Movie review 'Pretham Undu Sookshikkuka': Go find the horror

Cast: Shine Tom Chacko, Haressh Kanaran, Kalhara, Harish Perady, Thesni Khan, Priyanka
Directors:  Shafeer Khan and Mohammed Ali
Rating: 1 star

A perfect choice for the Mollywood version of the Golden Kela Award, Pretham Undu Sookshikkuka (Beware of Ghosts) is neither a horror movie nor a comedy. Directed by debutants Shafeer Khan and Mohammed Ali, the movie features Shine Tom Chacko, newbie Kalhara and a host of comedians. Though the film has almost all the ingredients that a horror comedy needs — a haunted mansion, phony black magicians, loud screams, goof-ups, endless chases, mystery, twists, and a ear-shattering background score — it is neither scary nor rib-tickling.

 The nearly two-and-a-half-hour-long movie, which is a terrible test of one's endurance, revolves around the members of two ‘quotation’ gangs — one headed by Ethics Babu (Shine) and another by Mattanchery Machu (Hareesh Kanaran). In the movie, the Mumbai-bred daughter of a millionaire falls for Babu, the ‘noble goon’. The haunted mansion rented out as a police station is also a part of this confusing plot that is replete with sexist humor and a series of kidnappings.

It is a shame to see the talents of actors like Shine and Anjali Nair being wasted. Rizabawa and T.P. Madhavan, who made brief appearances, will be remembered for their shabby makeup. Abu Salim’s attempt at humour doesn’t fare well, nor does Shammy Thilakan’s feeble performance, with many references to the roles played by his thespian father. Santhosh Keezhattur and Harish Perady are the only ones that don’t make you cringe. The rest of the cast — Leena Maria Paul, Pashanam Shaji, Sunil Sukhada, Manoj Guiness, Thesni Khan, Priyanka, Mini Richard and Unni Sivapal — only adds to the misery. The romantic Hindi song and two fast numbers by Hesham Abdul Wahab fail to strike a chord. In fact the best part of the movie is, when the end credits start to roll.