Since having seen Night of the Bride (2023-also reviewed) I was interested to find that another short Horror film about an Indian wedding was featured in the line-up of the online part of the Soho Horror Film Festival. This led to me getting ready to attend the wedding.
Note: Review contains some plot details.
View on the film:
Running down the aisle with Asha as she attempts to stop The Manglik before time runs out, writer/ director Ramone Menon & Tommy Oceanak unwrap a fabulous eerie atmosphere brewing from elegant arc and hand-held shots against a glittering red backdrop shimmering to Asha being forced to follow the commands on the phone.
Giving an initial fleeting glimpse, Menon and Oceanak unleash The Manglik under layers of fog and wonderfully framed wide-shots, pinned on The Manglik walking down the corridor, and bringing the long shadows with her.
Dismissed by everyone as just wanting to put a damper on the wedding, Misha Molani gives a blazing performance as Asha, with Molani expressing in her body language Misha standing on the edge of fear, at the same time as her vocal delivery emphasises the urgentcy gripping Asha, to do everything possible to stop The Manglik. Not having a clue what Asha is going on about when she mentions The Manglik, Patrick Rutnam gives a fittingly wide-eyed innocent turn as Vikram, whose doubts that what Asha is saying might actually be true, Rutnam has gradually creep in.
Based on the real Hindu superstition prevalent in India, the screenplay by Menon displays an outstanding eye for covering complex events in a compact manner. Laying out the mythology and origins of The Manglik, Menon skillfully weaves them with a tense race against time Horror tale, bringing up unsettling obstacles to get in the way of Asha's path, during a scary wedding.
