BOTTOM LINE
Some Chills, Mostly Misses
RATING
2/5
PLATFORM
Amazon Prime Video
What Is the Film About?
Seven years after the harrowing events of Chhorii, Sakshi leads a peaceful life with her daughter, Ishani. The latter suffers from a rare condition where exposure to sunlight can prove fatal. Their peace is shattered one night when a ghostly figure appears and lures Ishani away. When Sakshi returns home to find her daughter missing, she desperately seeks help from Inspector Samar.
Performances
In terms of performances, Chhorii 2 is an out and out Soha Ali Khan show. She brings an undeniable authority and composure to the portrayal of Daasi Maa, a key architect behind an archaic ritual that usurps the lives of girls. While Nushrat Bharucha is effective as a mother who leaves no stone unturned to protect her daughter, the film doesn’t demand anything significantly different from her as a performer (in comparison to the first part).
The child artiste Hardika Sharma is another scene-stealer in the film, displaying a rare maturity for her age as a girl trapped in a situation beyond her comprehension. Pallavi Ajay is impactful in a brief role, while the men – Saurabh Goyal, Kuldeep Sareen and Gashmeer Mahajani – make their presence felt within the limited scope offered to them in the narrative.
Analysis
Though far from original in terms of its idea, Chhorii, the direct-to-OTT Hindi film, was a racy survival thriller with a mishmash of many ingredients that had the viewers on the edge of their seats. While the strong performances and its raw treatment were bound by a socially relevant theme, it is quite hard to understand the necessity to come up with a sequel.
Chhorii 2 unfolds exactly 7 years after the first part, where Sakshi, a single mother and a teacher at a school, raises her daughter Ishani, who is born with a peculiar health condition (that prevents her from direct exposure to sunlight). There is gossip about Sakshi’s romantic involvement with the cop Samar. Everything changes when Ishani goes missing one night while chased by a spirit.
While its core issue (child marriage) is slightly different from the first part, Chhorii 2 is also predominantly about the injustice meted out to the girl child. As part of a ritual, to prevent an influential man’s death (that could lead to the doom of a village), a girl from a specific bloodline is forcibly married to him. An entire community is convinced of its necessity, despite the horror surrounding it.
Much like the earlier film, the sequel is about a female protagonist fighting against all odds for a loved one (a mother fighting for a daughter) and a larger cause – wrapped in an unconventional cocktail of horror, thrills and superstition. However, the more fascinating exploration is of the relationship between a woman complicit in a chilling ritual (Daasi Maa) and its latest victim (Ishani).
The backstory that defines its central conflict is revealed in bits and pieces – you get a brief glimpse of what generations of woman have gone through, without a chance to voice their agony. The film effectively contrasts the innocence of the child with the bitterness of a much older woman. The urgency and the tension in the storytelling, the lifeline of this genre, is somewhat missing and inconsistent.
Though Chhorii 2 isn’t exciting or attention-worthy in terms of the horror-genre treatment (the jumpscares are too dated for the times), what keeps it going is the technical finesse and the sharp performances. One can’t deny the sincerity in its portrayal of womanhood, the trauma inflicted by patriarchy and the inner resilience of its pivotal characters. Yet, it just doesn’t know where to stop.
After establishing its premise, the film becomes redundant and struggles to be consistently gripping (despite the occasional sparkle). For its intent, you want the film to do better and be more imaginative with its writing. It is contented being a product that sticks to a template and ticks a few boxes in a sequel checklist.
Chhorii 2 has its moments but is largely underwhelming – both as a standalone film and a sequel. It is tolerable, though it could have gone much further.
Music and Other Departments?
Adrija Gupta’s music plays a crucial role in lending authenticity to the film’s tense, primitive setting – be it establishing the specifics of the ritual, the fear in the minds of the characters and the emotion that binds the story together. Yet, if there’s a technical contribution that uplifts the overall result, it’s the cinematography (by Anshul Chobey) – the frames, lighting techniques are exquisite, ably supported by the locations, choice of costumes and production design. In terms of runtime, it overstays its welcome by at least 15-20 minutes.
Highlights?
Socially relevant theme
Strong performances
Technical finesse in execution
Drawbacks?
Doesn’t make full use of its premise
Inconsistent screenplay
No strong necessity for a sequel (in terms of the idea)
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you’re okay with watching another similar cousin of the first part
Chhorii 2 Movie Review by M9
