NO CHILLS NO THRILLS!
As the images started rolling on the screen, for a minute I thought that I was sitting in my drawing room watching one of the Balaji Telefilms serials. Krishna Cottage, a film by Balaji Telefilms has many important characters from the teleserials playing lead characters in this movie and hence this stray thought! I am really intrigued at how time and again people have the guts and of course the money to make movies which barely have the steam to attract capacity audiences to the theatres. And when the mature audience has had a taste of what a good horror film should be about, shouldn?t others take a leaf out of their predecessors? book and attempt to make something worthwhile.
A haunted house in the middle of nowhere. Stormy nights, flashing lights, strong gusts of wind which blow curtains, lights which play hide and seek, doors which creak open and then suddenly shut tight, dark rooms, shadowy figures to impair your vision, thro in screechy music, and a few screeching females and voila you have a time-tested formula for a horror movie. But, it?s not so simple to make a voice, which really chills and thrills.
Balaji Telefilms wanted to make a shocker but ended up with a product that is a potpourri of reincarnation, jilted love, and spirits seeking revenge and absolutely warped time frame. But then ektaa Kapoor is known for such colossal distortions where time is concerned. Her serials, with twenty-year leaps will vouch for it.
Krishna Cottage is about a book titled Kuch Kahi Ankahi (the K factor rules), authored by Siddartha Ray (Raj Zutshi), it has nine and a half love stories. Why half the last story is incomplete because the author himself doesn?t know how it will end. (Inconsistency No 1 ? Ray?s story is based on a true love story which happened in his college between his colleagues and which ended in tragedy ? so the story did have an end. Then how come the author assumes that the story will continue ? did he have any inclination that this story will bring doom and touch many young lives? If he had, why did he pen it in the first place?!!!) Cut to one year later where the Principal of a college where our lead characters study is very mysterious about the book. He doesn?t want any student reading it and so gets it removed from the library. (Inconsistency No. 2 ? If that was the case, it would have been best to destroy the book ? or did the book have the powers to overcome fire, water etc.?!!!)
Of the lead actors, Sohail Khan and Natassha are in love and are to be engaged. Enter the third corner ? in the shape of Isha Koppikar who takes Sohail?s breath away. Somehow he feels very protective towards her who leads to friction between him and Natassha. Circumstances lead the group of friends to an isolated cottage where spooky things happen. And Koppikar tells her story of how she has lost her love and how it is his spirit that is troubling her and her newfound friends. Natassha is livid at Khan?s behaviors towards Isha and want to fight it out with Isha over her love. But when she reaches Isha?s house she is shocked to find something that will change her and her friends? lives. The clue lies in the book, which has been read by three of her friends; all of whom get slayed in the most gruesome manner. (Inconsistency No. 3 ? The unfinished love story is about Koppikar and her guy Sohail (pichla Janam), surely there were no pictures given in the book, then how can anyone reading the story associate it with Koppikar and Sohail?!!!)
Time for the Exorcist Rati Agnihotri to make her appearance, séance meetings are held amidst thousands of flickering candles, questioning of the spirit takes place and she declares that the spirit will not touch the duo if they tie the knot. Of course spirits do not believe in register marriages, for them any marriage that does not have the havan and mantras is not complete. The elaborate marriage ceremony is marred by the arrival of the spirit, the tussle between the good and bad continues and reincarnation factor now comes into play.
Ultimately the spirit loses the battle and true love wins. As always! The first half contains some interesting scenes; especially the easy banter between the friends and a few spooky moments. But as the movie wraps up to its inevitable ending, one is left with a feeling of something amiss, all because the story is riddled with inconsistencies.
Technically the movie is outstanding. The visual effects are striking. The shadow play in the spooky scenes does send a tingle up your spine. How one wishes that the writers had penned a nail biting taut thriller with at least some logic. The many illogical instances depicted take away some sheen and coherence from the thriller, which does have its moments of shock, value. For instance how come all the characters do not have any family members staying with them? How come despite two murders which come to light ? the police has waited twenty years to posses her lost love leave him so suddenly.
Seems it was heavily impressed with Sohail?s preaching about true love! Add all the inconsistencies and all the illogical things and you come up with a thriller without any real shocking spook value. On the acting front, Sohail is too wooden, he hardly emotes, and Natassha is average. Koppikar controlled and confident. It is Vrijesh Hirjee and Hiten (Karan from Kyunki Saas bhi kabhi thi fame) who are really good with their comic timings. Rati Agrnihotri is influenced too much by Rekha?s character in Bhoot and it shows. Music by Anu Malik is catchy. Thankfully there are only three songs, of which two have been heavily promoted by Ektaa in all her prime time serials. Bindaas and Bepanah Pyar Hai Aaja are good.
For total time pass, Krishna cottage is not a bad proposition.