Review: Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt’s ‘Haunted’ lacks scare tactics

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty’s son might have changed his name from Mimoh to Mahaakshay, but this cannot save ‘Haunted’ from its fate at the Box Office. In Vikram Bhatt’s 3D scary caper ‘Haunted’, Mahaakshay plays Rehan, an MBA, who lands a job of selling a haunted mansion known as Glen Manor. ‘Haunted’ lacks clear and coherent script as it lacks inherent logic in the storyline.

Spicezee Bureau

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty’s son might have changed his name from Mimoh to Mahaakshay, but this cannot save ‘Haunted’ from its fate at the Box Office. After making an unsuccessful debut in ‘Jimmy’ (2008), Mimoh almost disappeared from the silver screen, cropped his long locks, lost oodles of weight and even changed his name in a desperate attempt to make a second coming in Bollywood, but to no avail. In Vikram Bhatt’s 3D scary caper ‘Haunted’, Mahaakshay plays Rehan, an MBA, who lands a job of selling a haunted mansion known as Glen Manor. However, in order to sell the house, Rehan has to exorcise the house of evil spirits and for this; he has to travel back in time in order to fix events that took place eighty years ago.The incident talked about in the film took place in 1936, where a lusty music teacher (Arif Zakaria) violated his student (Tia Bajpai), who then took revenge by killing him. However, the despicable teacher comes back as a ghost and wrecks havoc for almost six days before his student commits suicide. And the teacher’s spirit continues to rape his student’s spirit till eternity. ‘Haunted’ lacks clear and coherent script as it lacks inherent logic in the storyline. And to top it all, the film portrays Ramsay-style ghosts, complete with clichéd horror machinery - books falling by themselves, mist, roaring wind and screeching doors, something which has been done to death in Hindi films. Even as Mahaakshay struggles to get his act right, it is Pravin Bhatt’s cinematography and Chirantan Bhatt’s background score that keeps the film alive. Acting wise, barring Arif Zakaria and Achint Kaur, there is hardly any actor who leaves an impact. Watch ‘Haunted’ at your own risk! Rating: Two cheers for this one!