As the tagline suggests, Pari is definitely not a fairy tale but it is also not a tale we would want to know or be interested in to listen. The problem with Pari is it’s scattered story. Agreed that with a genre like horror there is hardly anything one can explore in terms of a story but Pari struggles big time with it’s dull story.
Pari has a very old fashioned story about some ghost rituals followed many decades ago and the people involved in it. Thankfully in the film this is just a few minutes sequence with a narrative and the makers have successfully tried to not bore the audience with the old school type horror film. Pari starts with Parambrata Chattopadhyay meeting Ritabhari Chakraborty to get married. There is a track about both of them which goes on throughout the film. On their way back home, car of Parambrata and family hits a woman on the road. That woman is connected to Anushka Sharma, how? is the main reason of all the scary quotient in the film. There is also Rajat Kapoor in the film who is seeking Anushka Sharma for a reason which we come to know towards the end of the film. When the film begins all these tracks look disconnected with each other. As the film progresses we get that single factor that connects all these characters and forms for one track. The narrative of the film is non linear. The film goes into flashback so that the narrative proceeds, still we are clueless till the second hour about the presence of Rajat Kapoor in the film.
Pari is very slow paced and the pace keeps on dropping a lot in the first hour after an interesting start. It takes its own sweet time to proceed and at times it even tests your patience as the film looks still for some reason and there are no hopes of seeing something better ahead. At times the film looks stretched for no reason. Prosit Roy has executed Pari in such a way that most of the sequences have some mystery to them, only the wait for them to reveal is too long spoiling your interest from the film. Prosit’s idea of horror is very different creating a subtle fear in you throughout the film and not in your face fear with those ugly looking ghosts and pukes of people. Yes, there are those regular shots of a ghost coming and vanishing within a blink or a ghost coming from behind of something. Thankfully these are very limited in Pari but then won’t a horror film be incomplete without them. In spite of that rough patch in the first hour, Pari keeps you hooked throughout the film. Prosit leaves no chance for the film to look predictable at any point. Also the sound design and background score of Pari play a big role in doing so and making scenes worth enjoying. You do notice those tiny sounds during the rain sequence and that amazing score which starts before the climax.
Anushka Sharma should be appreciated for what she is doing as an actor and as a producer. She is phenomenal in Pari. She climbs buildings, has emotions despite not being a human being like you and me, kills a dog by biting him, fights bad guys by kicking, punching and biting them all of these by remaining into the character. She is always scared and cautious throughout the film. Pari is worth mainly because of Anushka Sharma. Rajat Kapoor is another actor who stuns you with his powerful act. He has a limited screen presence but his performance is top notch. Parambrata Chattopadhyay does not get enough scope to display his acting talent but he is honest and genuine in his part. In fact Ritabhari Chakraborty who plays his fiance has done a pretty good job. Anushka Sharma shines in the performance department but every other actor has done an equally good job. I would like to specially mention the person who did make-up and prosthetic for the film. Anushka Snarma does not look ugly even in a single frame with so much of blood and dirt on her face. The efforts taken to create an artificial eye of Rajat Kapoor made me notice the hard work that must have gone behind the prosthetics.
I agree, tons of efforts would have been taken to make Pari, to make a different kind of horror film but sadly it just does not live up to your high expectations. No doubt, Pari is very satisfying and a good film but it could have definitely been much better and that is clearly visible on screen. I recommend Pari to notice the efforts taken by the makers to make something different.
Rating: 3/5
meri maaa, CINEMAAA 