In her first teenage year, Kareena Mistry is like any other 13-year-old. She goes to school, loves to hang out with friends, is tech-savvy, spends her free time reading and screams at the sight of creepy-crawlies. What's extraordinary is her desire to watch horror movies — something she picked up at an age when most kids are traditionally cocooned with the security of Barbie dolls and Lego blocks.
"Granny and I used to watch horror films together ever since I was about five or six years old," says Kareena. "I was fascinated by all the weird-looking people popping up on screen."
And as she grew, so did the passion for the horror genre. Kareena has watched movies ranging from Jeepers Creepers to Nightmare on Elm Street and from Carrie to The Conjoined. The first time she saw a horror movie without adult supervision was nearly four years ago when she was a fourth grader. "We had an overnight at a friend's place. The six of us watched The Ring. We have a pact that we all have to keep our eyes open through the scariest scenes. I was so scared for days after that I was afraid of going to the bathroom," she says now, laughing off the spooks. Circa 2014, she has seen The Ring four times.
Kareena and her friends have since been watching all the new horror releases together; the next movie on their agenda is John Leonetti's Annabelle. She rates The Ring and The Conjoined as among the scariest movies she has ever seen. "And The Grudge. I stopped watching horror movies for some time after I saw it with my cousins. We could not bring ourselves to watch the sequel," says the south Mumbai resident.
So what is it about the genre that appeals to her? "I like the way the suspense builds up, the way the scenes are depicted, the spooky characters, the make-up. Often times, we are so scared that we scream. The entire experience is enjoyable," she says.
It helps that Kareena's parents, Meenaz and Neville, have ingrained in her that everything that she watches on screen, be it a movie, a sitcom or even a reality show, are all make-believe. "This is why she isn't scared after watching the movies or even if she has nightmares," says Meenaz, who works with Turkish Airlines.
Yet, nightmares are something Kareena experiences frequently. "Often times I can't sleep at night after watching the movies. Just the other night, I went off to sleep hoping that 'Annabelle' was not behind my bed," says Kareena. "My worst nightmare came after watching The Ring when I dreamt that the hair that Rachel choked upon was flowing out of the tap in my bathroom. But I always wake up from the nightmare and realise that it was just a nightmare, and then the fear goes away."
Kareena's guide
- Watch horror movies in a group, with cousins or friends.
- Don't miss the 'behind-the-scenes' after the movie. How the makers achieve the special effects and what goes into the make-up will help eliminate fear.
- If you are still scared, watch a funny video/film to get over the chills
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