Darr @The Mall

The movie has its moments that trick you into believing it's going to get better any second. But that tends not to happen, and you're left wondering what went wrong. However, it does get better towards the end. Unfortunately, these plot resolutions aren't enough to make the viewer ignore the continuity errors or the script's lack of originality.

Within the confines of this stumbling genre, director Kirpalani does a decent job with a predictable script. There is only so much originality left to operate with; even the ghosts have begun to look alike. There are plenty of set pieces (elevators, AC ducts, Mannequins, kids, CCTVs), but none as jarring as the Raaz series.

The film might work for those who get frightened easily. For fans of the genre, watch Ragini MMS instead, if you still haven't.

The script is so sketchy that you might get a migraine following it. There are several twists and turns in the second half that just don't connect the dots. We wish if filmmakers had to reference Hollywood films they would do it effectively. With films like Insidious and Conjuring doing so well at domestic box-office, the audience needs quality when it comes to horror.

The film drags its feet for too long and like the characters, you want the ordeal to end soon. Thankfully, there is no religious mumbo-jumbo attached to it, as is usually in such films. Unless you are a dire hard fan of this genre, Darr at the whatever is avoidable.

Darr @ At The Mall in short is a cliched horror film with extremely lengthy run time which bores you to the core. Easily avoidable.

The highest point of Darr @ The Mall is the soundtrack- highly predictable, but it is the only thing that keeps the horror factor up. The songs fail to generate interest, except for one - Pinacolada; and as the song goes, "zindagi hai mehngi sharaab". So don't waste it on Darr @ The Mall.

After Ragini MMS, expectations were high from director Pawan Kripalani, but he has definitely failed to repeat the success. One would definitely not expect such a poor show from him. It is a mess and seems more like a compilation of several small stories.

Unfortunately, Darr @ The Mall, borrows heavily from existing horror movie tropes. Even the name of the mall, "Amity", is a throwback to the American horror classic Amityville Horror. The climax escape sequence was reminiscent of Poseidon (which is not a horror film but a thriller). But it does break the mould of Bollywood horror in places.

Jimmy Shergill, who gets lumped with an ineffectual role, is the only one who stays on the credit side of things here. A back-story that bears close resemblance to the one in 'The Conjuring,' can do little to justify or elevate things. The 'item number' is shabby and the production design quite sub-standard. You just have to go with the flow I guess. Most horror aficionados would. I am not one of them. For me, this script is simply lacklustre. No scares, no jumpy moments just a lot of set-up and ketch-up!