Connect review: Watch this horror film for debutante Haniya Nafisa

Nayanthara’s multilingual horror flick Connect is releasing in theatres this weekend, on 22 December. It is taking on biggies like Ravi Teja’s Dhamaka and Vishal’s Laththi at the box office.

Does this horror flick, which rides solely on Nayanthara’s popularity, have enough substance to connect with the audience? Let’s find out in our review:

A teenage girl Anne (Haniya Nafisa) is taken over by an evil spirit when she attempts to speak to her late doctor-father using an Ouija Board. The father had succumbed to Covid during the lockdown.

Anne’s mother Susan (Nayanthara) and grandfather Arthur (Sathyaraj) are worried about her and seek the help of Father Augustine (Anupam Kher).

Father Augustine decides to use exorcism to free Anne from her demons. But he warns Susan and Arthur that it will be a tough one. Since there is a lockdown, he does the exorcism online, which makes things difficult.

How he performs the exorcism to save Anne from her demon forms the main plot of the movie.

Gripping narration makes up for routine story

The audiences have seen enough movies where a character is under the spell of the evil spirit and the kith and kin make efforts to drive them away. Exorcism is not new to horror movie lovers, and Connect is no exception. In fact, several shots and tricks in the film remind us of past horror movies.

Despite the cliches, director Ashwin Saravanan — who also wrote the script — has succeeded in engaging the audience with his narration. Though there are some dull moments, most of the movie is gripping.

Haniya Nafisa shines in her acting debut

Connect got all its attention due to the presence of star heroine Nayanthara. But it is Haniya Nafisa who shines in this flick.

Singer and social media influencer Haniya Nafisa has made her acting debut with this horror film. She impresses with her performance as a girl under the influence of a demon.

Nayanthara plays the role of her mother — and she is okay.

Anupam Kher and Sathyaraj play key roles. With their vast experience, they prove that roles like these are a cakewalk for them.

Technical crafts elevate a regular story

Most of the film is shot indoors and cinematographer Manikantan Krishnamachary has done a good job, within the limits of the storyline.

It is a good decision and also an experimental one to keep the movie limited to 99 minutes. The makers decided to screen the film without an intermission. It is to be seen how this experiment fares.

The shorter runtime ensures that the momentum does not dip. Editor Richard Kevin did a notable job.

Music director Prithvi Chandrashekhar adds to the impact with an impressive background score.

Final take

Connect is a horror movie based on exorcism and it gets its popularity from Nayanthara’s presence. But Haniya Nafisa leads the movie.

In a nutshell, it is strictly for horror movie lovers!