In the thick of action — in this case paranormal experiences an adolescent girl goes through — two men of science (Siddharth as the expert brain surgeon Krish and Suresh as a psychiatrist) engage a pastor for an exorcism they don’t believe in. Why then bother to bring in a real pastor? We learn from their conversation that it’s only to make the teen believe in the exercise and overcome her hallucinations. At this juncture, the poker-faced pastor underlines the importance of faith while looking for a solution.
This scene showing a tug of war between science and belief, among others, shows the thought that went into writing Gruham . Releasing weeks after its Tamil and Hindi counterparts, the film is worth the wait. Director Milind Rau and actor-producer Siddharth, who also share the writing credits, serve a good dose of horror that’s a welcome relief from done-to-death horror comedies.
There are some truly frightening moments, especially the first big jump-scare. The horror doesn’t come from gory creatures, cracking mirrors or spooky dolls but from things that seem off key on a regular day — Krish’s wife Lakshmi (Andrea Jeremiah) learns that the young girls are not at home while movement behind the curtains indicates otherwise. On another occasion, music from a dictaphone shakes the quiet of the night. These things can be brushed away as hallucination or a gadget malfunction, and that’s how the two households — of Krish and Lakshmi, and Paul (Atul Kulkarni) and his family — view it. But when Krish sees apparitions in the operation theatre during a deep brain stimulation surgery, it sends a shiver down the spine.
Gruham is set in the foothills of Himalayas and looks anything but romantic. The hills and the houses are beautiful yet eerie, holding within them a bitter secret. We get a hint of it in the grainy opening sequence featuring a Chinese mother and child in British occupied India of 1930s.
The story picks up a few quirks of horror genre — bad past and a haunted household — but narrates it from the point of view of men of science. What happens in the Paul household and troubles his daughter Jenny (newcomer Anisha Victor is terrific) adds up to an interesting psychological thriller.
The characters have depth, even those that feature in brief roles like the maid and the Chinese actors. Krish and Lakshmi share a secure, mature relationship that reflects in the manner with which she reacts to Jenny’s infatuation with her husband. A lot is revealed about Jenny when the psychiatrist inspects her room. She’s more than a troubled adolescent and stays with you after the film is over.
In fact, long after the film we were looking back at clues scattered through the story as it builds up to the big reveal at the climax.
It’s a technically well put together film in which the actors deliver assured performances. Shreyaas Krishna’s camera moves through keyholes and narrow corridors like a master artist while composer Girishh Gopalakrishnan weaves magic with the aural landscape that has a hypnotic quality in certain segments. The silences are equally spooky.
If something could have been better, it’s perhaps with Jenny’s character and the reactions from her family. Didn’t they sense something more sinister?
The film also discusses a common question that arises while watching a family go through troublesome events — why don’t they just leave the house? In Paul’s case, it isn’t so simple.
Gruham shines for sticking true to the genre and hinging a narrative on a socially-relevant issue that reveals itself by and by.
Gruham
Cast : Siddharth, Andrea Jeremiah, Atul Kulkarni, Anisha Victor
Direction : Milind Rau
Genre : Horror
