Shaitaan Review: Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyotika's Horror Film Will Give You Nightmares

Shaitaan may have sunk under weight of horror tropes it reily gives into h it not been for R Mhavan's manic turn as a man driven to depths of darkness, seeking control through hypnotism. film openly embraces concept of black magic, when Bollywood films have only flirted with it till now. Director Vikas Bahl creates stage for Mhavan to take control of narrative, literally and metaphorically, and actor effortlessly leans into his godman-like character 'Bhagwan' Vanraj to deliver a captivating performance that single-handedly makes Shaitaan an edge-of--seat experience, while coming across as totally believable, something that horror films usually struggle with.

Hot Take

A secluded spot, a family holiday gone wrong, battle of good vs evil are all handy mes that one associates with horror genre. Shaitaan too takes off from here. However, with introduction of Vanraj (R Mhavan), tone of film changes and it doesn't look back from re. With every sequence, film builds up to  spine-chilling climax.

Shaitaan is slow in parts, especially in second act where it gives way to over--top mness. All-in-all, relatability factor of film balances out its craziness.

Is Shaitaan worth hype?

Horror films have always been a niche. best part about Shaitaan is that its spooky elements are balanced out with his heartfelt family moments. An unassuming Vanraj casts a spell on a happy-go-lucky Janhvi (Janaki Bodiwala). What follows is a series of attempts by her far Kabir (Ajay Devgn) and mor Jyoti (Jyotika) to rescue her from his clutches.

film does well in keeping tension alive as it glides from one scene to anor leaving us gaping at sheer horror that family finds itself in. To make sense of Vanraj's motives keeps us bored but Vikas Bahl refrains from letting us have a peek behind man's evil intentions. This becomes anor hook in film and keep us invested until end.  

Jyotika gets short end of stick    

Jyotika's role as a helpless mor is one of film's weakest point. It's almost like wasted potential when we see her juggling expressions between crying and appearing horrified. Her character always finds itself on fringe while ors take charge.

Ajay Devgn delivers a restrained performance

Ajay's character as a devoted family man will remind one of Drishyam franchise. However, given how latter was more emotionally balanced, actor seems a bit confused in some scenes in Shaaitan. In some scenes, expressions and tonality of character gets repetitive.

Watch it or skip it?        

Shaitaan has a novel concept and it treats it well. It is not caricaturish and convinces one to point where you will be left wondering if hypnosis is real? It also gets its jump scares right.

way climax is designed almost makes up for modest execution of film inside a mansion. final 20 minutes of movie and Mhavan's descent into complete mness versus Ajay's resilience is highlight of movie.

Bottomline

Shaitaan caters to both family audiences and fans of horror genre. It holds back when it needs to, never going overboard. It's one of those films that delivers what trailer promises — a captivating mystery blended with an emotional family drama.  

Rating: 3/5 Stars