By Goher Iqbal Punn, Film Critic & Entertainment Analyst, Showbiz Bites
Producer: Multiscreen Media Motion Pictures and Contiloe Entertainment
Director: Pawan Kripilani
Cast: Jimmy Shergill and Nushrat Bharucha
Music: Shankar-Ehsan-Loy
Rating: [rating=1]
Horror movies is not a new concept in Hindi film industry, we have grown up watching the horror flicks on Hindi celluloid. There were times in the 70s, 80s, 90s and even the initial years of 2000 when the masked people used to scare the viewers on screen. Then the time changed, but why the director of Darr @ The Mall brought in the same concept in this technologically advanced era where the whole concept of horror movies now has changed altogether? Weird!The film does have scary moments without any doubts and they work big time for sure, but they are few. The whole product is what lacks in interest and scary levels. The story is not novel at all and the scripting looks poor. There are many holes in screenplay. The writers must have joined the heads to create something alluring to grab the attention and interest level of the viewers. Admit, the film catches the attention of the viewers and intact the interest quotient at some places. But some places are not enough to raise the movie’s bar.
Well, Darr @ The Mall tells the story of a voluntarily resigned army officer (Jimmy Shergill), who joins the Amity Mall as a security supervisor. Mall owner turns very surprised about his joining in the Mall whereas there are reports of series of killing at the venue and that the mall is haunted. Anyway, post the joining the Mall, a co-worker is killed in an utter mysterious manner. Now the management of the mall decides to go for a grand re-opening of the mall so that when the earnings start happening, they can then sell it off for forever. But on the night of the re-opening, the management of the mall begins getting killed one by one. Now the security supervisor takes the initiative to save the remaining personnel.
As mentioned in earlier lines that the story is not novel, but yes, raises the interest level at some places. The screenplay carries many flaws. Direction is just about okay. Music is pretty ordinary. Editing seems lengthy.
Jimmy Shergill enacts the character with real gusto and appeals. Nushrat Bharucha is fine. Rests of the characters are pretty average.
Final Verdict:
On the whole, Darr @ The Mall is an ordinary film that tries to scare you, but fails.
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