Chitram Kadu Nijam Review

Do spirits blast off containers?  Do they blow off water bottles forcefully?  Are they capable of litting the fire? Can they disable the ‘rewind’ button of your camera?  The answer is a ‘yes’ if the real-life events on which this film is based are to be believed.

‘Chitram Kaadu Nijam’ (the dubbed version of the 2013 Kannada blockbuster '6-5=2') is a hair-raising portrayal of the fearsome experiences of a group of mountain trekkers as they walk through a dense forest somewhere in Karnataka.  As the title suggests, this one is more in the nature of authentic happenings (a la ‘Paranormal’) rather in the mould of a regular horror film.  There are no exaggerated expressions or artificial embellishment.

There is no creative background music to help us anticipate something ominous around the corner.  When a disaster strikes, it strikes suddenly.  No tears shed by the BGM, it goes unmourned even as the audience prepares for yet another disaster.  This one has no trappings of cinematic story-telling.  This one doesn’t guarantee you that the night scenes will give way to day-time scenes.  Things are shown as they happened and that’s what lends credibility to the proceedings.  That’s what also makes the film all the more spooky.

Ramesh, Deepa, Sowmya, Kumar and two others plan to trek a particular mountain by a certain time and return.  The dense forest through which they have to pass is difficult to navigate.  It hardly has any human activity and it would be near-to-impossible to find a way out if the way is lost.  It is fun and frolic through the way but when they are returning, the spirit is at its sinister best.

Because of its short run-time or otherwise, the film doesn’t bore.  It is good to watch a dubbed film, a horror flick, that doesn’t look jaded.  Even the technically fine ‘Pisachi’ did bore after a while.

This one is an experiment because the cinematography comes with a difference.  Since every movement is captured on a hand-held camera, there is no scope for being disappointed at RGV-inspired angles!

The conversations are cinematic because there is that filmi sarcasm and all.  Like in a run-of-the-mill film, the bond is established by having the characters indulge in banter.  The camaraderie is not over-the-top.

People’s behavior when they are possessed has seldom looked so heart-rending.  As one character scratches himself against the tree, it is pathos that one can sense.

There are moments when one wonders why the characters don’t frighteningly speak about the mysterious entity even after listening to its sound.

Darshan Apoorva, Krishna Prakash, Vijay Chendoor, Pallavi, Tanuja, Mruthyunjaya do a good job.  Keerthi B L, Shankar Aradhya Shankar give a good cinematographic output.

It will be interesting to see whether this film sans loud noises and all will be lapped in Telugu.  It garnered a good business in Sandalwood, though.  History is not replete with examples of Kannada superhits doing well in Telugu as well, this one deserves a chance though.

Verdict: A film based on a real-life trek that turned out to be fatal, 'Chitram Kaadu Nijam' is watchable.  Watch out for the treatment, not the story.