Express press service
Rookie director Sai Kiran’s Masooda is an expertly crafted horror-thriller that gives you the immersive theatrical experience of supernatural drama with suspense, gore, and jaw-dropping fear. This is the simple story of a young woman possessed by a spirit.
The story follows three main characters Neelam (Sangeetha), a science teacher and single mother, who lives with her daughter Nazia (Bandhavi Sridhar), and Gopi (Thiruveer), a cowardly software engineer who is their neighbor. Nazia starts acting weird and a suspicious Neelam asks Gopi for help to fix things. Things go worse than they expected and what spirals out is a chain reaction of chills interspersed with dollops of evasions.
With emotional yet realistic dialogue, Masooda’s major strength lies in its plot and camera work. Although the story is familiar as we can predict much of the narrative, the film still manages to suck you into its drama as it takes place in a middle class neighborhood and is treated as the kind of tragedy that could happen to n ‘anyone. .
The film has its share of unanswered questions, which can be overlooked. Despite narrative bookends with a few gruesome scenes, the plot is tense without having to stoop to the leapfrog scares of horror tropes. The different shades of morality and the very purpose of the three characters give them more depth than most gimmicks played in this genre.
The characters are developed through the small explanation scenes as well as their actions. As the story progresses, despite Gopi’s cowardly nature, you become rooted and worried about the character. The drama is carefully woven, intensely pulsating and gory in parts where you feel a sense of claustrophobia and find the pulse rising throughout the film. At the same time, you also want the suspense to unfold quickly.
The actors are all earnest and sincere in their performances, which makes the film feel as intense as it is authentic. Their anticipation as well as their anxiety and fear are palpable. But it is Bandhavi Sridhar who stands out as the terrifying young woman. She and her actions add suspense and dread to the film that you can’t take your eyes off the screen.
The film is visually stimulating as it moves at a dramatic pace. Cinematographer Nagesh Banell’s camera work shifts the tone of the film from perspective to perspective, giving us the feeling that most of the film is one long take. Plus, scenes shot in farmland on a rainy night or involving night vision are executed so well that you’ll be on the edge of your seat. Background music by Prashanth R Vihari along with moments of silence and spooky moments enhance the viewing experience.
Overall, Masooda manages to stay true to genre conventions and delivers something both unusual and exciting.
Cast: Sangeetha, Bandhavi Sridhar, Thiruveer
Director: Sai Kiran
Ratings: 3 out of 5 stars
(This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)
Rookie director Sai Kiran’s Masooda is an expertly crafted horror-thriller that gives you the immersive theatrical experience of supernatural drama with suspense, gore, and jaw-dropping fear. This is the simple story of a young woman possessed by a spirit. The story follows three main characters Neelam (Sangeetha), a science teacher and single mother, who lives with her daughter Nazia (Bandhavi Sridhar), and Gopi (Thiruveer), a cowardly software engineer who is their neighbor. Nazia starts acting weird and a suspicious Neelam asks Gopi for help to fix things. Things go worse than they expected and what spirals out is a chain reaction of chills interspersed with dollops of evasions. With emotional yet realistic dialogue, Masooda’s major strength lies in its plot and camera work. Although the story is familiar as we can predict much of the narrative, the film still manages to suck you into its drama as it takes place in a middle class neighborhood and is treated as the kind of tragedy that could happen to n ‘anyone. . The film has its share of unanswered questions, which can be overlooked. Despite narrative bookends with a few gruesome scenes, the plot is tense without having to stoop to the leapfrog scares of horror tropes. The different shades of morality and the very purpose of the three characters give them more depth than most gimmicks played in this genre. The characters are developed through the small explanation scenes as well as their actions. As the story progresses, despite Gopi’s cowardly nature, you become rooted and worried about the character. The drama is carefully woven, intensely pulsating and gory in parts where you feel a sense of claustrophobia and find the pulse rising throughout the film. At the same time, you also want the suspense to unfold quickly. The actors are all earnest and sincere in their performances, which makes the film feel as intense as it is authentic. Their anticipation as well as their anxiety and fear are palpable. But it is Bandhavi Sridhar who stands out as the terrifying young woman. She and her actions add suspense and dread to the film that you can’t take your eyes off the screen. The film is visually stimulating as it moves at a dramatic pace. Cinematographer Nagesh Banell’s camera work shifts the tone of the film from perspective to perspective, giving us the feeling that most of the film is one long take. Plus, scenes shot in farmland on a rainy night or involving night vision are executed so well that you’ll be on the edge of your seat. Background music by Prashanth R Vihari along with moments of silence and spooky moments enhance the viewing experience. Overall, Masooda manages to stay true to genre conventions and delivers something both unusual and exciting. Actors: Sangeetha, Bandhavi Sridhar, Thiruveer Director: Sai Kiran Rating: 3 stars out of 5 (this story originally appeared in Cinema Express)
