Annabelle Sethupathi is a horror-comedy movie written and directed by Deepak Sundarrajan and starring Vijay Sethupathi, Taapsee Pannu, and Yogi Babu, alongside other cast members.
– Annabelle Sethupathi review does not contain spoilers –
Hotstar describes it as:
A scary journey begins when a small-time thief, Rudra, enters a haunted castle and gets pulled into the mystery of its mistress – Annabelle Sethupathi.
Annabelle Sethupathi starts with the audience getting a rundown of where the rest of the story is based. A beautiful and grand palace built by Veera for his fiancee. We then go down the comedy route. Do you remember the insufferable Laxmii? The confusing tone of that movie, whether to consider itself a comedy or a horror, is ever-present in this movie as well.
The movie then shifts a few years later. However, you are left to wonder where we are going with this. A variety of stuff goes on, but it’s still very confusing. It absolutely wasn’t necessary to push so many comic relief aspects at first, it just makes the experience all the more confusing.
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Before long, Taapsee Pannu starts dancing with her thief associates. To be honest, it won’t come to your mind that this is a horror movie. Annabelle Sethupathi doesn’t even make the jump towards horror till very late… If at all. To be honest, this is just another movie with the typical horror tropes that drone on for far too long. At 134 minutes, there isn’t enough to keep us invested.
I hate movies that try to be too in-your-face regarding their comedy or horror. Annabelle Sethupathi is both. And if you thought watching Vijay Sethupathi and Taapsee Pannu would be the sight for sore eyes, then you’re mistaken. Pannu is cast as a woman in this generation and a woman from the 1900s. Sethupathi is the prince of the palace. However, both look so out of place in their roles that it is a shame that they were cast in this rather confusing movie.
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Movies like Annabelle Sethupathi make me feel like I am losing the last few brain cells I have left. Truly, I like my horror comedies to be like Stree. So many humorous moments but all are subtle just like its messaging. Unfortunately, this movie does not follow that route and instead follows Laxmii’s footsteps. The “band of funny ghosts trapped in a palace because of unfulfilled desires” is too old and Yogi Babu’s talent is absolutely wasted.
Annabelle Sethupathi looks beautiful and its high production value is apparent. The sets look wonderful and majestic and the characters all look wonderful… except British Taapsee and Sethupathi’s odd wardrobe choices. Oh but wait till you hear Pannu’s British accent. Oof, absolutely hilarious.
Summing up: Annabelle Sethupathi
Annabelle Sethupathi is almost a slapstick comedy movie with dead people. Their actions and the reasoning behind them don’t make much sense. And neither is the reasoning behind making it. However, if you want to watch something without using any part of your brain, then this should be a good idea.
Annabelle Sethupathi is streaming on Diseny+ Hotstar.
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