The After Hrs review: '?'

Film: ?
Director: Yash Dave & Allison Patel
Cast: Varun Thakur, Vicky Chatwal, Maanvi Gagroo
Rating: **1/2

There’s a constant dearth of horror films in Bollywood. And there’ve been many filmmakers who’ve tackled this subject but have not been able to go beyond the Ramsay brothers’ benchmark.

That’s why this rather low budget movie comes as an encouraging sign, even though the story is a direct rip-off The Blair Witch Project with bits inspired from Paranormal Activity, that have been merged well with some Bolly bhoot antics. But nowhere does the film rely on scary faces or ghoulish masks to evoke fear. They don’t get into any explanations either.

The story as the posters scream is about seven friends who set out to shoot a film as part of their college project. Though they never return, their footage is found and the film is mostly seen through the eyes of the camera lens. The initial eerie feeling one is likely to feel at secluded places is well-translated on screen, as the group camp out at this secluded bungalow in the middle of a forest.

The natural turn to horror and ghost stories as they camp seems natural and the discussions are actually interesting. Though one does feel that the two new directors Yash and Allison could’ve introduced some more thrilling moments, they cut to the chase pretty quickly.

If a good horror film is supposed to ensure some spine-chilling moments, then this one does that for sure. Though the film mostly relies on sound effects, the visuals are interestingly done as well. The actors come across as regular collegians, though it’s hard to figure if that’s the intention or by default. The dialogues are well-written and seem like they well could have been between any regular college goers. There are parts that may seem stretched at the end, but they catch pace before they slack into being called boring.

The small budget may have been a huge constraint for sure especially when it comes to making films that need to rely on the special effects, but the director duo have managed to do a good job given those limitations.

The film is interestingly shot and at no point do you see yourself relax. Rather it keeps you on the edge, even if it’s more because of the sound effects. With enough chills and thrills, horror buffs won’t complain about this one. A worthy attempt for sure.