Pindam Review: A Chilling Tale with Endearing Performances

What is the film about? Pindam tells the story of Anthony (Sriram), his wife (Kushee Ravi), and their children, who move into a haunted house. With the help of exorcist Annamma (Eswari Rao), they embark on a journey to rid themselves of the malevolent spirit, uncovering a captivating backstory along the way.

Performances Sriram shines as the lead in the film. Although his character starts off passive, he delivers emotionally charged and spine-tingling scenes in the second half. While his performance may not be groundbreaking, it certainly leaves an impact. Kushee Ravi, known for her role in ‘Diya’, portrays the pregnant female lead with grace and authenticity, despite minimal opportunities to showcase her talent. Srinivas Avasarala’s brief appearance is forgettable but doesn’t detract from the overall experience.

Analysis Directed and written by Saikiran Daida, Pindam successfully maintains a true horror atmosphere throughout the film, never straying from its genre. The movie grabs our attention from the start with an intriguing scene featuring Eswari Rao and a dog. A well-executed flashback sets the perfect mood. However, once the main story takes off, there is a slight lull for about 45 minutes, with a lack of significant story developments or thrilling moments. Nonetheless, the film gradually picks up pace, delivering several genuinely scary scenes, like the eerie encounter with a child at the well.

While some scenes may appear cliché, such as objects moving and photos falling, they still manage to create suspense and tension. Surprisingly, the interval fails to deliver the anticipated impact, but the second half compensates for it. Annamma’s character takes center stage, adding depth and intrigue to the story. The build-up is engaging, yet the conclusions leave something to be desired. The reveal of the grandmother’s death, for example, lacks the thrilling twist we crave. The process of freeing the girl from the evil spirit starts off promisingly but stretches on for too long, including an unnecessarily violent flashback. Unfortunately, the resolution lacks the director’s signature creative flair.

Overall, Pindam is a sincere attempt at delivering a horror film, complete with an earnest cast and spine-chilling moments. While the narrative may feel uninspired at times, the performances and eerie atmosphere make it a memorable watch for horror enthusiasts.

Performances by other Actors In a limited supporting cast, Eswari Rao makes a strong impact as the exorcist. Although the story could have explored her character in more depth, she executes her role with conviction. Srinivas Avasarala’s presence may be forgettable, but it doesn’t detract from the overall experience. The rest of the cast, while not particularly remarkable, fulfills their roles adequately.

Music and Other Departments? Pindam features a few forgettable songs that don’t linger in your mind after they end. The background music sets the right eerie tone initially but loses some impact as the film progresses. The cinematography captures the essence of the single-house setting effectively, while the editing could have been more polished for a genre film like Pindam. The limited use of CGI is neither exceptional nor disappointing.

Highlights? Gripping openings, spine-tingling scares

Drawbacks? Tedious narrative, excessive build-up with flat conclusions, lackluster climax, forced and farcical scenes.