Aatma

Not worth a scare

           

            Supern Verma’s Aatma is yet another film of the horror genre in addition to a fair bit of not so great films of the same genre released in the recent times. To its makers’ credit, Aatma tries to be different and particularly logical unlike its very many counterparts.

            Maya (Bipasha Basu) is a single mother to a daughter (Doyel Dhawan). Having separated with her husband (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who eventually dies, Maya believes life shall be peaceful hence, only until she realises her husband’s super natural presence in her life who is determined to kill their daughter and take her to the world of the dead.  Now the plot might just feel a little unconventional to begin with, but the film soon gets sucked into clichés and typically annoying tactics used by most of the horror film makers in India.

 

 

            The director and writers seem to be almost obsessed with the mirrors, as they throw us a volley of scenes where the ghost is visible only in the mirror. The only intelligent killing sequence is while the ghost murders his daughter’s school teacher, although the setting is rather odd. Not in many films with running of time of mere 90 minutes, have I felt so exhausted waiting for the climax; Aatma tests your patience as its screenplay is sloppy and slow. The conclusions however is much logical than most of the hindi horror films we have seen in the recent times, although it is totally predictable. The genre demands suspense and scary moments, but Aatma has the least of it to offer.

            Editing and animations are good in parts and functional in some. Watch the death sequence of the priest and you will applaud the animated beast he turns into. Background score is decent, but is betrayed by some really amateur scenes.

            It is totally an actors’ film. Doyel Dhawan as the loving and confused daughter is perfectly cast and plays her part with conviction. Basu as the vulnerable mother is impressive and delivers her best amongst the few horror films she has done. Siddiqui is easily the best the film can offer. He looks simple yet vicious and adds to the horror. Here’s an actor who adds more value to the film that its captain, the director.

            Aatma is not the best, but easily a better attempt at making horror.

 I am going with a very liberal 2.5 out of 5 for Supern Verma’s Aatma. In spite of its very many flaws, watch it to encourage a genuine effort to make some better horror in Indian films.