Movie Name: Valari
Director: Mritika Santoshini
Release Date: March 06, 2024
Streaming Platform: ETV Win
Cast: Ritika Singh, Sriram, Uttej, Subbaraju, Princess Sahasra, Pharrnitha Rudra Raju
Producer: Satya Sai Baba
Music: TS Vishnu, Hari Gowra
Cinematography: Sujatha Siddharth
Editing: Tammi Raju
Synopsis:
Valari is a horror thriller starring Ritika Singh as Divya, a woman who has a recurring nightmare of a 13-year-old girl killing her parents.Her husband Naveen (Sriram) is a Navy captain who gets transferred to Krishnapatnam along with their son.They move into an old bungalow that has a dark past and a connection to Divya’s life.Divya faces mysterious incidents and a near-fatal accident in the bungalow.
She also discovers the truth about her own identity and the reason behind her nightmare.The film reveals how Divya confronts the evil forces and the social evils that haunt her.
Review:
Valari is a film that tries to blend horror and social drama, but fails to create a lasting impact.The film has a good premise and a commendable intention to highlight the plight of women in society, but the execution is weak and the narration is dull.The film does not offer any genuine scares or suspense, and the climax is predictable and routine.The film’s saving grace is Ritika Singh, who delivers a powerful performance as Divya.
She carries the film on her shoulders and shows her versatility in different shades of her character.She also impresses with her action skills in the flashback sequence.
Sriram is decent as her supportive husband, and Uttej and Subbaraju are adequate in their roles.The film has a few well-handled scenes, such as the one where Divya breaks the fourth wall and asks a pertinent question to the audience.
The film also deserves praise for addressing a relevant social issue that needs more awareness.
However, the film suffers from poor technical aspects, such as the music, cinematography, editing, and VFX.The music by TS Vishnu is mediocre, except for the lullaby song by Hari Gowra.The cinematography by Sujatha Siddharth is average, and the green screen effects are noticeable in many shots.
The editing by Tammi Raju is sloppy, and the production values are low.The dialogues are also not very effective or impactful.
Mritika Santoshini, the director, has a good vision, but she fails to translate it into a gripping screenplay and a thrilling film.Valari is a film that has a lot of potential, but it falls short of expectations.
It is a film that neither scares nor entertains.
Our Rating: 2.5/5
