Story: After her husband’s sudden death in his hometown of Chandarpur, West Bengal, Ambika (Kajol) returns to his ancestral haveli to sell it. But the village is plagued by a demonic curse—and demands the sacrifice of her daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma) to end it. Will the mother save her child?Review: The film opens in West Bengal during Kali Puja, with the chilling sacrifice of a newborn girl in the jungle. Forty years later, her twin brother Shuvankar (Indraneil Sengupta) lives in the city with his wife Ambika and their daughter Shweta—far removed from his eerie birthplace. But fate draws them back when Shuvankar dies while attending his father’s funeral. The ancestral home and village hide sinister secrets and a demonic presence. As young girls begin to vanish mysteriously and dark forces close in on Shweta, Ambika must confront the horrors of the past to protect her child.Director Vishal Furia’s venture is an addition to the Shaitaan universe and marks Kajol’s debut in the horror genre. With story and screenplay by Saiwyn Quadras, the film blends mythology and horror, drawing inspiration from the legend of Goddess Kali and Raktabeej—where a single drop of blood gives rise to an unspeakable evil that finds its home in Chandarpur.A dark, derelict haveli, scattered ruins, and haunting forests create an atmospheric backdrop, and cinematographer Pushkar Singh succeeds in building an eerie visual tone. However, the narrative is uneven, and the pace slackens at times, affecting the film’s overall grip. There are moments that deliver genuine chills, but the overuse of gimmicky VFX and exaggerated creature design dilute the fear factor.Like Furia’s earlier work Chhorii and its sequel, this film revisits the theme of female infanticide, weaving it into the horror narrative. While the premise holds promise, the storyline becomes predictable in parts, and certain plot points will feel familiar to seasoned horror viewers.Kajol delivers a compelling performance as a mother pushed to the edge, balancing vulnerability with fierce resolve. Kherin Sharma and Rupkatha Chakraborty are both impressive as young girls caught in the storm of ancient evil. Ronit Bose Roy lends solid support as the village sarpanch.While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, the film delivers a mythologically rooted horror tale that makes for a decent one-time watch.See more: ‘Maa’ advance box office predictions Day 1: Kajol’s horror film eyes promising start amid clash with Akshay Kumar’s ‘Kannappa’
