REVIEW: Madhavan rocks in 13B

Unlucky No 13 – Perhaps the most famous of all superstitions and huge favourite with filmmakers (Hollywood has driven the entire Friday The 13^th franchise based on this) is the take off point for this week's new release 13B. From the flat number to the time on the clock to the TV channel number - the '13 jinx' looms large over the film and its characters.

The doomed victim is a civil engineer Manohar (Madhavan, perfectly cast) who lives with his family in a posh suburban Mumbai flat. A series of bizarre, sometimes near fatal incidents prompt Manohar to start questioning his luck. While the rest of his family members seem to be going from strength to strength after moving into flat no 13B, Manohar is facing quite the contrary. From something as basic as getting stuck in a lift and tea going bad to nearly losing a dear one, Manohar's life turns in to a never-ending episode of bad luck. Quite like the twists and turns of a daily soap opera... Manohar soon discovers that his life is actually unfolding on the lines of a TV serial. The mysterious show plays on channel no 13 at 1300 hrs on the 13^th floor of his building. At some level it's a clever but scary satire on how seriously we tend to take the on screen lives of the TV actors. Manohar's quest to dig deep into the root cause of this mystery forms the crux of the film.

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A real setting:

13B has a number of aces up its sleeve. First and foremost is its identifiable urban, upper middle-class setting. The location and dialogues are straight from our daily lives. Thankfully, someone has finally taken Bollywood horror out of the village temples and haunted mansions. There are no tantrik babas or shlokas – instead the director chooses to explain the paranormal using laws of physics.

Camera does the talking:

It would be unfair not to mention the movie's brilliant cinematography. In the initial reels of 13B, influences of RGV's Bhoot are pretty evident in his shot taking. But barring certain cosmetic similarities this film has a strong narrative of its own. Creating a sense of panic with minimal use of darkness is among the movie's strengths. The director remarkably captures the eeriness of being stuck in an automatic elevator. And adds an element of intrigue and fear using everyday tools like the TV or a mobile phone. What if something as personal as your Ipod or laptop gets possessed?

Convincing direction:

Despite the obvious cinematic liberties in the story, which sometimes border on stupidity, there is a strong sense of conviction in the direction. That's why even when you know what is being played in front of you is far from reality. One wonders – what next?