Chhorii Review: Amazon Prime’s horror flick is now out on the digital platform. Directed by Vishal Furia, the director penned the story with Vishal Kapoor. It stars Nushrratt Bharuccha, Mita Vashisht, Rajesh Jais, Saurabh Goyal, and Yaanea Bharadwaj. It is a remake of the Marathi film Lapachhapi (2017), also helmed by Vishal. Ketan Sodha composed the background score; the cinematography is by Anshul Chobey.
Chhorii movie is produced by T-Series, Abudantia Entertainment, Crypt TV and A Psych Film. The synopsis on IMDb reads, “Eight-month pregnant Sakshi must save herself and her unborn child from the evil within society and from the fear that lies in the paranormal world.”
-No Spoilers-
Chhorii Review
Sakshi (Nushratt Bharuccha) and her husband Hemant (Saurabh Goyal) are expecting their first child as the former is 8 months pregnant. To get away from a big threat, the couple chooses to leave the town for a few days. Kajla (Rajesh Jais), their driver, suggests that they stay in his village, where only his family lives.
Sakshi and Hemant are taken to an eerie village where Kajla’s house is built amid a labyrinth of sugarcane fields. Bhanno Devi (Mita Vashisht), his wife, is overjoyed to see the couple. She’s friendly with Sakshi, but her mindset is orthodox. Bhanno Devi, also known as Tai, thinks that a woman should eat after her husband and never address them by their first name.
That, however, is only a sliver of the danger lurking around the house and the sugarcane field. The longer Sakshi stays in that place, the more deadly scenarios she encounters. The evil energies would do anything to harm her unborn child. As Sakshi gets closer to uncovering the terrible truth, she crosses paths with unexpected elements. Will she be able to protect herself and her unborn child from the horror waiting in the shadows?
The frightening opening scene makes you want to find out why a pregnant woman cuts her own belly. As the film begins, we see Sakshi and Hemant living quiet lives that would soon be shattered. The filmmaker doesn’t waste any time in moving the story to the eerie locale. This is the first time I’ve seen a vast sugarcane field used to emphasise the ghostly element in any Hindi horror film.
The fields are a glimpse of the sheer misery that Sakshi would encounter soon. Vishal Furia has brilliantly used silence to terrify and engross us in his horrific tale. He saved us by avoiding unnecessary jump scares or excessive, nasty ghost faces. The narrative, the background score, the characters, and the overall setting are all enough to elicit paranormal sensations.
Despite its many excellent aspects, the length of Amazon Prime Video’s Chhorii is a bit of a letdown. It takes a long time for the plot to go forward. However, the last 30 minutes are grim and gripping. The story shifts from the past to the present to make startling revelations. The climax is full of shocking twists, only one of which I predicted. Vishal managed to keep me on the edge of my seat, guessing what was happening.
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The evil in Chhorii isn’t limited to the wandering evil spirits. It’s a heartbreaking practice in society to get rid of girls. The ultimate horror is the tormenting of pregnant mothers when they don’t give birth to a boy. It’s the practice of foeticide and how people still discriminate even before the child is born. Vishal’s ability to connect society’s real horror with his sinister tale is commendable.
When it comes to performances, Nushrratt Bharuccha is outstanding. After Chhalaang, the actor has landed a role that allows her to showcase her abilities to their full potential. She’s good at expressing fear and tension in horrific scenes. Mita Vashisht, who plays Bhanno Devi, also delivers an excellent act. At times, I thought she’d turn into a ghost and attack Sakshi. So does she turn into one? You’ll have to watch it by yourself. Actors Saurabh Goyal and Rajesh Jais also do a good job.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Chhorii is an intriguing tale representing society’s evil. Anshul Chobey’s cinematography for the sugarcane fields is creepily stunning. The story is spine-chilling, packed with amazing performances.
The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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