Seat Edge movie review:
There is an itch that Seat Edge keeps returning to—the tension between what is real and what is made to be believed, and how fear thrives in that space. Director Chethan Shetty is fascinated by how fear works in the age of algorithms. In this age, the paranormal is no longer discovered; it is produced, packaged, and circulated for views, likes, and shares. The result is a horror film shaped by current anxieties; even if they are not always fully sharp, its ideas are thoughtful and often unsettling.
The opening subtly establishes the mood. A figure that feels oddly familiar, Gaurav Tiwari reimagined as Gaurav Tripathi, makes a brief appearance as a paranormal investigator. His presence casts a long shadow. An enigmatic object’s meaning remains partly unexplained. An unsettling death introduces ambiguity. This restraint effectively creates atmosphere without exaggeration.
The story pivots to Siddu (Siddu Moolimani), an IT professional who leaves a stable job in search of YouTube fame. With support from his endlessly encouraging friend Raghu (Raghu Ramanakoppa), a yoga instructor, Siddu dives into every trending content idea, daily vlogs, food reviews, and more, often with the kind of enthusiasm that far exceeds common sense. A promoted food joint gets him into trouble after he suffers food poisoning, even leading to a police investigation, where he meets Shambunath (Girish Shivanna), a stern officer who is also a crazy content creator. Siddu is warned, but his compulsive quest for virality continues.
Director: Chethan Shetty
Cast: Siddu Moolimani, Raghu Ramannakoppa, Giri Shivanna, Raviksha Shetty, Mimicry Gopi, and Lakshmi Siddaiah
Romance weaves through the story when Siddu meets Nandini (Raviksha Shetty), an aerobics instructor at Raghu’s studio. When she uncovers Siddu’s fabrication of ghostly events using CGI, disappointment shades their relationship. Eager to make things right, Siddu ventures into a notorious ghost town known for unexplained disappearances—a risky move that significantly shifts the film’s tone.
What begins as a lighthearted story about friendship, romance, and the quirks of online fame slowly transforms into one with classic horror tropes—cobwebbed houses, eerie dolls, violent pasts, and mysterious objects. Some elements seem familiar, but this contrast adds to the tension, making the horror moments hit with impact.
Siddu Moolimani anchors the film. He shifts between performative confidence and growing doubt, embodying a compulsive YouTuber who turns everyday life into content, where credibility is flexible. His performance drives the film, especially in quiet moments when the camera may no longer shield him.
Girish Shivanna gives a grounded presence, although his inspector character remains lightly sketched. Raghu Ramanakoppa and Raviksha Shetty add good support appearing intermittently, while Mimicry Gopi and Lakshmi Siddaiah offer familiarity without undermining the suspense.
Seat Edge becomes most interesting when it questions the performative nature of paranormal content. Ghost hunting turns into a genre shaped by editing, effects, and audience demand. Fear can be staged easily, yet the film hesitates to delve into the darkest aspects of this insight. The camera becomes unreliable, spaces feel unfamiliar, and tension thrives in these moments of subtle disorientation.
The last stretch of the film actually justifies the title Seat Edge. What starts as an observation of vlogger culture and digital obsession evolves into horror rooted in trust, perception, and spatial discomfort. Chethan Shetty does not smooth out every narrative edge, but his curiosity about the clash between digital performance and basic fear is clear.
Seat Edge offers no neat answers. However, in a genre focused on big, startling moments, its most effective scares are quiet. They remind us that the real horror may not lie in what is hidden in the dark, but in how desperately we want the camera to prove it exists.