Ram Gopal Varma says horror is most effective when it comes from unexpected quarters
New Delhi:
The premise of Bhoot Returns is a child sensing a supernatural activity which grown-ups do notunderstand, something we have seen in many horror films. Thefilm's director Ram Gopal Varma says horror films need nothave an original story.
The film is already being said to be inspired by otherscary flicks and Varma says it is not necessary for such filmsto have an original concept in order to scare the audience."I don't think horror films should have a new story. InAmityville Horror, there were a series of films with the samestory but different set up. Fear is a basic emotion, it is notrelated to the plot. In fact, if you put a new story andoriginal plot it can be counter-productive," Varma told PTI.
Bhoot Returns revolves around a girl, about five or sixyears old, who feels that there is an entity in the house, buther family members do not believe her."You don't know if the entity is there or she isimagining it. The whole eerie feeling comes from the fact thatthe family doesn't know what the girl is seeing," said Varma.
Hollywood films like The Ring, The Sixth Sense andeven Varma's own Vaastu Shastra (2004) have used a child asa catalyst for horror. The director says fear is mosteffective when it comes from unexpected quarters.
"Horror is most effective when it comes from unexpectedquarters. A scary looking person would be a very obvious tool.But a cute, innocent kid scares you more because you don'texpect it. Even beautiful women have been used. In the blackand white films earlier, there were these women wearing awhite saree and singing in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar."
The film is already being said to be inspired by otherscary flicks and Varma says it is not necessary for such filmsto have an original concept in order to scare the audience."I don't think horror films should have a new story. InAmityville Horror, there were a series of films with the samestory but different set up. Fear is a basic emotion, it is notrelated to the plot. In fact, if you put a new story andoriginal plot it can be counter-productive," Varma told PTI.
Bhoot Returns revolves around a girl, about five or sixyears old, who feels that there is an entity in the house, buther family members do not believe her."You don't know if the entity is there or she isimagining it. The whole eerie feeling comes from the fact thatthe family doesn't know what the girl is seeing," said Varma.
Hollywood films like The Ring, The Sixth Sense andeven Varma's own Vaastu Shastra (2004) have used a child asa catalyst for horror. The director says fear is mosteffective when it comes from unexpected quarters.
"Horror is most effective when it comes from unexpectedquarters. A scary looking person would be a very obvious tool.But a cute, innocent kid scares you more because you don'texpect it. Even beautiful women have been used. In the blackand white films earlier, there were these women wearing awhite saree and singing in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar."
