'Raaz Reboot': This secret is best left untold

Film: "Raaz Reboot"; Director: Vikram Bhatt; Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Kriti Kharbanda, Gaurav Arora, Madhu Anand Chandhock ;Rating: *1/2

At the very onset of the narration, we are informed by a voiceover, "Secrets are the enemy of love".

Narrated in a non-linear manner, the film delves into the secrets of the miseries of a young couple, Mr & Mrs Khanna.

It is January 1, 2016. Rehaan and Shaina return to Romania after a few years of their marriage. Apparently they lived there when they were unmarried. But when Rehaan got an offer as a Venture Capitalist for the East European Finance Company, Shaina was insistent that he take up the job. Rehaan was reluctant, since he had a secret to hide.

On the very first day, while unpacking her luggage, Shaina experiences paranormal activities. Rehaan refuses to believe her. A month later, while on a business trip, Rehaan receives a frantic call from Shaina requesting for help. She is found holed up in a telephone booth in a rural area. Apparently, she had gone there to visit a clairvoyant. And thence, the narrative juggles back and forth as to what plagues them and what leads her to the clairvoyant.

With all the trappings of the horror genre, this fourth edition of the "Raaz" franchise offers nothing exciting. Even after exploiting picturesque Romania, this unimaginatively crafted script with a flimsy plot, narrated in a deadpan manner with ridiculous scares, is unconvincing and tedious to watch.

The performances of the cast too are perfunctory. Gaurav Arora and Kriti Karbanda are un-relatable as the couple Rehaan and Shaina. Their characters lack the chemistry and their ordeal, panic and grief all seem forced. Nevertheless, Kriti shows promise.

Apart from the oomph factor, her transformation into a feral woman with frenzied energy, is worth a mention.

Emraan Hashmi as Aditya, Shaina's past and the antagonist of the tale, walks through his performance.

The rest of the cast which include Amar and Shreya - the couple's friends, Trilok - the blind psychometrist, the clairvoyant and the priest, have their moments of on screen glory.

The music, along with the background score, too is passable.

With moderate production values, the film is well-mounted. Manoj Soni's cinematography is worth a mention. He captures the scenic locales in all their glory. And his frames seamlessly merge with the computer generated effects.

Overall, "Raaz Reboot" is mediocre fare and may appeal only to fans of the "Raaz" franchise.

--IANS

troy/rb/bg