Movie review PREMAATUR by Jyothi Venkatesh

Producer- Prashant Walde

Director- Sumit Sagar

Star Cast- Prashant Walde, Heta Shah, Sriraj Singh, Kalyani Kumari, Shantanu Ghosh

Genre- Horror

Rating- ***

On Unseen supernatural power!

Jyothi Venkatesh

There is absolutely nothing novel or even eerie about this musical horror film, which has been released in theatres in Delhi and U.P. Premaatur is a horror love story produced by Shahrukh Khan's body double Prashant Walde, in which Soniya (Kalyani Kumari) is possessed by an unseen supernatural power. Rahul (Sriraj Singh) and Soniya try to be friends with Pooja (Heta Shah) and Arjun (Prashant Walde) but Arjun shouts at them and thwarts their attempts altogether. While in conservation with a balloon vendor, they get to know about a ghost who cuts the plait of ladies and kills them, though there is no explanation at all as to what makes the ghost do this.

The next day when Soniya is alone in her room, she hears someone’s anklet sound approaching towards her and subsequently someone banging her door. She calls Rahul for help with a trembling voice but before Rahul comes to rescue her she is possessed and starts walking barefoot on the road. She even tries to kill herself. However, when she comes to her consciousness, she doesn’t know about the incident and is very fearful and exhausted.

Soniya is found in the basement of the haweli near a mirror. At first, Rahul doesn’t believe her but later takes her to the baba to get rid of the supernatural power. Baba comes and finds the mirror and asks Rahul to break it. They see a ghost flying by on breaking the mirror. While looking for Soniya, they stumble upon a cave in Hawaii where Soniya is seen possessed. Arjun tries to give her as a sacrifice to the goddess. Baba comes and asks Arjun the purpose and then the Arjun- Pooja tragic love story starts unfurling. Predictably, at the end after a high voltage drama, you end up watching good winning over evil.

As far as performances go, while Prashant succeeds in delineating his role as Arjun by bringing an eerie element to his character reminding you of Shahrukh Khan in every movie of his, Kalyani Kumari shines as Soniya in a role which you have seen in hundred films earlier. Rahul renders a good job as Sriraj Singh. Shantanu Ghosh as Vikram has hardly anything to do to justify his character.

The story, screenplay, as well as dialogues, do not rise above the mundane while the direction by Sumit Sagar deserves kudos for eschewing violence and sex as none of the scenes tends to fray your nerves. Music and lyrics by Nitin Raikwar are of first-order since the songs are melodious and soothing to the core.

On the whole, I’d say that the film Premaatur is a musical horror tale, which though does not offer anything by way of novelty, is definitely a one time watch