Shishira Movie Review
(3/5) Musical Horror!
Horror films are as rare as a hen’s teeth in Kannada Cinema. Good horror films are even rarer! But debutant director Manju Swaraj has managed to create a film that is spooky and engaging till the end, with the help of very few resources such as a haunted house with a predictable past, a newcomer (Yashas), a 7.5 feet villain, and a brilliant camera work by Suresh Babu.
Shishira is the story of a guy (Yashas Surya) who gets trapped in an abandoned bungalow after having been worked up by his own audacity. Expectedly, he stumbles upon a diary waiting to be discovered, which happens to be that of Prema who died in that house. As the night progresses, the events in that diary starts to haunt the home-alone Yashas, and then the panic strikes in and the night unfolds every event that a self respecting haunted house can conjure up in the span of one night.
For a story like Shishira, the songs were totally uncalled for. Although the songs by debutant music director Ajaneesh Lokhanath are melodious and catchy, they act like the holy water sprinkled upon the menacing ghost, chasing all the horror and excitement away. Picture this… There is a sequence where Prema and her two kids get stabbed by a seven and half feet villain. Just when they’re about to die, the film breaks out into a melodious flashback song! In fact, except for the first song (Vidyege Dasanagu), almost every song dilutes whatever horror momentum that Manju Swaraj has built and gives sort of commercial break to the viewer. But full marks to Lokhanath for the background score.
One movie old Yashas gives a solid performance on a script that entirely rests upon his young shoulders and connects well with the viewers. Of course, a female protagonist trapped in the same scenario would have struck the chord in a better way with the audience. California-born Meghana (who carries the same accent in the film) gets very little screen space but looks good in whatever space she gets. Prema as usual acts well, but her unimpressive hair cut makes her fragile lean body seem taller than 7.5 feet Santosh, which kind of robs you of your ‘hair-raising’ moments in the film!
It’s so refreshing to see a camera work which doesn’t rely heavily on long-distance shots, but always moves on target closely throughout. Although editing is slick within the scenes, it’s shaky across the scenes. Manju Swaraj’s direction loses its spike the moment there is no spookiness in the scenes. The second half of the movie gets little draining at times, but overall it’s quite engaging if not nail-biting, making it worth a watch.
-Movie Review By Chandru
This is good movie and a good attempt by Manju Swaraj. The movie could have been a bigger hit if it was a timely release, now it is sandwiched between Raam and Maleyali.. . It would have been even more bigger and better if the role of hero and Prema was done by more popular actors. When people like Manju try to achieve something they should dream of something bigger and not compromise. But the movie is really thrilling. All the best to Manju’s future.
@Gururaj,
Yes, I was waiting for “Yaaradu”. It seemed to be a good thriller. But I couldn’t watch it, it had a small scale release…
@KFI… Even Yaaradhu was a very very neat Thriller.. Even though it got good reviews, it dint ran well. Sad on the part of kannada viewers who yell there is no good movie, but when it comes they wont entertain it.
Hi,
The audience underestimating the kannada films. We kannadigas are expert in underestimating kannada films and appreciating other language films which is even worst than kannada films. Many people says that they will not watch kannada films if there is any good films released they will watch it. But trust me they will not do that even though the films are good. They have a feeling in their mind that they will not watch kannada films especially tamilians. But if you see the stats wise KFI fares better than Bollywood
Bollywood
Films Released: 240
Hits:4
Flop:236
Percentage: 1.67%
Kannada
Films Released: 114
Hits: 10
Flop: 104
Percentage: 8.77%
So u think which is the best?
Well…. “Shishira” takes inspiration from 1408… Timepass movie…. But, songs are a real PITA…
KFI needs to stop underestimating the audience, if a film is really good then the audience will definitely make it a hit. They keep making crappy films and then blame it on the audience saying they added those unwanted stupid songs and comedy scenes because that’s what the kannada audience look for in a movie. Do we look like fools to them? And Mahesh calling a spade a spade is not boasting, you need to stop generalizing and stereotyping other members on this website.
Good that you are supporting by providing various supportive statements. There is nothing to get inspired and make it to suit according to indian tastes. The BOX OFFICE Status will clearly state the fate of the movie.
I never told that 1408 will be a HIT. The point here is KFI doesnt think about writing new concepts. either they do re-make or else steal some idea and mess it again.
If you see shishira, there are lot of loop holes in the story and director got too much confused. you can say its a good attempt but will producers get back their investment? Every director should work on making sure that producers is safe with new concept.
PS: When the movie gets removed from the theatre, you will know the real fate.
An honest attempt…i appreciate it…but why those mindless songs interrupting the flow of the movie every now and then? This is very immature and B grade thinking by directgor
@Latoya,
Neither “1408″ will be a hit if it releases in Karnataka
1408 was a story based on Stephen King’s short story. Stephen King’s stories generally have a different theme. It’s usually the characters own past that haunts them when they’re trapped alone in Stephen King’s stories. Here its completely different.
Moreover people(especially people from Bangalore) love to boast or show-off their English movies knowledge. So even if there is a slightest remote resemblence to any English movie, they jump to claim that its remake of that movie!
First off doing remakes of hollywood or any other foreign language films is not a bad thing as most of the audience would have not seen the original, but they have to stick to the original story, study it properly and do justice to it without murdering it. For example The Departed was a very good remake of Infernal Affairs(Cantonese film) and it also won Oscars, then again pulling of a good remake is not as easy as everyone thinks it is.
See both the movies first. Then come over here and talk.this movie
is flop.
Its like telling DDLJ is a remake of Dil because both are love stories and in both the stories Heroine’s father opposes the marriage! Only thing that was common in Shishira and 1408 was the haunted house and a guy spending a night alone there.
check the below link for 1408 story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1408_(film)
Kannadigas are improving… they r now remaking hollywood movies… IPC Section 300 is a remake of the english movie THE FRACTURE… This reminds me of the thrillers of Sunil Kumar Desai….
Complete copy of English movie 1408.
Prema’s diary has the details of her death also written in it. Wonder who wrote that part???
Last night I saw this movie & I have all praises for Manju Swaraj, Folks, he is a director we can watchout. Swaraj has handled each & every scene with lot of thinking & maturity(though this is his first movie), though there are some flaws in the movie which seems to be V.silly. It would have been good if the director had taken care of this scenes as well. Accolades to the photographer Suresh Babu for his excellent camera work & music director Ajaneesh Lokanath for his melodious music & super backgound score. Though the songs were not required , to be frank not even one song fit with the movie. And I started laughing seeing a song when Prema & her childrens are dieing after being stabbed. I wonder why our directors still want to stick to the formula of adding songs. Forgetting all these I can say am eagerly waiting for Manju’s second movie. Directors like Manju Swaraj, DevaDhatha of “Psycho” fame & Shashikanth of “IPC Section 300″ fame have to be praised for their ability to comeup with cinemas which have a fresh story & not formula stories currently ruling kannada cinema. I gave preference to this movie over “Maleyali Jotheyali” & “Ram” as I am a movie buff who always wish to watch movies which doesnt have routine stories. And I was V.happy for doing this.
To the director these were few things you should have taken care off:
1) The ghost which appears in front of the heroine when she is alone is the same ghost which appears in the haunted bungalow “Shishira”.Should we assume that there is only one ghost on this planet?
2) When the hero shouts for help , no one comes to help the hero. At the start when they come to the haunted bungalow, I saw that the bungalow was not a standalone building, as there were few houses in the background. Should I assume that no one stays in those houses also?
3) Also at the start it was shown that the bungalow was very close to the entrance gate & everything was grass in between the gate & the bungalow, but in the last the hero runs in the midst of huge trees.
4) I wonder how Prema allowed her husband’s colleague into her home at that odd hour, it was almost 11 in the night if I properly remember.And also where on earth would a person would send his assistant to his house(when a beautiful wife like Prema is alone with small kids at home)in that night, though the journey which is scheduled next day morning.If the husband doesnt have this much common sense how he’l able to handle the business &
find who the culprit is who has cheated the company crores together?
5) When the hero tries to escape from the toilet through a window using some support, half of his body comes out of the window but he cant pull out the other half of his body.Mr.director why the hero can’t come out of the window, after he has pulled top half half of his body out of the window?
6) Also in the next scene I could see that the window was within reach & there was no need to use any support at all to reach the window.
7) Prema stabs the villain with a knife when he is under shower, the villain doesnt make any effort to stop her why? Did villain already know that she is coming to stab him & he shouldnt show any resist?
Okie these were few things which I saw, Mr Director , for a movie of this kind you need to look into details.
On a last note, go guys watch this movie,the movie is good.
Cool…. This film looks promising after reading reviews. Will see it this week!! By the way, I am a horror/thriller film buff and have been waiting for better quality horror/thriller movies in Kannada. I think “Sshh” by Uppi was the only good thriller movie that we had in recent times. Recent thrillers like http://www.bhaya.com and another movie (forgot its name) by “Nage Habba” Adarsh were cheesy and hilarious….