Ram Gopal Varma has a fixation these days. And they are ghosts and other other world spirits and nymphs.After his sensational Bhoot, he is back (as a producer) with the same thing in Marrichettu (Vastu Shastra in Hindi).
The film takes off from where Bhoot left.
Jhilmil (Sushmita Sen), a physician and her writer-husband Virag (Chakravarthy) are a perfect couple with a kid. Along with Sen's younger sister (Peeya Rai Choudhari), they move into a secluded mansion with the correct 'Vaastu.' The couple has a
child and from him stems the problem.
When the father is busy working on his laptop and the mother is away at work, the child drifts into the wilderness around, notices strange happenings and even makes friends with 'unseen' people. While no one believes him when he narrates the occurrences, he continues to make conversations with them.
There is terror and fear takes over. And then tedium takes over. In name of creating horror, the director overdoes the ghoulish thing and lets the narrative slip. The edge-of-the-seat variety expectation goes missing. By the time everything is done and dusted, you feel a kind of emptiness. It is because the director started with plenty of promise, but somewhere
down the line he lets it all peter down.
But newcomer Saurabh Narang deserves kudos for wresting top rate performance from Susmita Sen (she is as usual ravishing) and Chakravarthy. But the best of course is the child.
Ashish Channa - innocent, natural and expressive - is certainly headed for a national award after this performance. His spontaneity adds an extra chill to the film.
Sachin K Krishan's camera work is first rate as he brings to life the dark and brooding mansion.
The film is not for faint-hearted. It is also not for the heart that is heavy with expectations.
The film tries to play with fear. But we fear, it may not be enough.
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