Raaz - The Mystery Continues

By Taran Adarsh

Rating: ***1/2

The team behind Raaz - The Mystery Continues have often clarified that it's not a sequel to RAAZ, one of the most interesting cinematic experiences, besides being the biggest Hit of that year. Yet, you cannot but draw parallels with the first film of the franchise.

Horror as a genre hasn't been tapped to the optimum in India. We've witnessed spooky fares in the past and some of them have succeeded in making you break into a cold sweat (BHOOT stands tall in this list). Last year's PHOONK and 1920 were scary movies as well.

There's tremendous curiosity to watch Raaz - The Mystery Continues, but does it scare the living daylights out of you? Fortunately, yes!

The story (Mohit Suri) is absorbing and Mohit treats the subject like a veteran, as if he knows the genre very well. There're moments that make your heart beat faster, you watch the events with eyes and jaws wide open.

Sure, there're blemishes as well, but they don't overpower the plusses or make you change your opinion about the film. While the beginning and the middle of the film is engrossing, it's the end that could've been better thought of.

Wanna get scared? Wanna get goose pimples? Buy the ticket for Raaz - The Mystery Continues pronto. It lives up to the hype and expectations completely.

A brooding artist Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi) experiences mysterious and distressing visions about Nandita (Kangna Ranaut), a woman he has never met, while he paints on canvas. Intrigued by these visions, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her that these are not merely paintings of her, but accidents that are waiting to happen.

At first, Nandita refuses to believe him and dismisses him as an eccentric stalker. However, the striking resemblance between Prithvi's paintings and the near-death incidents in her life is hard to ignore.

Now, one of Prithvi's paintings has revealed her as dead. The only way she can change her fate is to unravel this mystery with his help, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash (Adhyayan Suman). But he refuses to believe in Prithvi's premonitions. Will Nandita risk her love and her life to unravel this mystery?

Most of us have heard, witnessed or perhaps had a first-hand experience of supernatural. The present-day generation may, perhaps, term it as wild imagination or hallucination, while the believers may have their point of view. Mohit and screenplay writer Shagufta Rafique's characters in Raaz - The Mystery Continues are believers and non-believers, both.

Mohit smartly builds up the atmosphere. Sample these: Emraan and Kangna's first encounter at a mall and minutes later, inside an elevator; the New Year bash when Kangna is 'attacked' by spirits; Kangna's experience in her bathtub and also when she looks at the mirror; Kangna almost jumping off a cliff; the highpoint sequence, when angry bulls attack Emraan and Kangna. Incredible sequences all! Mohit has handled the most difficult portions with panache.

However, the entire flashback part, towards the pre-climax, is not as convincing. The ending too could've been better in terms of writing, although Mohit has filmed it exceptionally well.

Mohit's choice of the subject as also the actors is right. This is, without doubt, his finest effort to date. Shagufta's screenplay is watertight at most times. Like always, the Bhatts come up with a lilting musical score and at least two songs -- 'Soniyo' (Raju Singh) and 'Maahi' (Sharib-Toshi) -- are first-rate compositions. Ravi Walia's cinematography is up to the mark. The effects are impressive.

On the acting front, both Emraan and Kangna vie for top honours. Emraan is excellent. He conveys a lot through facial expressions and that's the sign of a proficient actor. He's just getting better and better with every film. Kangna is top notch.

After FASHION, this one's another power-packed performance from the actress. Adhyayan Suman is super-confident and registers a strong impact, especially towards the climax. He shows promise. Jackie Shroff is quite okay in a brief role.

On the whole, Raaz - The Mystery Continues is rich in the horror quotient and that is one of its major USPs, besides the highly competent performances by its principal cast and a lilting musical score.

At the box-office, this one will continue the winning streak of Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films. The 4-day weekend (Monday, January 26 in a holiday) will only cement its status further. Go for it!

Kangana opens her mouth

The unconventional looking Kangana Ranaut has made it in Bollywood her own way, but she still remains controversy's favorite child. Be it for the acid attack on her sister Rangoli, her affair with the much older Aditya Pancholi, his outburst against her later and the her liason with Adhyayan Suman, she has always created news. Well, that has helped a lot too, but that's another story. There have been spats with her current man's parents too. Recently Shekhar Suman had reportedly yelled at Kangana during a debate on money-making films. He reportedly went on to make a grave remark and blatantly told her that he knew what her knowledge was and how she kept the fire burning in the kitchen. He then went on to give an interview hinting that he really doesn't approve of Kangana much. But Kangana has a totally different story to tell. The actress whose 'Raaz — The Mystery Continues', opens today says, "I had a hearty laugh over that bit of news. They seem to be very fond of me. If ever our parents object to our relationship, we will end it. It's family that matters the most." More over some people have been saying that the dame has had plastic surgery as many felt her looks changed dramatically ever since the publicity promos and release of 'Fashion'. She says, "I have not had plastic surgery. My face looks different as I have put on weight. I was sick of my thin body. The world is dying to get skinny, and I like to be different. In 'Kites', I will look still more different." She has learnt the diplomacy game well along with other tactics to survive in the industry. That very well explains her coping up well in the big bad world of Bollywood.

Big B does a volte face on Slumdog Millionaire

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, who had stoked a controversy by slamming "Slumdog Millionaire", Friday said the movie was "wonderful" and expressed happiness that composer A.R. Rahman won three Oscar nominations for his score and songs in the movie.

"The sound engineer of this wonderful movie 'Slumdog Millionaire', Rasool, an Indian, has also won a nomination along with Rahman. I am so happy. Bhanu Athaiya was the last Indian to win an Oscar for the designing the costumes of Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' in 1982," Bachchan said at an overflowing venue at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Referring to his comment regarding "Slumdog Millionaire" that "the film projects India as Third World's dirty underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots", he said: "I write a blog.

But the opinions expressed in my blog were not my own. So many people write on my blog site and I was just quoting one of them. I have spoken to Anil Kapoor and Danny Boyle and cleared the misgivings. But everyone must have freedom of expression."

The superstar was here for a day to release his biography, "Bachchanalia: The Films and Memorabilia of Amitabh Bachchan", spanning 40 years of his career in the Hindi film industry.

The book - co-authored by Mumbai-based author Bhawana Somaaya and the Mumbai-based auction house and archive OSIAN's Centre for Archiving, Research and Development (CARD) wing - is the maiden publication of Osian's publishing and design department.

Founder and chairman of OSIAN's Neville Tuli was in conversation with the superstar.

Bachchan, clad in a pink shirt and a black velvet blazer, cut an amenable figure as he fielded queries from his host and the audience alike.

"Indian cinema is gaining global acceptance. I was in Paris two weeks ago for Salon Du Cinema, a festival of world films, where India and my family were the focus this time.

"I realised that the Indian movie industry was being acknowledged and Hindi movies were being shown on television channels in countries like France, Germany and all over Europe - even in those European nations where there had been no awareness about Indian movies before.

"If you want a personal and an honest opinion, I think Indian movies are paramount. They don't fall short in any way globally - be it in terms of cinematography, content or the cast. I am very happy with the kind of movies we are making. The Oscar is in its place - the fact that they have decided to nominate one of our artistes is heartening," Bachchan said.

The superstar held forth on a variety of subjects - ranging from his relationship with his son, reading habits, concern for junior artistes in Mumbai, secular fabric of the country and his own life.

Striking a patriotic note, the Bollywood veteran said he was proud to be a movie star.

"I'm proud to be in the profession because once people walk into a movie theatre they forget the identity of those with whom they are sharing the hall. You do not ask if the person seated next to you is a Hindu, Sikh, Christian or a Muslim.

"We watch the same emotions, cry over the same grief and sing the same songs. I think the integrated India lies inside the movie halls of this country," Bachchan said.

The superstar was emphatic that his angry young man image, which had a created a new metaphor in Indian cinema after his hit action movie, "Zanjeer", was not setting a violent precedent among the youth.

"For every angry young man, I have played a benign Anthony bhai ("Amar Akbar Anthony"). The maximum violence as I read in the papers happens in Bihar," he said.

"The history of this country is more than 1,000 years old - I don't want to look down upon the younger generation. You have to give space to each generation to progress," he said.

As a model citizen of India, Bachchan said his dream was to ensure that every Indian should know, understand and follow the Constitution and work together for an integrated country - especially in these troubled times of terror.

Sambhavna shocks Harman, Kisses him

Now we all know how much Sambhavna Seth loves publicity. Her circus antics were on full display in the 'Bigg Boss' house. No matter how much she denies, this dame really is totally inspired by the queen of drama, Rakhi Sawant. To get her share of the limelight, she recently placed a long and intense kiss on Harman Baweja's cheek and took him by surprise. Harman was invited to grace the dance reality show 'Dancing Queen' and the attention hungry girl had a pre-planned program to kiss Harman when he comes up on stage. And thanks to her good planning, she got to fulfill her long desire( she calls it that). Sambhavana happily narrated the entire incident, "Well, you have got a really genuine piece of news. He's so sweet...full of positive vibes. Maine socha ek kiss le loon (I thought I would take a kiss). That's the best way to get my share of the positive vibes." She added, "When I called him onto the stage, he told me the very first time to not make me dance. I told him that I want to kiss him and that he can't stop me…and then I did." And when the world thinks that Harman is just a Hrithik clone, she has a total different viewpoint. "I'm a big fan of Harman and is longing to be his mate. I will run after him. I want Harman" Harman mightn't be some star and is still struggling to make it big in B-Town. But the chances of him choosing a dame who lacks class and shoots her mouth off for cheap publicity is very minimal. Especially after an A-lister girlfriend like Priyanka and mingling with the cherubic and refined Amrita Rao. Keep the stunts to yourself, girl! Taking a long walk somewhere will clear your head a bit.