Khauf Review: Supernatural Meets Social Issues in This Arresting Thriller

Khauf Review: In Prime Video’s supernatural thriller series, Madhu moves to Delhi to start afresh after facing a traumatising situation at her hometown. However, when she moves into a dilapidated hostel, her new hostel mates turn out to be quite hostile at first for no reason. However, the more time she spends at her new accommodations, the more and more alarming and violent. As the older residents hide a shocking truth from her, things threaten to come out one way or another.

The series has 8 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45 minutes.

Khauf Review

I think if people were not forced to make terrible decisions in a TV show/movie, a lot of the conflict that we see on-screen could’ve been avoided. Alas, that’s not what life is, and terrible decisions are what make the juiciest content, apparently.

Something similar happens in Prime Video’s Khauf, a triggering social thriller with a hint of the supernatural, which, I must say, creates an impact despite the cliched twists that it brings forth. The series follows Madhu whose hostile hostel mates are her new digs turn out to be hiding something more than just petty roommate resentment that we have all faced in our lives. I think I am going to reserve the rest of the plot for fear of giving away spoilers, but there are surprising pros and cons to the story that might just leave you in disbelief by the end.

First and foremost, it’s quite topical, but then again, sexual assault in films always seems to be a very easy go-to these days. And the series doesn’t leave almost anything to the imagination in that aspect. I understand the importance of showcasing the devastation of sexual assault and the casual slut-shaming that cultivates it, but the way that shows in general have started showcasing violence in cinema seems to know no limit. There are times in this series that will make you feel intense discomfort because of the things that are said and done. It almost feels gratuitous for the sake of getting a rise out of the viewers, and sometimes serves no other purpose than to get us incensed.

Another thing is the fact that it never lets up. There’s not one character in the series that will make you feel any sort of positivity. From the first moment, the series is just so depressing and doomsday-ish that it’s one dark moment after another. I understand the point of showcasing the bad in this world, but there’s absolutely no good light at the end of Khauf that will give you a moment of temporary relief. I think the show might not be for everyone, and a lot of people might even feel triggered. It also makes you feel extremely claustrophobic sometimes.

However, Khauf does a fantastic job with the set design. The dilapidated hostel is the perfect place for these depressing events to unfold, and that small alley is as unsafe and haunting as one might expect. If nothing else, that hostel will give viewers goosebumps because it’s so unsafe, even without the dangerous spirit haunting its walls. I also liked the logic behind the spirit and what it represents, and how women also perpetuate awful patriarchal mindsets that result in an unsafe environment for women.

Further, I think that the series does a good job of linking the supernatural with the thriller aspects, and it’s quite unnerving to watch everything unfold. The practical effects are great, and although the special effects lack a lot, I think I enjoyed the overall vibe quite a lot. It’s good that they did not turn this into a Soha Ali Khan in Chhorii 2 bit and kept things a bit more believable. I wish the “monster” wasn’t revealed as much as it was and kept a bit to our imagination, but maybe that’s asking too much.

I am still a little confused about the point of Rajat Kapoor’s character. He doesn’t really add much to the story and just disappears for long stretches of time. Whatever he did could’ve very well been done by anyone sitting in a dingy back alley or maybe even Google. However, all the women are fantastic. Monika Panwar, as Madhu, plays her role extremely well, especially in the possession bits. She’s genuinely creepy. The other women are also great and deliver very believable performances. It’s very easy to root for them through this murky mess of a situation.

Final Thoughts

I think Khauf does a great job of presenting the terrors in the world and mixing them with the supernatural. However, it’s far too violent and disturbing, so much so that it sometimes feels a bit forced and unnecessary. This one will be enjoyable for anyone who loves to watch dark and depressing tales based on reality.

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