Movie Name : Valari
Release Date : March 06, 2024
Piktalk.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring: Ritika Singh, Sriram, Uttej, Subbaraju, Princess Sahasra, Pharrnitha Rudra Raju
Director: Mritika Santoshini
Producers: Satya Sai Baba
Music Director: TS Vishnu, Hari Gowra
Cinematographer: Sujatha Siddharth
Editor: Tammi Raju
Today marks the release of Ritika Singh’s latest horror thriller, “Valari,” on ETV Win. Directed by Mritika Santoshini, the film features pivotal performances from Sriram and Uttej. Now, let’s delve into the cinematic experience and see how the movie unfolds.
Story :
Naveen, a Navy captain in Chennai, living with his wife Divya and their son. Divya, however, is troubled by a recurring dream of a 13-year-old harming her parents. When Naveen gets transferred to Krishnapatnam, the family moves there, initially staying in government quarters. Divya becomes fascinated by an old bungalow and starts experiencing strange events. Unfortunately, she meets with an accident. After her recovery, the family decides to move into the mysterious old bungalow. As they settle in, they discover a connection between the bungalow and their lives. The film unfolds the secrets held by the old house and reveals why Divya has been haunted by such unsettling dreams.
Positive Aspects :
In Valari, Ritika Singh steals the show with her outstanding performance, truly being the heart and soul of the film. Her character takes center stage, and she impressively showcases her action skills, especially in the flashback scenes. As the story unfolds with a key twist, Ritika’s portrayal becomes even more impactful.
Sriram does a good job in his role, providing solid support to Ritika Singh. The movie gets more interesting towards the end, with some well-handled sequences. The film also sheds light on an important social issue that deserves more attention, and the makers deserve credit for bringing it to the forefront.
A special moment comes towards the end when Ritika Singh breaks the fourth wall, posing a significant question to society. These moments are executed effectively. Uttej, Subbaraju, and the rest of the cast deliver what’s expected of them in their roles.
Negative Aspects :
If you’re expecting an intense thriller or some good scares, Valari might not live up to your expectations. Despite the trailer suggesting it’s a horror thriller, the film lacks the necessary thrills and exciting moments. Valari fails to provide the expected scares or a gripping narrative, which is crucial for this genre.
While Valari introduces interesting ideas, the execution falls short in many scenes, leaving the audience unsatisfied despite the film dealing with a relevant subject. Exciting concepts like the protagonist having strange dreams and forgetting her past twice sound intriguing, but they don’t translate well on screen.
Some scenes suffer from poor staging and lack clarity, diminishing their impact. For instance, a sequence where the protagonist stands up against a man disrespecting women should have been more impactful but wasn’t well-designed. The film could have benefited from more attention to detail, especially in terms of dialogue. Overall, Valari falls short of delivering the expected chills and thrills.
Technical Elements :
The music in Valari by TS Vishnu is just okay, but there’s a decent lullaby song composed by Hari Gowra. Sujatha Siddharth’s camera work is alright, although some scenes show noticeable green screens, and the visual effects could have been better. The editing feels a bit messy, and the overall quality of production is not quite up to par.
Director Mritika Santoshini’s aim to highlight an important social issue and the challenges faced by women in society is commendable. While the social message is conveyed well, it’s not quite enough. Valari lacks a tightly woven storyline and exciting moments to keep the audience engaged.
Conclusion :
In simple terms, Valari captures our interest only in a few scenes and falls short of expectations. While the movie explores interesting concepts, it doesn’t quite meet our satisfaction. Valari addresses an important social problem, and the message conveyed towards the end is positive. Ritika Singh takes the lead and delivers an impressive performance, carrying the movie on her shoulders. However, the film lacks an engaging storyline, exciting moments, and some crucial scenes are not presented effectively.
Piktalk.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by Team Piktalk