Cast: Swara Bhaskar, Deepraj Rana
Director: Debaloy Dey
With a title that has been borrowed from a popular nursery rhyme for children, those who have neither seen its rushes nor posters are expected to consider 'Machli Jal Ki Rani Hai' a film that is pretty much made to please kids. Even though the poster reads 'Yeh Bachchon Ki Nahi Badon Ki Film Hai', explicitly mentioning that it is strictly for adults, those who have viewed this ridiculously hilarious 'horror' film would have forgiven the makers had they not included the statutory warning. For the film delivers more laughs than shrieks, making it an apt choice for kids, not adults. But yes, you ought to be brave to sit through this two-hour long torture and sustain your interest as its bizarre, silly storyline unfolds.
Directed by Debaloy Dey, 'Machli Jal Ki Rani Hai' revolves around Mumbai-based married couple Ayesha (Swara Bhaskar) and Uday Saxena (Bhanu Uday). Uday, a mechanical engineer by profession, shifts to Jabalpur after he and wife Ayesha meet with a major road accident that leaves an impact on her mind and devolves into depression. Unfortunately, the shift doesn't help Ayesha overcome her depression. On the contrary, her condition worsens as she begins to feel the presence of bad spirits in her new house and tries her best to combat them.
Swara Bhaskar, who earned huge appreciation for roles in 'Tanu Weds Manu' and 'Ranjhanaa', succeeds in scaring you with a handful of creepy moments, but that's not enough. In one scene, Swara, possessed by a spirit, sits atop her husband, and makes love to him in a rather brutal way. Even though Swara tries hard to be dark, and deadly, she ends up grabbing a few chuckles for her failed attempt. Uday, seen in TV series 'Special Squad' and played small roles in 'Lakshya' and 'Dhokha', makes it look like he is really really trying hard to act. He fails to be natural and real in his gestures, facial expressions and dance moves. Deepraj Rana, who plays an exorcist, is somewhat convincing in fighting off the spirits, but the sequence in which he spreads out the oblong piece of cloth he wears to combat a bizarre knife attack elicits a belly laugh than a scream. While the lead actors are weird, Hemant Pandey is genuinely comic. You'll love his weird expressions as much as his funny one-liners.
The treatment of horror in 'Machli Jali Ki Rani Hai' is exactly how its title sounds: juvenile. With a bizarre script and the director's inability to make the viewers squirm, the overall impact of the film is weak. At one point in the film, you are confused about its genre, and it is definitely not horror. In a nutshell, the film is funny for all the wrong reasons. Watch it at your own risk.
Rating: 1/5
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