Haunted – Echoes Of The Past rests on a promising story and could have made for a great film. A few plot points are intriguing. The Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Bhooth Bangla-style period flashback keeps viewers hooked. The Rajasthani-style folk song, used to depict the flashback, is praiseworthy. Sadly, the climax is very underwhelming. In the first part, Haunted (2011), it took a while for the protagonist to defeat the evil spirit. Here, it happens rather conveniently. The first part’s music was strong, while the songs in the second part are forgettable. A few developments are silly. But the biggest issue with the film is the excessive use of AI and VFX. No outdoor locations are listed in the end credits, which means that the film has only been shot in a studio. Believe it or not, in a crucial scene, one can easily spot the logo of an AI software on the bottom right corner. In another scene, a shot freezes while the dialogue keeps playing. Mimoh Chakraborty is okay and appears stiff. Chetna Pande (Sunheri) looks great and delivers a fine performance. Shruti Prakash (Yamini Jairam) leaves a mark in a supporting role. Praneet Bhatt (Vikrat) is the surprise of the film. Gaurav Bajpai (Titu), Krutika Desai (Madara) and Hemant Pandey (Trilok) are fair, and Sunil Shakya (Thanedaar) hams. All in all, Haunted – Echoes Of The Past is a loss of a golden opportunity.
My rating – ** out of 5!