car on a rainy night, wakes up to find himself in a lock-up, accused for a crime which he has never committed. As a stranger visits him in the station, the truth that unfolds then, seems stranger than fiction.

6. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Six brave children, misusing their school picnic freedom, hike in a forest and arrive at a haunted house where they meet an old lady who lives alone without fear. As they get friendly with each other, she challenges to scare them by narrating six frightening stories. While she stops after the fifth, the bravest kid asks her, "Where is the sixth one, Dadi Ma?". He will be told.

It would take too long to review each story. Therefore, I'd like to put it in a brief way. Each story has its own theme and its own shock value, though, a few similarities can be felt between The Couple and The Director (in both one tries to fool another with a scare) and also between The Director and Ma (the car, dark road, rain). Nevertheless, the rest are unique among them.

"Life is Risky" devastates a common man's sense of self-security. It jolts but doesn't scare. Rajpal Yadav is greaaaatttt as the Insurance man. Sunil and Sonali just fit in the role. "The Director" is beautifully made. When Mallika narrates her story in dark, it somehow reminded me of the song "Ye Sard" from RGV's Bhoot. I expected more but unfortunately it ended too soon and made me feel "Is that all?". Anil Kapoor and Mallika have done whats necessary. Nothing more. "The Couple" is slow, sensuous, playful, scary and predictable. You just cant forget that smile! Makrand shines in his role. Arjun and Bipasha have done a good job. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is the movie's central story. Ava Mukherji is, in one word, scary! The children have dutifully performed as they have been instructed.

Now the three best episodes. "Ma..." is a brilliant tale. Randeep is wow! Zakir is unbelievably superb. Rasika excels in her role. Are you going to Poona? In car? In the night? In rain? Beware! "Boo..." is the Prologue. Manoj Pahwa. Man! What a carelessly cool actor! His mother is a good diversion. She has done well too. Sorry. I wont say anything more than this.

Of all the seven stories, "The Professor" steals the show. Amitabh! The icon of Bollywood gives one more earth shattering performance! How many more styles does he have! This episode stops you, shocks you and gives you shivers, cos you don't know whats in it and whats gonna come next. Ritesh has rendered a befitting performance. He seems more scared of Amitabh's acting skills than the scenario he is in. Cos the old man rules!

This movie on the whole has more fear and shock value than Darna Mana Hai, although I should accept that except for "The Professor", DMH had much better story plots. In my opinion, the most shocking of all the 14 stories in both DMH and DZH is "The Professor" and the scariest of all is "The Teacher" from Darna Mana Hai. Overall, DMH didn't scare as much as DZH, but it made us squirm and feel creepy cos of the reality which the stories reflected. It left a long lasting impression in us. On the other hand, the shocks that DZH has in store, will hit you hard and cruel with sudden force, only when you naively think that its time to relax. Thats merciless! It shocks you. It keeps you excited. It makes you giggle with fear. And its fun. Its a different experience on the whole. Feel sorry for yourself, if you miss this great movie. And feel more sorry while watching it...

Hey! Look who is behind you!

Darna Zaroori Hai is one of the few Indian Movies that are made in this genre -that is horror-and considering that alone, I think we all ought to give it some credit for this venture. Prod/Dir Ram Gopal Verma proves once again that he can not only pick up unusual stories but also portray them well.

Based on the same format as its predecessor, Darna Mana Hai, Darna Zaroori Hai Has got six stories-one in the beginning (not related to the plot) and five others which an old hag narrates to five unlucky children which are caught inside the woman's mansion due to heavy rain and storm. And then there's one main story; that of the old woman and the five kids which binds the movie together.

All the stories have there own charm. Some are good, others are even better. Apart from sticking to the creepy theme, they portray their individual meaning.

There have been several improvements in the sequel technically as well. The film has been shot most beautifully, the direction being pretty good. The special effects put now and then into the scenes are also surprisingly slick for an Indian film and completely enhance the ghostly setting. There is also quite a huge star cast in the film with most actors acting very well. The Audio effects remain typical for a horror flick and help you immerse deeper into the feel of the movie.

All good said, I would want to add that although Darna Zaroori hai is still a stunning accomplishment with what it does do, there are many finer points in the film that remain half baked deteriorating what could have been a most thrilling horror film. The main story has no depth and is absolutely typical in its very root. The short stories are all good but in one or two cases you may have wanted the ending to be more climactic then what happens eventually, even though the setting for the climax has in all cases been done most proficiently. The pace is quite astonishingly managed in the first half of the film but begins to twitch severely in the latter half. All this leaves you thinking that if only this could have happened like this, it would have been perfect.

In the end, let may say it comparatively: that although not as polished as Ram Gopal's excellent horror thriller "Bhoot", Darna Zaroori hai still makes on my "good-movie" list. It is definitely better then its prequel.

I give it a 6/10 (Good).