 Jungles are scary, even more so in movies. Remember Predator where an
alien attacks a team of commandos? Or the Blair Witch Project in which
creepy things happen? Jungles seem to have a life of their own,
especially if you are alone.
This is the premise behind the Hindi movie Agyaat (Unknown/Fear),
released worldwide last Friday. Directed by veteran horror master Ram
Gopal Varma of Bhoot fame, it is movie about a film unit that goes to a
location deep in the forests of Sri Lanka. A film within a film, more or
less. Yes, the film was shot on location in the Sigiriya jungles, though
a few scenes were shot in Kerala too. That’s just another incentive to
watch this movie, then.
The storyline is simple: A film crew is in the Sigiriya jungles to
shoot a movie. The shoot is put on hold when a camera malfunctions and
they have to wait for a replacement. To kill time, they decide to go on
a trek into the jungle with the caretaker of the jungle.
When the caretaker is found mauled one night, the panic and fear of
the darkness and the unknown sets in. The movie piles on the horror as
each crew member has to fight an unseen force. This unseen enemy is
faster, smarter and is out to kill them all. Can they prevail over the
darkness and the creepiness?
Agyaat stars Nitin Reddy and Priyanka Kothari, two rising South
Indian stars, in the lead roles. The film has been dubbed into all South
Indian languages. Despite the ghostly backdrop, Agyaat does have item
numbers (including the already famous Kiss You Day and Night) and other
such elements you expect in mainstream Hindi cinema.
RGV has apparently kept the climax as a top-secret even from the lead
stars of the film. In fact, he had shot about five different climaxes.
You will have to visit the theatre to see the ending, of course. But
this raises the tantalizing possibility of a DVD version that will offer
seamless branching into the alternate endings with director’s
commentary.
The director has said that Agyaat is technically his best film till
date.
Scary sound effects, solid editing, new camera movements and an apt
background score are said to be the key elements, not to mention the
acting.
In fact, lead actress Priyanka Kothari has told an interviewer that
the film is all about sound effects, as one cannot see the (unknown)
adversary on screen. Be prepared to be scared at a cinema near you. |
