Conviction is the most important thing in any film to strike a chord with its audience. It is this conviction that made Raaz a roaring hit in 2003; it is precisely this conviction that is missing in Raaz ��� The Mystery Continues.

RAAZ THE mystery continues; proves yet again that the follow-ups are never as good as the originals (barring Lage Raho Munna Bhai).

 
Raaz had a very simple thread – the story of Satyavaan and Savitri – where the dutiful wife in the end saves her husband from a sure death! The strength of the film was its linear narrative and a taut screenplay.
 

Raaz – the mystery continues, falters on these counts. The film opens with a foreigner driving through a mountainous terrain – into a mathh – it seems there is something amiss; very soon the man he is interacting with commits suicide.
 
Cut to a super-model Nandita (Kangna Ranaut) who is troubled; her now on and now off boyfriend (Adhyaman Suman) calls her up.
 
Cut to a ceremony, where it is revealed that he has bagged the best anchor (or was it show-producer) award for his reality series – Andhvishwas – that proclaims god is dead!
 
After these patchy layers, very soon however, the film gets a grip on its audiences as a character (Emraan Hashmi) follows Kangna. He is a painter and in his paintings he paints Kangna in various colors of mutilations!
 
Emraan wants to save Kangna – the Raaz is why is the ghost hounding Kangna?
 
When the Raaz is revealed audiences feel – they have been taken for granted. It would be very inappropriate to reveal the Raaz though, as some people might still want to get spooked.
 
While Raaz was a perfect case of apt writing; Raaz – the mystery continues is a perfect case of inept writing!
 
The questions viewers ask are:
 

• If the ghost wants Adhyaman to rectify a mistake – shouldn’t he torment Kangna in front of Adhyaman, so that Adhyaman is fast enough to rectify it rather than wait till the end?

 

• Why Emraan doesn’t tell police what he tells Kangna – that he can actually see Kangna in trouble as revealed by his paintings?

 

• When Kangna sees herself in the mirror getting spooked, why doesn’t she tell Adhyaman about it? Fine there were Adhyaman’s friends initially; but what when they have left?

 

• Why doesn’t the Swami help Kangna, when he knows she is tormented by a ghost? Probably the writers could have integrated Swami in the story/

 

• Why do the cops take a backseat – the senior officer is styled as a no-nonsense cop?

 
These are only few of the many questions that spook the viewers.
 
What rocks the movie?
 
The chartbuster song – dil roya ilaahi tu aaja mere maahi…
 
Kangna Ranaut. Fine she has made a career out of these troubled-woman portrayals – but isn’t success all about highlighting the strengths and concealing the weaknesses.
 
Emraan Hashmi. Fine he has limitations as an actor, but again, isn’t success all about highlighting the strengths and concealing the weaknesses.
 
Cinematography by Ravi Walia, very stylish – the colour correction is amazing and gives the film the desired spooky feel.
 
Jackie Shroff, in a small role, as Emraan’s father.
 
 
What chucks the movie?
 
Adhyaman Suman – the weakest link. His father, Shekhar Suman, went all out cursing Akshay Kumar – believe me Shekhar – if Adhyaman gets even .01 per cent of Akshay’s act, he will be considered an actor. He is as bad as Hole-hai-dil oops Haal-e-dil (remember!?)
 
The extremely unconvincing storyline, credited to the director Mohit Suri.
 
 
Verdict:
 
The film is nowhere near Raaz or even Vikram Bhatt’s last 1920 – at best an average fare with extremely limited appeal to viewers devouring on horror fare.