Choo Mantar review: Finally, a good horror comedy that strikes well with the masses

Sharan starrer Choo Mantar marks his collaboration with filmmaker Navneeth of Karvva (2016) fame, with Tarun Shivappa backing the project.

The combination led to a lot of expectations among film buffs, as they expected a heady mix of both horror and comedy.

Eventually, the film team has crafted a product that delivers entertainment without any strings attached.

An interesting narrative style

The film has three different storylines, one of a Catholic family moving into a haunted mansion called the Morgan House in the Himalayas. Then there is a bunch of ghostbusters and paranormal researchers who also want to explore the same mansion. The third is the actual story of what happened to leave the said mansion haunted.

What is the connection between these three storylines and is the mansion really haunted is what the film is about. The film stays true to the horror genre and even though there might be textbook scares, the setting, sound design and visuals ensure it leaves one slightly unnerved. Thus, it serves its purpose well.

The climax portion deserves special mention for an interesting portion involving the Hanuman Chalisa and some very good special effects on screen. This is a paisa vasool sequence for all film buffs.

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Technically superior storytelling

The film saw a slight delay, but it was definitely worth it as it marks Academy Award-winning technician Resul Pookutty’s first major release in Kannada as the sound designer. This is one of the major plus points of the film making it a must-watch film in the cinema halls.

Along with this, the background score by Avinash Basuthkar and the visuals captured by Anoop Kattukaran play an equally important role in the narrative. The two have ensured one gets into the world of Choo Mantar.

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A good dose of comedy

When you have the evergreen combination of Sharan and Chikkanna, one expects some good comedy. Here, one gets to see enough gags and comedy for good measure, along with a bonus of fun cameos that include actors like Om Prakash Rao, Vijay Chendoor and Pratham among others.

Every single actor has done a good job. The track with Prabhu Mundkur and Meghana Gaonkar looks rich in production value and the duo have done a fine job, especially in the interval sequence.

Aditi Prabhudeva does justice to her role. Gurukiran and Ravivarma in their cameos impress majorly. Rajani Bharadwaj looks lovely and suits her part well.

Final take

There have been many films that have tried to emulate or pay tribute to Apthamitra (2004), the OG supernatural film in Kannada. This film does it effortlessly, rekindling some good old memories for film buffs. Choo Mantar is that perfect horror comedy outing that will work with both your family or special date.

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(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)