Oh boy, Oh Boy!! It is 3AM at the time of writing this review and we are back with a midweek new release. Such is our dedication, request you to please shower some love on our newly launched website and do spread the word too. Now, back to the review. A couple of weeks back, we witnessed a movie Ludo, which was a masterclass in anthology. As I had said in that review as well, anthology can be extremely tricky as it has to stay true to its theme/genre and also in some cases has to join the dots and merge the loosely linked stories too. I have just finished watching the Tamil flick Andhaghaaram which is an anthology in the horror genre(yes, you read it right). And if this itself does not excite you, then I am not sure what will! Its trailer looked super promising, is this finally the scream fest that we were searching for, stay tuned!

Andhaghaaram is the story of primarily three characters with supernatural elements in each of their stories. I cannot reveal anything more in the story as it might lead to spoilers. But, it is possibly the most layered and esoteric story that you will ever see in a horror movie. It is devoid of any clichés or jump scares that you would usually associate with a horror film. Instead what you get is a cerebral piece of art that has this simmering quality of keeping you hooked. The screenplay is quite convoluted and it is this aspect that is impressive because it will keep you engrossed. While the first hour crawls at a snail’s pace, the second hour picks up pace with the super natural element blooming and the third hour simply takes you by surprise with twists after twists right till the very end culminating in a finale which will make you go “”Wowww””. You need to stay attentive throughout to actually enjoy and savour this thrilling writing masterclass. The start is slow but it is well worth your time if you pay attention to every single detail. The writing is truly a work of a genius and deserves distinction marks. The dialogues are minimal but super effective. The music and BGM are haunting, something that is a basic requirement for a horror film. The film is aesthetically shot with each frame standing out so beautifully. Director V Vignatajan deserves a standing ovation for this masterpiece. His direction is absolutely top notch!

The performances are simple outstanding! Pooja Ramachandran as Pooja is fiery and confident onscreen. Jeeva Ravi as Dr. Vasanth has his moments to shine. Vijithan as Pradeep is first rate. Meesha Ghoshal as Manasi is such a natural onscreen, her each expressions are on point. Rail Ravi as Publisher is quite good. The film hinges on the three principal characters. Kumar Natarajan as Dr. Indran is quite intimidating. He is simply brilliant. Vinoth Kishan as Selvam puts in a memorable act as the blind man. He is so terrific and someone that I wish to watch in the future! Arjun Das as Vinod deserves distinction marks. Each of his expressions, particularly in the final act are absolutely gold. He absolutely nails his role. Acting of the highest order!

Devoid of jump scares, Andhaghaaram is a breath of fresh air in the horror genre. It is original and a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word. That is how you nail the horror genre! Filmmakers take a note and Bollywood kindly stay away from this masterpiece! Available on Netflix and Highly Highly Highly Recommended!