Chitte Review: Well-written horror film dragged down by a slow beginning

With back-to-back horror films having releasing every Friday, it sure looks like filmmakers are extensively experimenting with the genre. No doubt, it gives enough room for experiment, but only few films and makers seem to be getting it right. And thankfully, Chitte is one of them.  The film, directed by debutant director, ML Prasanna sensibly tries to instill fear by taking a different route through its story.

Cast: Yashas Surya, Harshika Poonacha and Deepika
Director: ML Prasanna

But it takes a while to get there.  It's only in the second half that the film makes the audience sit on the edge of their seats. The first half drags on with too much romance. And this is where the director loses points. 

In this romance-cum-horror film, a newly married couple Manu (Yashas) and Sona (Harshika Pooncha), who are deeply in love, find themselves in circumstances beyond their control. Their happiness is cut short when they move houses, and Sona starts noticing spirits. Manu initially rejects her claims but is convinced after he also comes face to face with spirits. Their life is under threat when a spirit lands in front of them. This is when the film breaks for an interval leaving questions such as the ghosts’ intentions and the reason behind  the attack. This is revealed as back and forth narratives. Who is at fault and who among the husband and wife will be punished for their mistake forms the second half of the film which has a fair story flow.

Prasanna, who has taken responsibility of the story, screenplay, dialogues, music, and production, apart from direction, should have delegated the responsibilities to experts in the field. Although the audience will appreciate the line of thought with regard to the story, there appears to be an imbalance in the script. With limited characters, the first half is mostly repetitive romantic scenes. The fear factor comes in only in the second half which we can safely say takes the film to another level.

Harshika, who gets a fairy tale entry with a song, maintains the same look throughout the film. She is the soul of Chitte, and has ample space for performance. Yashas plays the character of a responsible husband, and does justice to it. Deepika comes as a surprise package and adds life to the film. Her small screen experience has come in handy, and she stands out with her performance. Director and actor Giriraj provides comic relief in the film. Technically lacking and a mild fear factor might have this film testing your patience.