Cast: Anushka Sharma, Rajat Kapoor, Parambrata Chatterjee
Director: Prosit Roy
Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)
Dark, gloomy and dripping blood and gore from every pore, Pari is - without giving away the twisted plot details - about a chained, bruised and disoriented forest girl Rukhsana (Anushka Sharma) who is given shelter by Arnab (Parambrata Chatterjee) after his car runs over an old woman. Turns out that there is far more to the distressed damsel than the immediate, apparent cause of her anguish.
The lead actress is also the film's producer. She spares no effort in either of the two roles to prop up Pari. The technical attributes are well above average, the acting is strong, and the intent seems to be to blend genre elements with a certain degree of social relevance through the means of referencing recent events in India's neighbourhood. It is, in the end, too laboured a film to enthuse us to ignore its many failings and get into the swing of things.
Pari is a 'deadly' variation on Anushka's previous production Phillauri, in which a benign, impish spirit had pined sweetly for an unrequited love from an earlier era. Here, the focus is squarely on malevolent spirits. Amid all the cinematic fire and brimstone, blood flows free. Some restraint might have helped.
Anushka, who plunges headlong into her role and does not hold back at all, has a perfect foil in the form of the solid, steady Parambrata Chatterjee. He gets into the skin of a gentle, unassuming soul who lets himself into an arranged marriage. On the way back from the nuptial rites, a car accident unleashes forces that he cannot understand, let alone control.
Surely a horror flick can do without musical interludes. Pari does not and pays a price as a consequence. The director and the actors pass muster when they are doing what is central to the film - summoning the ghouls and rustling up dread-inducing acts.
Pari is an uneven film that could have benefitted from the intervention of a more assertive editor. While it is replete with twists, these throw the audience off rather than aid in enhancing clarity. The film does not keep up the pressure all the way through because it meanders into unnecessary spaces en route to its goal. When it does get where it wants to, the pitch soars, the melodrama goes out of hand and the competent acting all around counts for little.
Pari will definitely be remembered for Anushka Sharma's spirited performance. It isn't difficult to see why she has put her money on the film. It gives her a role of substance and she does full justice to it. Unfortunately, the film on the whole is eminently forgettable.
The casting of Parambrata Chatterjee is felicitous. He is an actor who is great at downplaying the dramatic moments. The film frequently falls prey to excess, but the lead actor holds on to his poise all through the din. He serves as a strong anchor in a film that allows the heroine to pull out the stops.
Anushka Sharma Is 'Being Very Parisian' With This Classic Breakfast Combo - See Pics Anushka Sharma Is "Being Very Parisian" In Her Latest Instagram Post From Paris Arjun Kapoor Thinks Anushka Sharma Should Get Her Hair Done Pari-Style Again Virat Ordered Special Birthday Cake For Anushka. Courtesy Bengaluru Baker "Indian Language...": Kill Makers Issue Statement Over Its Remake Rights Ranbir Kapoor's Day Out With His Little One Daughter Raha Elon Musk To Move Companies Out Of California Over Transgender Law Four In Five Americans Fear Country Is Sliding Into Chaos: Polls Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.