404 Movie Review: Spirited Brain-Teaser!

If the interesting posters of 404 don't manage to grab your attention, the cryptic title certainly does. The internet savvy generation is bound to walk into the darkened cinema hall assuming that the film has something to do with computers and technology. The chances are that they'll walk out feeling somewhat surprised and quite shaken. Behind what seems to be a small budget, amateur, starless production, lies a psychological thriller that leaves an impact like few other films in recent time have.

Set against the backdrop of a medical college, the film starts off as a batch of freshers enters the boot camp and is subjected to seemingly routine rounds of ragging. Amongst them is one Abhimanyu, who complains to the authorities about the bullying seniors and is even brave enough to even move into the supposedly haunted room 404 in order to make things easy for his classmates. His determination makes an impression on the renowned Professor Aniruddh, who encourages Abhimanyu to stay in the room in order to dispel rumours about it being haunted by the ghost of its previous occupant, a student named Gaurav who had hung himself from the ceiling fan. The twist in the tale comes when Abhimanyu starts believing that Gaurav's spirit does in fact reside in the same room. Is the ghost more than just a hallucination or is the professor right about Gaurav being a figment of Abhimanyu's imagination? This question forms the crux of the story.

Director Prawaal Raman must be lauded for weaving such a compelling story around a unique subject such as the bipolar disorder. Hindi cinema of late has failed to throw up any half-decent psychological thrillers and 404 puts and end to that drought. Raman's expertise in the scare and spook department (he has previously directed Darna Marna Hai and Darna Zaroori Hai) is obvious in this film.

Though 404 does not belong to the horror genre, the film has an extremely eerie feel to it and some of the scenes are simply spine chilling. The viewer is always aware of a dark presence lurking in dimly lit corridors and the mirror scenes are especially spooky. Director of Production, Savita Singh plays with light and shadow to create the perfect atmosphere. Full marks to the sound department as well. Every single time someone bangs on Abhimanyu's room door, the viewer jolts right out of his seat!

404 is unique in one more respect. Raman's thriller is one of those rare films which succeed in maintaining the suspense till the very end and lead up to worthy climax. The ultimate scene of the film deals a sensational blow to the viewer's psyche and will leave audiences struggling to gather their thoughts and bearings as they leave the theatre.

The film however suffers quite a bit due to its snail pace. The director takes his time to establish the setting and build up the story to a fitting finale which slackens the pace of the thriller. The film would have looked a lot more focussed and pulled together had the editor been more generous with his snips. While the camerawork is top notch, the musical refrain (vaguely reminiscent of The Addams Family rift) is often over the top and takes away from the subtlety of the rest of the film.

Nishikant Kamat has already proven himself as a director with hard-hitting films such as Dombivali Fast and Mumbai Meri Jaan, but his histrionics are a revelation indeed. He excels in his role as the professor who's battling with his own inner demons and is effortless in the breaking down scenes. Imaad Shah's expressions and mannerisms remind the viewer of his illustrious father. Junior Shah is just perfect as the eccentric senior and one wonders why he isn't seen more often on the big screen. Debutant Rajvvir Aroraa plays his complex role with great restraint, Tisca Chopra provides wonderful support as always and Satish Kaushik manages to raise a few chuckles.

This songless, starless, low-cost film might not seem to have the perfect B'Town formula, but then again, there don't seem to be any fixed rules to guarantee box office success these days. A unique concept brought to the fore by a mind-boggling screenplay and backed by tremendous performances, 404 is definitely worth your time. Get psyched... Big Time.