There is something wrong with Bollywood these days! Too many good movies with above average concept, and they just throw it all away in the end. After Taalash, Vishwaroopam, Nautanki Saala; Ek Thi Daayan follows the same regime.
Now, I am not a fan of the usual horror genre. However, all the controversies hemming in this movie, especially by the Wiccan priestess Ipsita Roy Chakraborty, made me eager to see this one. But alas! All was in huge disappointment. The plot, in its first half was quite different and intelligent. The story follows Magician Bobo The Baffler (Emraan Hashmi) whose hallucinations about his childhood coerce him to seek psychiatric help (Rajatava Dutta). Going through regression hypnosis, a terrifying story about his childhood surfaces, involving a lady named Diana (Konkona Sensharma) who is perceived by the child Bobo as 'Daayan'. The first half consists of a fair share of chills, some of which made audiences jump out of their seats. However, it was the second half where the movie turns to a regular spook fest where not only Daayans, but Pishaach (Male occultist) were introduced, and the sure sign of these ominous creatures were huge dilated pupils (which somehow reminded me of Dobby the elf from Harry Potter series) and as all of them fight in The Matrix style; the stark dark venture goes for a toss.
Whereas, the script contains more holes than what Liam Neeson made in the bodies of the antagonists in his 'Taken' series. the movie contains fabulous performances both my Emraan and Konkona. Kalki is simply underutilized and Huma Qureshi fares well. Also, excellent performance by the kid that plays young Bobo.
As for the controversies are concerned, the movie does in fact state some facts about 'Daayans' such as: they usually stay underground (below the basement - in hell) but can assume the avatars of a house lizard; their power resides in their long hair tied in plats which wriggles when they gather power ,they have their birthdays on 29th Feb. The daayan can only die if an innocent child or man cuts their long plats and then they disappear as grains of sand, etc. Somehow, this makes me think that they objections of Ipsita Roy Chakraborty might not have been completely out of place.
All in all, the film is reduced to an average horror flick which tries to be intellectual at times but only end up being a pseudo intellectual. for those looking for a better concept in this genre, try the movie '404'.
Now, I am not a fan of the usual horror genre. However, all the controversies hemming in this movie, especially by the Wiccan priestess Ipsita Roy Chakraborty, made me eager to see this one. But alas! All was in huge disappointment. The plot, in its first half was quite different and intelligent. The story follows Magician Bobo The Baffler (Emraan Hashmi) whose hallucinations about his childhood coerce him to seek psychiatric help (Rajatava Dutta). Going through regression hypnosis, a terrifying story about his childhood surfaces, involving a lady named Diana (Konkona Sensharma) who is perceived by the child Bobo as 'Daayan'. The first half consists of a fair share of chills, some of which made audiences jump out of their seats. However, it was the second half where the movie turns to a regular spook fest where not only Daayans, but Pishaach (Male occultist) were introduced, and the sure sign of these ominous creatures were huge dilated pupils (which somehow reminded me of Dobby the elf from Harry Potter series) and as all of them fight in The Matrix style; the stark dark venture goes for a toss.
Whereas, the script contains more holes than what Liam Neeson made in the bodies of the antagonists in his 'Taken' series. the movie contains fabulous performances both my Emraan and Konkona. Kalki is simply underutilized and Huma Qureshi fares well. Also, excellent performance by the kid that plays young Bobo.
As for the controversies are concerned, the movie does in fact state some facts about 'Daayans' such as: they usually stay underground (below the basement - in hell) but can assume the avatars of a house lizard; their power resides in their long hair tied in plats which wriggles when they gather power ,they have their birthdays on 29th Feb. The daayan can only die if an innocent child or man cuts their long plats and then they disappear as grains of sand, etc. Somehow, this makes me think that they objections of Ipsita Roy Chakraborty might not have been completely out of place.
All in all, the film is reduced to an average horror flick which tries to be intellectual at times but only end up being a pseudo intellectual. for those looking for a better concept in this genre, try the movie '404'.