How did he end up like this?
Ram Gopal Verma was one name that could send viewers flocking to the cinemas on Fridays. Not surprising considering his outstanding accomplishments along the lines of Kaun, Rangeela, Sarkar, Raat and more recently Not a Love Story. But his recent ventures, and by recent I mean ventures he has continued to make for sometime now, makes one wonder as to whether his successes were in fact the exception than the rule. Take Aag, the pathetic homage to Sholay, or the abysmal Department. All these movies are bound by the commonality of mediocrity and idiocy that cuts through them all. Lets take a look at how he fared when he tried his hands on the horror genre. I will take two movies that has till date been two of my favourites. One is the eerily enigmatic Kaun and the other the truly spine chilling Raat. For me it is still hard to believe that a movie like Booth and Booth returns, yes I hated the original as well, could have been conceived by the same person who nearly drove us mad with fear with the two aforementioned movies. Kaun featured only three or four actors. Raat was a classic possession story but weaved so competently to let the viewers feel it to be a breath of fresh horrific air. While Kaun and Raat can be watched over and over again Booth and Booth Returns are farces that doesnt deserve one watch. Specifically Booth Returns is more like a script that didnt know where to go. RGV probably went 'Ok we have done this, scared the audience with unnecessarily loud music that doesnt go with the scene, we have shown a supposedly scary bathroom scene, we have made the servant spew nonsense about a myth, we have really scared the people, lets then end it now with somehow the girl returning' The movie is nonsensical and irritating. Eg:
INT SITTING ROOM
Mother and Daughter sits at the sofa. Mother looks at her daughter. She is playing with her doll.
MOTHER
Mimmi why are you playing with your doll
MIMMI
Because I like dolls!!
SFX LOUD THUNDERING MUSIC TO SIGNIFY FEAR AND TO SCARE THE AUDIENCE
These are the kinds of nonsensical mis en scenes employed in the movie. I still believe RGV can deliver because of the few movies that has blown my mind. But of recent that conviction is really wearing thin.