Raaz - The Mystery Continues - Movie Review

Rating: ***1/2 The team behind Raaz - The Mystery Continues have often clarified that it's not a sequel to RAAZ, one of the most interesting cinematic experiences, besides being the biggest Hit of that year. Yet, you cannot but draw parallels with the first film of the franchise. Horror as a genre hasn't been tapped to the optimum in India. We've witnessed spooky fares in the past and some of them have succeeded in making you break into a cold sweat (BHOOT stands tall in this list). Last year's PHOONK and 1920 were scary movies as well. There's tremendous curiosity to watch Raaz - The Mystery Continues, but does it scare the living daylights out of you? Fortunately, yes! The story (Mohit Suri) is absorbing and Mohit treats the subject like a veteran, as if he knows the genre very well. There're moments that make your heart beat faster, you watch the events with eyes and jaws wide open. Sure, there're blemishes as well, but they don't overpower the plusses or make you change your opinion about the film. While the beginning and the middle of the film is engrossing, it's the end that could've been better thought of. Wanna get scared? Wanna get goose pimples? Buy the ticket for Raaz - The Mystery Continues pronto. It lives up to the hype and expectations completely. A brooding artist Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi) experiences mysterious and distressing visions about Nandita (Kangna Ranaut), a woman he has never met, while he paints on canvas. Intrigued by these visions, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her that these are not merely paintings of her, but accidents that are waiting to happen. At first, Nandita refuses to believe him and dismisses him as an eccentric stalker. However, the striking resemblance between Prithvi's paintings and the near-death incidents in her life is hard to ignore. Now, one of Prithvi's paintings has revealed her as dead. The only way she can change her fate is to unravel this mystery with his help, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash (Adhyayan Suman). But he refuses to believe in Prithvi's premonitions. Will Nandita risk her love and her life to unravel this mystery? Most of us have heard, witnessed or perhaps had a first-hand experience of supernatural. The present-day generation may, perhaps, term it as wild imagination or hallucination, while the believers may have their point of view. Mohit and screenplay writer Shagufta Rafique's characters in Raaz - The Mystery Continues are believers and non-believers, both. Mohit smartly builds up the atmosphere. Sample these: Emraan and Kangna's first encounter at a mall and minutes later, inside an elevator; the New Year bash when Kangna is 'attacked' by spirits; Kangna's experience in her bathtub and also when she looks at the mirror; Kangna almost jumping off a cliff; the highpoint sequence, when angry bulls attack Emraan and Kangna. Incredible sequences all! Mohit has handled the most difficult portions with panache. However, the entire flashback part, towards the pre-climax, is not as convincing. The ending too could've been better in terms of writing, although Mohit has filmed it exceptionally well. Mohit's choice of the subject as also the actors is right. This is, without doubt, his finest effort to date. Shagufta's screenplay is watertight at most times. Like always, the Bhatts come up with a lilting musical score and at least two songs -- 'Soniyo' (Raju Singh) and 'Maahi' (Sharib-Toshi) -- are first-rate compositions. Ravi Walia's cinematography is up to the mark. The effects are impressive. On the acting front, both Emraan and Kangna vie for top honours. Emraan is excellent. He conveys a lot through facial expressions and that's the sign of a proficient actor. He's just getting better and better with every film. Kangna is top notch. After FASHION, this one's another power-packed performance from the actress. Adhyayan Suman is super-confident and registers a strong impact, especially towards the climax. He shows promise. Jackie Shroff is quite okay in a brief role. On the whole, Raaz - The Mystery Continues is rich in the horror quotient and that is one of its major USPs, besides the highly competent performances by its principal cast and a lilting musical score. At the box-office, this one will continue the winning streak of Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films. The 4-day weekend (Monday, January 26 in a holiday) will only cement its status further. Go for it!

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Juhi Chawla wears a new look

Juhi Chawla is wearing blonde highlights in hair hair for her role in Zoya Akhtar's directorial debut "Luck By Chance" (pictured above).

Juhi, last seen in Ravi Chopra's "Bhootnath", will play veteran actor Rishi Kapoor's wife in the film.

"Playing Minty was so much fun! And moreover I got to colour my hair blonde, which was something I had never done before," said Juhi.

"When Zoya offered me the role I was extremely thrilled. Even though I was told it was not a big role, I didn't mind as it was different from all the other characters I have played before, and that was the most exciting part," she added.

"Luck By Chance", releasing on January 30, stars Farhan Akhtar and Konkona Sen Sharma and has a much-hyped guest appearance by superstar Hrithik Roshan.

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Raima Sen: Wooing Women!

Raima Sen has often been compared to grandma Suchitra Sen. But Raima has not just acquired her looks; she has also acquired tips of gaining a fan following from grandma Sen.

Her next movie MERE KHWABON MEIN JO AAYE focuses on how a woman who's tied down with her daily routine and household chores, dreams of making it big.

Raima says, ''It is a woman-oriented subject, but it would cater to everyone, especially people who are fighting their fears. I can say that because the movie has given me the inspiration to fight my own phobias, which frankly I'm still trying! Also I feel it will gain me a lot of female fan following.'' Female fan following? Shouldn't she be concentrating on the men instead? ''If my grandma is to be believed, men anyways would swoon over you, but if you get appreciations from a woman, it means you've truly proved your competency, as women wouldn't easily appreciate another woman!''


What are the phobias which she's trying to fight? Raima, who sheds all inhibitions when she is in front of the camera, confesses that she is petrified of the camera but only when it comes to giving a screen test. ''I don't know why, but this has been a case with me forever. That's one of the reasons why I don't even try for foreign films... they all follow the process of undergoing a screen test. That has also been the reason for my missing out on some great films. However, fortunately for me, whatever roles I've done so far have been offered to me and have been appreciated by people.'' she says.

Speaking about this phobia of hers, she says, ''Back in school, I was once playing Cinderella on stage and I still remember; when I went on stage, suddenly I couldn't speak and I just went blank. Another girl was called then to say the dialogues back stage while I lip-synced. Maybe that has still remained in my mind somewhere.''

Another critical role for now that she has bagged ''without a screen test'' is Aparna Sen's JAPANESE WIFE where she plays a widow. In a scene she had to interact with the Japanese actress and Raima recalls, ''It was a bit difficult conversing at first as we had to communicate with the help of an interpreter. But slowly, we somehow managed to strike a conversation without the interpreter and it was fun understanding the context in spite of not understanding the language!'' she laughs.

Looks like Raima is doing her best to woo everyone, and language doesn't seem to be a problem for her!

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Chitrangada Singh in a red hot avatar

Chitragada Singh has a unique sophisticated look, which can bowl over all and sundry.

Just after one movie, ‘Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi’ she had gathered an incredible fan following. So much so that people missed her in action for years.

But after the self imposed exile, the babe is back with ‘Sorry Bhai’ and is very much in the news.

And boy, she can look hot too.

Her hot look is on display now in Femina’s January 2009 edition. The magazine features the actress on the cover page with her ‘Classic in the Making’ look.

Let’s see how it works out for her from here

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