Ek Thi Daayan (2013) User Reviews

A fresh perspective to Horror Movies

[Abhastiwari · 6/10 · 19 April 2013]

Ek thi Daayan gives a very fresh perspective to horror films .It is is an enriching combination of good story telling and ethnic grandmother's witch tales.

Awesome acting by Konkona Sen Sharma and Emraan Hashmi. Other actors have also played their character up-to the mark.

Whats's Good: Acting and storytelling, unfamiliar track for a horror thriller, good background score.

What's Bad: A little disappointment towards the conclusion part of the story.

Overall one time worth watch, but don't hope for a classic

Ek Thi Daayan – It's Scary but the' Witch's Spell' doesn't last till the end

[amit_sinha62 · 7/10 · 21 April 2013]

I was eagerly waiting for Ek Thi Dayaan since last one month and had to struggle to watch it on Friday night in a Multiplex in Mumbai after clearing a hectic schedule of prior commitments. Well, it was a sense of relief as the film didn't disappointed me. So go ahead and read it to decide if you want to watch this movie or not.

Emraan Hashmi, Bobo, the magician is in a live-in relationship with Tamra, a beautiful girl played by Huma Qureshi. He has a wonderful life as he is a successful magician, has a beautiful girlfriend and the couple want to adopt a lovable orphan kid. But wait; there is a haunting past which keeps knocking every now and then in front of Bobo as he remembers his childhood life; when he had an adorable father, a sweet little sister and his step mom Diana whom he hated her.

The story swings between Psychological Thriller, Paranormal and Supernatural situations forcing the audience to keep guessing on what lies behind the spooky events that unfolds every now and then in the film.

The events no doubt are scary and chill the bottom of your seat and even force you to jump out of your seat once or twice. The scenes where he thinks that the lift of his building goes to the hell where all the creepy people of his building who did sins in their life now stay in the hell of the building after their death scares you like hell. The mystery behind spotting a witch through the help of a book on Witches makes you think whether the witches are a reality. After a long time I get to see the right kind of haunting cinema from the Bollywood which is different from the usual Vikram Bhatt movies.

Enters a psychiatrist who had counseled Bobo earlier and then he hypnotizes him to go back to his past and reveal on how his father and his sister died. But the beauty of this revelation lies in the fact that whether this is a real revelation or just a story cooked up the disturbed mind of the magician Bobo. His fiancée Tamra, with whom he gets married forces him to sell his old flat where he stayed as a kid to another character by the name Lisa Dutt played by Kalki Koechlin. There is a mystery around the character Lisa Dutt and Emraan Hashmi goes on to unlock this mystery.

This is where the film loosens a bit and the climax goes on to follow a typical Vikram Bhatt or Ramsey style cinema.

Emraan Hashmi has matured as an actor and has a proved screen presence. Huma Qureshi is bold, sensuous and acts well. She is one actor who will go a long way in Bollywood. Konkana Sen Sharma as the Stepmother does well in her Grey shades. The supporting cast played by Pawan Malhotra who plays the father of Emraan Hashmi also plays his part well. I really liked the role of Psychiatrist played by Rajatava Dutta and of younger Emraan Hashmi played by Vishesh Tiwari.

Kannan Iyer as the débutant director gets a thumbs up as he tries to break away from the typical thriller and horror movies that are being made in Bollywood. He manages to scare his audience and entertain as well. The script and screenplay is good and Vishal Bhardwaj stands up to his name. Not to forget we get to see the magic of Gulzaar Saab lyrics again as we can't stop hearing, humming and appreciating the song "Yaaram" from the movie.

Overall, the movie is a good watch and takes you on a drive to the mystery world of witches, hell, hallucination and horror.

Brilliant,Interesting and Intriguing attempt gone wrong

[manavsingh655 · 6/10 · 8 May 2013]

Sometimes trailers look better than the whole film itself.They raise our level of expectation to such extent that even few deplorable scenes in the movie cause utter disappointment.

Now same happened with Ek thi Daayan.No doubt it is well made,acted and somewhat intriguing but it fails to deliver as per expectations..the theme of the movie dealing with witchcraft is quite interesting and different in bollywood film industry and here it fails to deliver..It looks more like an old 90's horror flicks related to black magic and offers nothing new.

Movie is good in parts and that too in first half which creates a suspense like situation..As it progresses it becomes predictable..Thanks to child version of Emraan Hashmi and grandfather of third floor.

In the second half entry of kalki(another lisa dutt) reignites some interest but due to her short role we do not get to see much of her..

The last 20 minutes of the movie provided some suspense too but i would rather call it a cheap climax as it was something not acceptable revealing huma Qureshi as Daayan number 2..why did not Emraan check her FEET,why did not he check her CHOTI(hair).? Answer is the script which was well written but poorly edited.

The only plus point of the movie is its direction which inspite of poor editing makes it watchable and good acting my Emraan hashmi and konkana..kalki had nothing much to do in the movie and huma qureshi is just waste..

The movie does provide some wonderful scenes,only in parts which don't last long..I will rate it 6 out of 10 only because of good acting,some thrilling scenes,different theme and fine direction..Never the less if you don't have anything else to do then go for it

TITLE: An illusive Stratum whirling Belief & Disbelief !!

[dbdipashri · 20 April 2013]

'POSTER' POWER: It was something beyond just an oil painting...Standing in front of the 'Witches at their Incantations', amidst the dimness, in National Gallery, London, I was trying to conceptualize that art work by renaissance Painter Salvator Rosa...Set in a nocturnal landscape, the painting aesthetically depicted the revulsion associated with witches…It was the summer of 2010, when I first saw this composition there...A few days before, when I chanced upon the enigmatic 'First Look Poster' of 'Ek Thi Dayaan', my mind automatically flew back to that masterpiece of blackness, that amazed me roughly 3 years back...The flying cilia-like hairs of three leading ladies in the movie poster, almost camouflaging the branches of a ghostly tree, while encircling a male face, accompanied by different expressions in their respective faces, thereby highlighting the sharp contrast of light & shadow unanimously increased the 'mystery quotient' of this film, which is surely a prerequisite for the success of such genre of movies...Now when, the seed (expectation) is carefully sown in the Poster/Trailer of 'Ek Thi Daayan', the rest certainly depends on the farmer (Director) how methodically (Screenplay/Acting/Editing) he harvests the crop (Movie) in his allocated land (Mind of viewers, including critics)…Let me shed a little light on this !!

PLOT: The film is about the constant hallucinations which painfully attack the successful life of magician Bobo (Emraan Hashmi)...Death of his father & sister by a dreadful power (perceived as a 'Daayan') in his childhood, keeps him haunted till his adulthood, as the sorcerer (Konkona SenSharma) promised to return to him someday...Bobo seeks psychiatric help from Doctor Palit (Rajatava Dutta) who brushes off his fear as sheer fantasy…Tamara (Huma Qureshi) marries Bobo & they lead a joyful married life until the arrival of a fascinating lady named Lisa Dutt (Kalki Koechilin)...Bobo starts to believe that Lisa is that 'Daayan' who came back to break him down, followed an unexpected twist at the end…

THUMBS UP: 1) Plenty of spine chilling moments are there, along with clap worthy performance by Emraan Hashmi, Konkona Sensharma, Vishesh Tiwari (in the role of young Bobo) & Kalki Koechlin !! 2) Writing by Mukul Sharma & Vishal Bharadwaj added a distinctive coating to the film's spooky atmosphere…Appreciating cinematography by Saurabh Goswami optimized the eidolic flavour of the drama !! 3) Skillful editing by Sreekar Prasad & superb special effects upgraded the paranormal aspect of this fiction !! 4) Music by Vishal Bharadwaj brims with sincerity, with a special mention to 'Totey Ud Gaye' & 'Kaali Kaali'...'Yaaram' sounds better in terms of lyrics (credit goes to Gulzar)...As a debutant Director, Kannan Iyer showed sufficient intensity in his story-telling ability !!

THUMBS DOWN: 1) With a few insubstantial moments, the movie becomes inconclusive in the second half, followed by a strange climax.. 2)The storyline appeared half-baked after the intermission...Also, the unnecessary length of the movie imposed a barrier to it's natural flow, hence reducing the overall entertainment value !!

DOWN THE MEMORY LANE: In my childhood, I was highly reluctant to devour the required amount of meal, which I was supposed to eat...One night, at one such moment, my grand mother pointed her index finger towards the darkness outside our home & said, "Don't make tantrums..Finish your meal soon..Or else, Daayan will take you away.." Me (ignorant about the existence of Daayan): "Who is this 'Daayan' ?" Granny (making her eyes rounder, with a pinch of horror): "Daayan is an evil woman with magical power...She takes away naughty kids & has a very long hair...She keeps her hair tied up by a single 'Choti' (twisting three different portions of hair around each other) & can transform her physical appearance into any entity" !! Being terrified, I no longer made any trouble while eating…After nearly two decades, when I went to a rural village with one of my classmate (a girl) to do a project during my Post- Graduation, we were advised by the locals of that village, not to keep our hair open while roaming at night (to keep ourselves safe from the Daayans) !! They also narrated stories regarding witches & when I interrupted at a particular story, they reminded me my language & replaced the word 'story' with 'True Incidents'…Today, while watching 'Ek Thi Dayaan', a few eerie moments & some dialogues by Bobo, describing the nature of an witch rekindled that memory for me…Once again I realized, the grey matter of human brain, which gives birth to such an weird imagination is really an amusing subject to study !!

FINAL WORDS: Starting from the cave paintings of estimated 30,000 years old (showing a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people) to the famous Shakespearean play of 1606 (the character of Lady Macbeth), the traditional beliefs encompassing witchcraft have dominated the folktales of nearly all nations across the world till date…I always wonder, why superstition in the name of mythical assumption/religious custom mainly embraces the shoulder of women ? Is not it ridiculous when girls (after puberty) are abruptly told to stay away from worship as they become 'suddenly impure', for a couple of days, every month (due to a physiological process) & after those few days, they become 'pure all at once' ? Is the definition of decency so easy ? Though based on necromancy, 'Ek Thi Dayaan' underlines such spurious beliefs on womenfolks, in it's own way…Despite being a supernatural thriller, this flick won't disappoint you as it ambiguously eulogizes that thought of Ayn Rand: "There are two sides to every issue..One side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil..."

Review By: Dipashri Bardhan,

New Delhi, India

New kind of thriller with a couple of nice songs

[ssvikas · 6/10 · 28 April 2013]

For an audience that has gotten used to spooky flicks that range from scary to sorcery, flying ghosts, witches, sudden shock element, etc., it is incredibly tough to come up with something new. This is especially true of Bollywood that has seen an overdose of Ram Gopal Verma flicks. Amidst all the gloom comes a refreshing 'Ek Thi Daayan' with a gripping story, although the climax goes tad haywire.

Magician Bobo (Emraan Hashmi) is a successful magician who suddenly is being troubled by strange visions. When hypnotized, it is revealed that he holds a dark secret to how his sister and father died and the story being the spooky elevator in the building where he lived as a child. The more he seems to dig into the past to unearth its antecedents, the deeper he gets into the mystic world. Not any more should be revealed about the story because it is a worthy suspense.

The first thing I did after watching 'Ek Thi Daayan' was to Google out the difference between a 'Chudail' and a 'Daayan'. As it turns out from a random web page, a 'Chudail' is an ugly demon that emerges when a woman dies during childbirth and lives in remote areas. A 'Daayan' is a beautiful enchantress that has become one on account of harassment during her lifetime and therefore attacks men and usually lives in urban areas. Whoa, who could ever guess that!!

Some of its songs are impressive. The best of those is 'Yaaram' that's performed at the housewarming hosted by Lisa, followed by the eerie 'Lautungi Main' but Punjabi flavored 'Totey Ud Gaye' sounds lame. A few more impressive numbers could have carried 'Ek Thi Daayan' even further.

The choice of locations is impressive. The opening scenes are filmed at Gurgaon's "Kingdom of Dreams" which stages an extravaganza of sound and light with impressive transitions, a must see for those visiting the region. The locations for the eerie home and the lift are neat too. The hypnotic background in the psychiatrist's office is an interesting piece of decor and serves as a backdrop to some key scenes.

Talking about acting performances, Emraan Hashmi does what is best at. It's amazing that despite such type-cast roles and similar performance in all films, his movies still work well at the Box Office. But, Konkona is the better actor in this film. Kalki and Huma Qureishi also do reasonably well.

The Verdict: Unfortunately, not much of the story can be discussed in a review without revealing a bit of the suspense. So, if you want to know what it is, it is better to catch it while it is still in the cinema halls. This is surely not a movie that you could wait till it comes on TV. Although one shouldn't watch it with exalted hopes, since it fizzles out towards the end, you wouldn't regret watching it at all.

Worth watching....

[negiudit86 · 7/10 · 20 April 2013]

I watched this movie without any idea what it was all about. All i had heard was some controversy about stereotyping of women. Can't we have any good movie without these so called politically correct people trying to sabotage them for some sort of personal gains? While my views on this must be part of some other forum, the movie makers have gone an extra mile to accommodate everyone and possibly avoid any litigation. About the movie; story- an unusual but digestible plot (more so in 1st half); actors- konkona is to watch out for(literally), emraaan does well in his comfort zone (perpetually brooding with occasional smirks), child actors do extremely well, others are OK (kalki's role doesn't justify her potential); music- fewer songs(thankfully) that do not hinder the pace of movie; editing- has resulted in an extremely tight build up until interval n sometime after that but which disappoints in the end; make-up n cinematography- perfect; dialogs- well written. The movie could be a benchmark for such genre in India but ultimately fails. So, 2 questions; should i look forward to a sequel? Definitely; should i look forward for huma qureshi in it? not with her present figure stats

WITCH's tail first time in Indian cinema, with an ordinary climax !!!

[amit151977 · 5/10 · 21 April 2013]

Good work done by KANNAN IYER.and well written by Vishal Bhardwaj.The story is like our childhood's witch tail told by many many times but the presentation is good.In the first half of movie you will see an very good combination of DRAMA,HORROR and ACTING.Imraan Hasmi (Beejoy Sharad Mathur a Magician aka BOBO) and Konkana Sen Sharma did justice to their roles.Some very good magic tricks are also watchful. When Gulzaar and Vishal Bhardwaj come together results a very good music album.Song "TOTE UD GAYE" and "KALI KALI AANKHON KA" are awesome,overall a good music.

Second half of movie is an un-necessary twist,in fact movie should end in first half itself.you will see nothing new happening in second half yet you can watch it for twist and happy ending like always happen in Hindi cinema.

Overall somebody telling witch's story in Hindi cinema first time with very good background music,with very good songs but with an very ordinary climax.

Extreme Thrills Delivered, But At The Price Of Bizarre Climax!

[nairtejas · 6/10 · 19 April 2013]

Konkona Sen Sharma steals the limelight in this movie and every time she appears on-screen, I was taken aback. Emraan Hashmi is genuine as a troubled illusionist while Kalki is fine as a mystery girl. Huma Qureshi makes a perfect surprise while the two kids (of flashback in a wonderful non- linear play) do a marvelous work.

Ek Thi Daayan or ETD is a very innovative horror and a magnetic experiment in Bollywood which guarantees spine-chilling thrills with a story so sharp. But the vagueness imbibed into the plot, brandished by the screenplay plays spoilsport with it. The first half is amazing. But, the second half just makes it a bad movie to watch.

Too much of confusion towards the end leaves us to think who the actual daayan (witch) is which eventually leads to an utter disappointment as you leave the theater. The chills I was experiencing in the first half with the most frightening scene being related to ponytails, all couldn't compensate for the bizarre climax as I sat there bamboozled with my partner. Had the ending been more interesting with some extra elements and dope, I would have rated it a 10 on 10.

BOTTOM LINE: Kannan Iyer's debut is more of an upsetting piece than it is horrid. But, the chills, goosebumps are guaranteed and that is what I would recommend. This is a theater material but... only the first half. So I will suggest (as a critic) that you better wait for the DVD or DTH. Music is great and songs are relishing. 50-50 --> YOU MAY GO FOR IT OR NOT! (Look for that Vodafone/Loop offer in Fame/Cinemax Theaters resp.)

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Language: Mild | Sex, Nudity or Mouth-Kiss: Mediocre | Violence: Strong | Gore: Mild | Smoking, Alcohol or Drugs: Very Mild

Surprisingly good

[pcsarkar · 7/10 · 20 April 2013]

Come to think of it, almost all horror films these days, whether Hollywood or Bollywood, are predictable and the scenes are clichéd. So to bring out something novel and keep the audience on tenterhooks in no mean achievement. I was fully prepared for a few yawns and a few sniggers. But I came out of the cinema hall somewhat chastised. The goings-on in the film are sufficiently sinister and the treatment is fairly novel. The female demons are quite scary and the whole film doesn't disappoint. The child artist, Vishesh Tiwari stands out and Huma Qureshi looks fresh-faced, refreshing and her eventual transformation is quite a surprise.

The end is a bit of a let down, though (which is a common feature in most horror productions), but as a package, this film is surprisingly good.

Caters To A Niche Audience!

[namashi_1 · 5/10 · 4 May 2013]

Kannan Iyer's 'Ek Thi Dayan' Caters To A Niche Audience! The film lacks universal appeal. Reason? The Treatment as well The Execution are odd, although the script is very Indian, considering that this is a Nation that believes in Witches.

'Ek Thi Dayan' Synopsis: An illusionist fails to let go off his tormenting, haunting past.

'Ek Thi Dayan' begins well, but has an Erratic Screenplay Written by Mukul Sharma & Vishal Bhardwaj. Sure, there are some moments that work. But, there are some portions that are bland. Even the final act, when the suspense is reveled, the impact isn't much. A Stronger Screenplay was required! Kannan Iyer's Direction is mostly dim & dark. Cinematography, Editing & Art Design, are passable.

Performance-Wise: Emraan Hashmi is a fine actor & he delivers a controlled performance in here. Konkona Sen Sharma is fantastic. Her performance is surely a big merit to this film. Kalki appears in a half-baked cameo, while Huma Qureshi looks out of shape & lacks the fire to carry off this part. Pawan Malhotra is excellent in a supporting role. Rajatava Dutta is first-rate.

On the whole, 'Ek Thi Dayan' holds limited appeal.

She has arrived...a new approach to horror in Indian Cinema has arrived..at last

[kashish-dadwal · 10/10 · 19 April 2013]

The movie relies on something that most of the traditional bollywood horror movies don't rely on, that is originality. But let me warn you, the originality is mostly in the first half of the movie. The first half is superb. It builds the story effectively making the viewers to want the second half to begin immediately.Its an achievement as the main lead of the movie,Emraan Hashmi is not present in majority of the scenes. Inspite of this the movie holds your attention in the first half. The second half begins strongly but has its ups and downs. The song yaaram is beautifully shot. The movie has some good scary scenes but it relies mostly on the psychological horror path. The twist and turns in the second half are there to be guessed easily. The climax somewhat is a bit clichéd. But the movie never bores you for a moment. The script is superbly written by Mukul Sharma and Vishal Bhardwaj. The debutante director hits the right mark with his first outing, and is a director to watch out for. For the performances, Emraan plays his part well without really over reacting like normally actors do in Hindi horror movies. Konkana is wonderful as usual. The surprise performer of the movie is the child artist playing the young Emraan. Overall, Ek thi daayan tries an unseen approach to Indian horror, and it succeeds. Ohh yes it succeeds.

A very good effort in trying out something different but climax makes it a spoilsport

[ketgup83 · 6/10 · 9 June 2013]

Fantasy horror films with spooky background score coupled with a chill that will run down your spine makes it a delight watch. Ek Thi Daayan had all the ingredients to make it a perfect horror flick but 2nd half spoils the mood and it is a like a matar paneer without salt.

A magician is haunted by a witch (daayan) who has secret to reveal. He must fight the witch before she kills a child to regain her power.

First time director Kanan Iyer does a fine a job in adapting the Mukul Sharma's horrific tale and bring it on the silver screen. However the screenplay looses the steam aftermath. The beginning of the film and narration of childhood story of the protagonist is beautifully shown . The later reel flips and falls flat heavily with unnecessary song and less-impacting climax. Screenplay could have been better. Dialogues are good. Editing required extra effort. Cinematography and art direction is superb. None of actors could make impact with their performance. Emraan Hashmi is as usual wooden face. Konkana Sen Sharma fails to make impact this time. Huma Qureshi and Kalki Koechin is OK. I liked the performance of kid who play's young character of Emraan Hashmi.

Overall , a very good effort in trying out something different but climax makes it a spoilsport. Average 2/5

Ek Thi Daayan is too conventional, convenient, crude and clichéd to create fear; at best, it spooks you but only with a feeble 'Boo!'

[sashank_kini-1 · 3/10 · 19 April 2013]

In case you need a tip or two on product placement strategies, Ek Thi Daayan is the film for you. Watch closely in one scene as a Maaza tetra- pack gets to share the screen space with Emraan Hashmi and the actor playing his hypnotist (who remains anonymous sadly because I can't locate his name anywhere). Marvel at how Kapoor brightened the Apple Logo on IPhone so it could shine and upstage Emraan and his Dayaans more than once! You're so convinced about producer Ekta Kapoor's marketing astuteness (we all know she controls everything) that you wonder whether her poor director Kannan Iyer included the movie's lyricist Gulzaar's book during one song sequence as a homage or whether it was another one of Kapoor's impressive marketing tricks.

These tricks will in fact impress you more than the bundle of magic tricks Emraan's character Bobo the magician performs in his acts ('Bobo' really? And are we to take a guy with this stage name seriously? Seriously!). If, although you need a tip or two on how to create fear through the medium of film, then Ek Thi Daayan is too conventional, convenient, crude and clichéd to teach you anything – Kapoor's unconventional marketing (which includes airing a mini-series, starring a variety of TV soap 'bahus', titled Ek Thhi Naayka on Life OK channel) may have tricked you but read this review further and you may be safe and secure, both from the film's ineffectuality and from spending your dear money (even dearer with inflation) on these daayans.

The plot in Ek Thi Daayan involves famous-magician-with-a-haunted-past Bobo's fear of women with long plaits or 'chotis' and suspicious appearance and behavior… okay, that was too simple a way of explaining it: here's what happens: Bobo keeps getting these visions of his truly dreadful past involving his sister while he is performing on stage; this results in a couple of near-fatal mishaps during his performances on stage. His ladylove Tamara (played by Huma Qureshi, whose previous performance in 'Gangs of Wasseypur' was critically hailed) is reluctant to marry him because Bobo's a bit weird basically; Bobo consults his hypnotist Dr. Palit to allay his fears, and this is when the movie takes us to a mega-flashback scene which extends till the interval. We learn that even as a child he was a weirdo who dressed in shirts and read books on witchcraft and sorcery. We also learn how a mysterious lady Diana played by Konkona Sen entered his family's life, became Bobo's step-mom and then wrecked their lives; you chuckle a bit when Bobo's senile grandfather (the stock character who inexplicably presages a catastrophe in horror films) begins mumbling names all of a sudden as though he's some sort of seer). After the interval, we are brought back to the present as Bobo tries ridding his past by marrying Tamara – here comes one of the worst and most unnecessary scenes in Bollywood film history, a marriage song-and-dance sequence where everyone looks at the f**king camera as they shake a leg: 'WTF Kannan! WTF Ekta! SELLOUT ALERT!'. Once that unfortunate scene passes, our film's third female protagonist, the talented Kalki Koechlin (who was great in Dibakar Banerjee's 'Shanghai') enters as Lisa Dutt, a musician who's a big fan of Bobo; our magician suspects that she's a Daayan after remembering his grandfather's prophesy. The rest of the film involves the question 'Is she or is she not?' and in the end… I won't tell you what happens but do yourself a favor: skip the film, watch the trailer but with this in mind that what you see is a subterfuge and you may get your answer to who's the Daayan and who isn't.

Half the dialogues in the film are laughable, especially when you hear Bobo screaming 'Choti Kaat Doonga! (I will cut your plaits!) with utmost seriousness. Vishal Bharadwaj could make witch-movie 'Makdee' a decent film but here he isn't able to pen convincing dialogues (consider the scene where Tamara rebukes Bobo for staying mum about his past and Bobo makes up by saying 'I want to start life afresh. Let's get married' followed by the hideous dance sequence. Totally unconvincing) nor is to tie loose ends or even give some freshness to the story itself. He may excuse himself saying that half the film has to be looked from a child's perspective (so the predictability) but come on, he's an adult penning the script, so can't he at least break the Indian horror-film conventions?

You're only left with decent performances that may hold you from walking out of the film. Konkona is the only worth mentioning in this review; her unconventional sexiness is even more alluring when her pupils dilate (Falling in love with a Daayan, mister me?) and she really makes us sit back and enjoy her character/creature even when she's given horrible 'saat samundar paar'-like lines to speak in the second-half. The rest are alright but Emraan is just too self-aware that he's in a horror film and has to always look spooked (much like Daniel Radcliffe in 'Woman in Black').

In a nutshell (and I'm generously borrowing from a dialogue in the film but with certain modifications): Ek Thi Daayan scripts snores, its horror farts out and its miles away (actually light-years away) from being the tiger of Indian horror films.

An engaging eerie supernatural thriller

[rangdetumpy · 21 April 2013]

"..and the chivalrous prince dives down to the bed of the ocean to find the blue fish with a burning red eye.After battling with sharks he could reach to the infamous fish and split its belly with his rugged sword.Thus the deadly power of the monster stored in the fish's belly comes to an exhilarating end.."–As a child we often heard such folklore from our grandparents.With rich heritage of folklore & myths,I used to wonder why Hindi cinema don't explore those terrains while our foreign counterparts have given a whole new dimension to the werewolves and vampires straight out of the folklore of the west.Without broadening the horizon the bollywood film-makers played safe by doing monotonous horror films repeating similar structure(& often stories).Here comes a film that breaks the predefined norms.

Based on a short story by literary laureate Mukul Sharma(Happens to be Konkona's father),talented Vishal Bhardwaj adapts that for a full length film.ETD is a folklore set in urban Indian city.The story is about a famous magician Bobo who is disturbed by his dark,unexplainable,transcendental childhood memories which haunts him often.At a tender age of 11 he read a book on devils & daayans(Witches) which explored the age-old believes on daayans such as the power lies trapped in their "choti"(long braided hair),they need to sacrifice a human child to regain their strength etc. Imbibing those believes the adventurous young mind comes to the conclusion that every building has its own hell & the by pressing "666"(code to hell) the lift will take you there.Nurturing such believes he & his sister meets their new governess Diana whom they presumed to be a witch and has come from the hell of their building.Gradually few uncanny incidences followed by the death of his sister and father further strengthens his believes. Even years after these incidents, images of the past haunts him as he lives in dilemma about the existence of such occult forces.

Debutant director Kannan Iyer got ample support from producer Vishal Bhardwaj as was evident from the dark frames used,which are trademark of Vishal.The film opens with shadowy blue & black frames with Rekha Bhardwaj rendering her voice to the infesting, creepy "Lautungi Mein" which sets the mood of the film.Bhardwaj's screenplay is taut & we are straight away introduced to Bobo's problems in life.With Bobo being hypnotized back to his childhood the audience is in for some creepy ride.With sharp editing by veteran ShreekarPrasad & tilted camera angles by SaurabhGoswami (few long shot to substantiate the lonely creepy feel) did the trick.ClintonCerejo's background score set the atmosphere perfectly.Kudos to Iyer for the extra effort he invested in setting each & every props at Bobo's place and psychiatrist Dr RanjanPalit's chamber. It is one of the rare Hindi films that doesn't use any gimmicks to scare but resorts to characterization & atmosphere to bring out the spooky element which lingers long after the film gets over.The film keeps a realistic feel even within its surreal limitations.The dialogs add in to the proceedings with age-old myths seamlessly getting merged into urban existence. Bhardwaj-Gulzar combo again succeeds in bringing a winning track which complements the narrative."Lautungi Mein" reminds the yesteryears songs from Mahal,Gumnam & with semi-classical tone evokes a earthy horror feeling."Yaaram" is a brilliant composition & these proceedings following the song sequence accelerates the speed towards the somewhat bizarre climax.

Till the climax I was mumbling to myself that ETD is indeed a classic but then cliché final confrontation reminded me of those run-of-the-mills Vikram Bhatt films which made me ponder what would have forced Kannan Iyer to cater to the gallery at the penultimate sequence.The good-versus-evil finale looked misfit in otherwise smart film.Also the big twist at the end could have been foreseen in the first half itself.

Iyer had the opportunity to work with the finest talents in Bollywood & it paid-off successfully.The actresses in the film had made a striking impression especially Konkona(Diana).The role offered her was something which is diametrically opposite to what she had been doing till now & she did complete justice to it.The role will be long talked about in years to come.Huma Qureshi showed her potential with GOW, LSTCK and she continues to impress in this film too.With perfect blend of good looks & talents she will be the one to watch out for in near future.Kalki Koechlin is always dependent & there is no aberration here.Being introduced post-interval her character breaks the monotony of the narrative & brought in fresh angles to the quest to find the 'original' witch.It is heartening to see talented veteran actor Pawan Malhotra, in a meaty role of Emraan's geeky professor father.He exudes the right emotions making the character expressive.Rajatava Datta(a fine actor & a big name in Bengali cinema)excels as Dr Palit,the psychiatrist,who is suppose to act most rational,seems confused about his believes in myths of witches & is as eager to learn the truth.Visshesh Tiwari is marvelous as young Bobo.His histrionics were flawless-an excellent actor in the making.The child actress who played bebo's sister had the charm and innocence to hook the audience to the screen. .And the leading man Emraan Hashmi who has been criticized by critics for his choice of roles till he bounced back with "Dirty Picture",'Shanghai","Ek th daayan" (& now upcoming "Ghanchakkar").In each of the films he explored varied characters & wooed us with his acting abilities.As psychologically disturbed Bobo with a haunting puzzling past Emraan grasped the nuances of the character & delivered a top-notch performance.

ETD is a great attempt in Hindi celluloid albeit a mediocre climax.The entire team should be applauded for the effort to concatenate ancient myths with modern existence & deliver a hardcore entertaining creepy horror film.Good to see concepts like folklore,zombies are explored thus giving us break from the bland taste of formula based Hindi movies.

P.S:For all horror lovers do watch the 2012 Tamil film "Pizza" which is a landmark in this genre for its execution & novelty.

A bit of excellence and trash!!

[nadkarnisumeet · 6/10 · 20 April 2021]

Ek Thi Daayan review:

The films first half has a 40 minute flashback sequence, which is akin to a classic Hitchcock n Kubrick horror. Its extremely creepy and spine chilling. Post interval, Ek Thi Daayan sadly morphs in to a regular Vikram Bhatt fare with a climax resembling his recent Raaz 3. Emran Hashmi is superbly restraint allowing the ladies take the lead with Konkana coming trumps. Watch it, any "witch" way!!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

Ek Thi Daayan is a must watch even if you are not a big fan of the genre

[harsh007 · 7/10 · 21 April 2013]

Ek Thi Daayan is not the 'every day horror flick' that Bollywood churns out more than often,courtesy :Vikram Bhatt. Its a story of one of the most feared creatures of Indian mythology with elements of psychological thriller fused together in a way which is scary enough to send down thrills down your spine and intelligent enough to keep you on your toes almost through out the movie.

The story is brilliantly narrated through the eyes of a promising storyteller who had the guts to tell a supernatural story with enough creativity that it would leave marks on its viewers in real life:Girls with braids beware,people might come at you with knife in their hands to chop off that lovely three strand structure emanating from your head. :p

Ek Thi Daayan is a must watch even if you are not a big fan of the genre.Watch it for the sheer creativity and guts of a storyteller who has something new to offer .

3.5/5.

Pros:Good Script,performances,cinematography,music Cons:The curse of the second half,does not live up to the excitement and fear that it builds till the interval.

The Good, Bad and Ugly

[adityasharma140590 · 4/10 · 19 April 2013]

Good: A good and well written first half. Screenplay better than other movies of the Genre. Konkona Sen Sharma was the highlight of the first half.But she has done more brilliant works in her other movies.

Bad: Emran Hashmi.Disappointed with him a bit. Any one could have fitted in his shoes.Nothing special this guy has done. Kalki, another one of those with whom my high expectations were there. She was on screen for not a large chunk of it and was just OK. Huma Qureshi, good in the first half, rather disappointing performance in the climax.

Ugly: The Climax, The highly awaited throughout the movie many believed that there is so much waiting to be told at the end. Sheer Nonsense Climax. 2nd Half, disappointment and nothing else.

In My Opininon 1.5/5 for this movie. Nothing special.You can save the money for the petrol!!!! Its rising !!!!

Ek Thi Daayan - Watch it for its sheer novelty

[ahwaan_padhee · 7/10 · 23 April 2013]

Ek thi Daayan marks the collaboration of Ekta Kapoor productions and Vishal Bharadwaj and first time director Kannan Iyer does a fantabulous job by transporting us to the world of daayans and pisaach with generous doses of spine-chilling thrills.Of late, Bollywood has been churning out lot of horror flicks (Raaz 3, Aatma, 1920) but Daayan boasts of superior quality and mystery that keeps the viewer totally consumed till the penultimate portions.

Based on the story by Mukul Sharma,It tells the story of a famous magician, Bobo(Emraan Hashmi) who is constantly challenged by hallucinations and finds it difficult to come in terms with his troubled childhood where he lost his father and sister in mysterious circumstances after his father brought home a step mother, Diana (Konkana Sen Sharma)whom he suspects as the daayan.He seeks the help of a psychiatrist for past life regression to unearth the frantic activities and find the answer to the constant indications of the daayan's return, much to the dismay of his girlfriend,Tamara(Huma Qureshi).

This is not a typical horror fest, it is curiously spooky and visually impressive. Kannan Iyer embellishes the plot with eerie atmospherics and dark surroundings and gives us enough of the goose-bump moments.The black-and-white montages of the past that keep surfacing before Bobo's eyes, the creepy elevator of the dilapidated building, the animated lizard create immense intrigue and Kannan utilizes them as catalysts for the narrative.However ,it loses the steam during the ending reels while inadvertently treading into the Vikram-bhattisque type climax,which spoils the whole sport.The background score is terrific and some of Gulzar's compositions are mercifully well-rendered with Vishal Bharadwaj's soundtrack.

Returning to celluloid after a sabbatical, Konkana Sen is first-rate and looks deliciously wicked. It wouldn't be unfair to say that Daayan works because of her.She lends a unique dimension to the character's mannerisms which absorbs you entirely.Huma Qureshi does a decent job and Kalki again proves that she is versatile, but sadly doesn't much of scope.Emraan Hashmi is growing strong with each of his projects and this one speaks volumes of this acting abilities. He depicts the anxieties and apprehensions of the paranoid protagonist with flawless ease. The child artiste, Vishesh Tiwari is terrific. Pavan Malhotra is OK in the cameo.

On the whole, Ek Thi Daayan is a commendable attempt by Kannan Iyer.Drawing from the native folklore's of witchcraft, the way he constructs the journey from the real to surreal definitely deserves a special mention and it will be remembered as an imaginative and attention-grabbing supernatural thriller. This is also a testament to the astuteness of Ekta Kapoor productions which recognizes the potential of such subjects and transforms them into engaging cinematic pieces. No doubt, its novelty at its best. Go for being spooked !!

not for the horror's fan

[jeetu1710 · 3/10 · 24 April 2013]

First of all sorry for my bad English.

As a big horror fan, watched a lot of horror movies like insidious, saw, sinister, a woman in black, shutter (2004) i expect a lot from this movie after watching the promo and i can say that this movie doesn't work. Even Ragini MMS creates a better horror than this crap. if you hardy see a horror movie then you will like it.

In this movie there are total 4 scenes in which you jumped out from your seat. I don't know why this movie make. without any plot, without any story and it is very predictable. It ends in a typical Indian style(action and over drama).

A good and well written first half. Screenplay better than other movies of the Genre. Konkona Sen Sharma was the highlight of the first half.But she has done more brilliant works in her other movies and second half if just filled with nonsense things as in other horror movies like 1920.

very bored don't go for it

Great concept reduced to average horror flick

[sayan_ganguly · 6/10 · 22 April 2013]

There is something wrong with Bollywood these days! Too many good movies with above average concept, and they just throw it all away in the end. After Taalash, Vishwaroopam, Nautanki Saala; Ek Thi Daayan follows the same regime.

Now, I am not a fan of the usual horror genre. However, all the controversies hemming in this movie, especially by the Wiccan priestess Ipsita Roy Chakraborty, made me eager to see this one. But alas! All was in huge disappointment. The plot, in its first half was quite different and intelligent. The story follows Magician Bobo The Baffler (Emraan Hashmi) whose hallucinations about his childhood coerce him to seek psychiatric help (Rajatava Dutta). Going through regression hypnosis, a terrifying story about his childhood surfaces, involving a lady named Diana (Konkona Sensharma) who is perceived by the child Bobo as 'Daayan'. The first half consists of a fair share of chills, some of which made audiences jump out of their seats. However, it was the second half where the movie turns to a regular spook fest where not only Daayans, but Pishaach (Male occultist) were introduced, and the sure sign of these ominous creatures were huge dilated pupils (which somehow reminded me of Dobby the elf from Harry Potter series) and as all of them fight in The Matrix style; the stark dark venture goes for a toss.

Whereas, the script contains more holes than what Liam Neeson made in the bodies of the antagonists in his 'Taken' series. the movie contains fabulous performances both my Emraan and Konkona. Kalki is simply underutilized and Huma Qureshi fares well. Also, excellent performance by the kid that plays young Bobo.

As for the controversies are concerned, the movie does in fact state some facts about 'Daayans' such as: they usually stay underground (below the basement - in hell) but can assume the avatars of a house lizard; their power resides in their long hair tied in plats which wriggles when they gather power ,they have their birthdays on 29th Feb. The daayan can only die if an innocent child or man cuts their long plats and then they disappear as grains of sand, etc. Somehow, this makes me think that they objections of Ipsita Roy Chakraborty might not have been completely out of place.

All in all, the film is reduced to an average horror flick which tries to be intellectual at times but only end up being a pseudo intellectual. for those looking for a better concept in this genre, try the movie '404'.

Indian Cinema's Death : Worst flick : Spoiler alert !

[sanjeev-kr-tyagi · 1/10 · 28 April 2013]

Whats there in the movie to see, corny magic show, lame fictitious book , laughable regression hypnosis and a few useless laughs of the actress here and there. A elevator which takes you to hell pressing 666 , i mean vishal bhardwaj was smokin pot and reading comic books of the 60s when he wrote this. A simple understanding of tantra and a good research into the tantra vidya of the old occult science would help the bollywood to make a much better movie than just half ass copies of Hollywood. Was there a plot to the movie , hundred's of loopholes in a flick which is absolutely the worst movie i have seen in a long time. This has left even sunny deol's macho movies behind.

Waste of money and this one makes Indian cinema a laughing stock. Cannot believe that Bollywood is in 2013. I thought with Kahaani it's fate had changed but we continue to make our bollywood look like a copying , ill researched child's project in front of even the indie movies of Hollywood.

Bottomline , Save your money , time and head from this piece of junk.

A deliciously stark film with strong performances

[pathello11 · 8/10 · 19 April 2013]

'Ek Thi Daayan' is probably the first psychological horror film I have seen recently that is subtle and deftly handled and at the same has an intriguing story that manages to grip viewers for 2 hrs 15 min effortlessly. The initial twenty minutes of the film makes you wonder whether the film really has a well bound script or not because the introductory sequence of Bobo the magician (Emraan)is far from unique and visually appealing.Such sequences have been seen a dime a dozen before. However, no sooner does Bobo start looking back at his past through hypnosis than we see what a beautifully crafted film this is!In his past, we are introduced to his father,sister, and a mysterious saree clad woman with murderous hazel eyes Lisa Dutt who young Bobo thinks is a Daayan. His suspicions are confirmed when the Daayan murders his kid sister while playing a deathly game of hide & seek. The Daayan promises to return. Till interval this flashback is almost flawless. Post interval, Bobo settles down with his girlfriend Tamara and adopts a boy Zubin. History plans to repeat itself with the advent of the Daayan again in another form, but the question is-who is the Daayan? Bobo's suspicions are aroused when another Lisa Dutt enters his life. Till his quest is on for the Daayan, Bobo's journey is memorable and unique. However, when the Daayan is finally revealed in the climax, I am shocked but nevertheless disappointed due to the over-dramatization which wasn't required. Kannan Iyer makes a confident directorial debut. Emraan as Bobo is suitable for the role and does well. Konkona Sen Sharma deserves a standing ovation for her dynamic portrayal of Diana and this movie belongs to her. Kalki Koechlin surprisingly had a half baked character and didn't get much screen time but nevertheless was very natural and effective in her portrayal. Huma Qureshi looks stunning and she does splendidly as Bobo's girlfriend Tamara. However, she does not do justice to her best scene in the film where she could have proved her versatility. Overall this is a deliciously stark film which satisfies my appetite for a visual treat at the cinemas!

Spook and Stumble

[Tanay_LKO · 7/10 · 16 June 2013]

After watching "Ek Thi Daayan" I could confirm that it's a film that definitely elevates the image of "horror/thriller" genre in Hindi films. Even though the film loses it's touch by the end of the second half, I was all spooked-up with friends and enjoyed my first experience of watching a horror film in a film theatre, which also had to have a dim projector that surprisingly added to the eeriness of the film. Emraan Hashmi came out really well in his role of a magician with a haunted past, who tries to fight his fixation with the memories of "daayan" that weren't leaving his present. The leading ladies - Konkona Sen Sharma, Huma Qureshi and Kalki Koechlin did well, esp. Mrs. Sharma who was most convincing. The supporting roles of Pawan Malhotra and Rajatava Dutta were nicely involved, too. The most outstanding qualities of the film were its sound design (by P.M. Satheesh) and screenplay (by Mukul Sharma and Vishal Bhardwaj), that actually keeps viewers stuck to their seats through the times. The first time director, Kannan Iyer, did well handling a tough theme and is already being lauded for his approach. The editing has always been handled smartly by Sreekar Prasad and the cinematography by Saurabh Goswami was done well, too. The music was surprisingly not so catchy, more so because it was from Vishal Bhardwaj with the exception of "Yaaram" (penned by Gulzar ji), though the background score (by Clinton Cerejo) was enriching. Overall, the film does provide with plenty of thrilling moments, esp. in the first-half and even though the film may seem to get slightly conventional and abrupt by the climax which is sort of a pull down, but it's still worth watching and rather is enjoyable on the whole.

Creepy...

[saniakhan20 · 4/10 · 19 April 2013]

First half of the movie was interesting. It creates attention and also so much suspense. It was creepy scary .... Emraan Hashmi was very good in his role ... Specially that child emraan :)... It was so innocent.. I still didn't get what was the concept actually ... I just don't get the ending of the movie.. Climax was so retarded.. Full of flaws and stupid. First half was like the movie going to be great but then it just went so weird and I just don't understand why they just messed up the movie through climax.. It could be very awesome super duper .. As I am fan of horror movies I like it but climax just made me mad seriously... Still you can have good time watching the movie because of the first half.. U will get interest like what gonna happen next and why it's happening.. U will get scared..

One of the better super natural thrillers which could have been great with a different culmination.

[bobbysing · 20 April 2013]

When two diverse personalities such as Ekta Kapoor and Vishal Bhardwaj (along with Gulzar) join hands together to produce a horror film based on 'Witchcraft', then its got to be something out of the ordinary and special. Thankfully EK THI DAAYAN largely passes this expectations test as far as the novelty factor is concerned. Yet it falls short of being a thoroughly enjoyable entertainer due to an uninspiring finale, ruining the fine build up & suspense element continuing in its second half.

Beginning on a shaky note, the film soon starts delivering some well directed, stunning sequences once the flashback is there with two innocent kids portraying their characters superbly. The child actors particularly the boy, Vishesh Tiwari, keep you hooked on to the screen till the intermission and one feels like witnessing a fairly engaging tale with something new to offer, talking about witches & magic instead of ugly ghosts and cruel betrayals. Post interval the grown-ups take up from the innocent performers like a relay race and continue coming up with some fresh interesting insertions like Kalki. But sadly as it all starts heading towards the end, ETD fails to raise the bar further and finishes on the same familiar notes without making any kind of shocking impact on the viewer as seen in its first half.

In straight words, ETD is one of those films which both starts and ends on a sour note but surely has got the content which is much ahead then all those clichéd Vikram Bhatt horror films, repeatedly made for a certain section of viewers, quite regularly. In fact this is not a horror film in the typical sense but a fine script based on a 'Supernatural Theme' related with witches coming back after decades in a leap year to strengthen their individual powers. Therefore as its first merit, you have a new subject here in an Indian mainstream film which can easily be rated as one of the most original ones tried rarely in Hindi cinema till date. Incidentally one might recall MAKDEE, which was again a Vishal Bhardwaj (Children) film released in 2002 revolving around the myth spread among the villagers about a scary mansion. But since Vishal is the producer here in ETD too, so it clearly suggests that the talented soul does have a personal liking towards this unusual subject of witches for sure.

The second highlight of the film remains its performances wherein the 3 ladies score the most after the child actors. Konkona Sen Sharma excels in the first half and Huma Qureshi does the same in the second. Kalki Koechlin plays her short role well post interval and Emraan Hashmi is just fine playing the common male related to all the three. Though he doesn't get much scope to show his skills here, but his choice of scripts strongly indicates that he has now rightly understood the importance of new subjects very well. Supporting him, Rajatava Dutta as the doctor impresses andPavan Malhotra once again showcases his underrated talent playing the unaware father.

Music in a Vishal-Gulzar film has to live up to its reputation and that's exactly what can be said about the songs of ETD too. Though as usual the tracks are all forcibly inserted into the narration, still one enjoys watching "Kaali Kaali" (for the romance) and "Totey Ud Gaye" (for the dance) providing the casual relief moments. However "Yaaram", despite being good, hinders the pace of the movie, which could have been avoided. The DOP tries to maintain the mood of the film throughout, mixing the dark frames with the lighted ones. But in the process makes it mostly dark which becomes annoying at times. Background score deserves a special mention here for its innovative tones but the same words cannot be used for its special effects department, sadly.

In all ETD mainly impresses due to its inventive & original subject, adapted by the debutant director Kannan Iyer, who confidently proves that he has got the talent to deliver a perfect entertainer soon. The film steps on to the next level with its enjoyable performances & screenplay but could have been a real killer with a different culmination providing the missing shock. Its final moments did remind me of a scary masterpiece ROSEMAY'S BABY directed by Roman Polanski in the late sixties. And with a more imaginative climax it surely could have become an attempt to be the ROSEMARY's BABY of Indian Cinema, arguably.