Ghost Stories (2020)
4/10
Nowhere a horror film, occasionally interesting, but overall just not worth it
20 January 2023
Let's go one by one:

Zoya Akhtar: Okay, it was quite a watchable chapter, and to me doubtlessly the main reason to watch is the stupendous performance of Surekha Sikri, who gives it the tension and mystery it needs. Jahnvi Kapoor is quite effective, too. Her presence here made me wonder how this role would have been played by her late mother Sridevi, who fitted such genres perfectly. The conclusion is not very surprising, but it's quite a nice chapter.

Anurag Kashyap: This one for some reason reminded me of Kashyap's film No Smoking, and it was one hell of a mess. Actually the chapter was more amusing than chilling, and it was not very good for someone as good as Kashyap.

Dibakar Banerjee: Indeed, this one is perhaps the most effective of the four segments. The entire zombie track was derivative obviously but it had a very nice political message which worked out well. Some of the portions were indeed disgusting, but the climactic portions of this chapters were perhaps the most interesting in the entire film.

Karan Johar: As one can expect from Johar, this one is set in a luxurious mansion, and in this regard the visuals make it more than it would have been otherwise. The setting is stunning, but the story is nothing to write home about. It actually gave me some 'Get Out' vibes (that great 2017 film), but obviously much less efficient. Again, much of it is almost comical in tone, and the conclusion is most predictable, making for a rather forgettable chapter overall.

--- In many ways, Ghost Stories is exactly what happens when filmmakers fall in love with ideas than substance. A few good moments here and there do not really save this forgettable anthology film.
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