Phobia

PHOBIA is deliciously spooky!

Consistently gripping and unpredictable, PHOBIA is an uncanny thriller that entertains you despite keeping much unexplained. Radhika Apte shines and how, in what could possibly be the performance of the year 2016. Fan of this genre or not, go for it. You’ll definitely enjoy this one!

PHOBIA is the story of Mehek (Radhika Apte), an agoraphobic, who has the irrational fear of open or public places. After an unfortunate incident, Mehak starts suffering from agoraphobia, and owing to repeated panic attacks, her boyfriend Shaan (Satyadeep Mishra) gets her a place of her own so that she can face her fears. Determined to beat it, Mehak starts on a positive note, but soon begins to notice weird things in the house.

There’s very little that can be written about the plot of the film without spoiling the fun. The film follows a dark theme that’s intentionally convoluted, making it a psychological thriller where you doubt your own assumption. Director Pawan Kripalani plays with your mind, keeping you on your feet throughout. The fear factor lingers constantly and you’re spooked on more occasions than you’d expect. The flaws are there in plenty. I mean why would you put a lady alone in a strange new place when what she really needs is the support of her close ones. Things like these do smell of manipulation, but eventually it’s the riveting screenplay that saves the day. The climax is an obscure bit that’s left to your imagination, and that’s all I can say about it till you see the film yourself.

Radhika Apte is terrific. It’s her first lead role in Bollywood and Director Kripalani brings out the best in her. She effortlessly plays the mercurial affrighted character and the portrayal of her suffering with agoraphobia is near perfect. In one word, she’s immaculate. Also superb is Satyadeep Mishra as her on/off boyfriend who unconditionally cares for her. All others play their parts just right.

In all, PHOBIA is a clever psychic-thriller which should not be missed. Not very scary, but definitely thrilling, this one should not be missed. Recommended!