? (Question Mark)

Indian Express Ratings: **1/2

The lineage is a direct one,from Hollywood’s ‘found footage’ sleeper hit ‘The Blair Witch Project’,in which three student filmmakers go off into a forest,and never come back. Percept Pictures’ ‘?’ (Question Mark) rips off the theme,and some of the mood,but manages to keep us engaged,for the most part.

Four guys and three girls jump into an SUV and head off to make a film. It is a bright,sunny day,and the friends are upbeat about their project. The banter is easy,casual,free-flowing,matching the movements of the hand-held camera. They are off to a cottage,which stands in the middle of a thickly-forested clearing,and when they tumble out into their temporary abode,we stride in with them,exploring the rooms,the nooks and the corners,and,yes,the dark room,where we know,because we’ve been primed,something sinister will happen.

For those familiar with ‘The Blair Witch Project’,and other ‘found footage’ films like the ‘Paranormal Activity’ series,the progression from light-hearted laughter to darkness and fear proceeds according to the plan. For those new to the genre,this a nicely-done introduction (in Hindi,as well as Tamil and Telegu),where the creepiness and the growing feeling of dread is not due to a white-faced ghost with dripping red fangs,but emanates from an invisible malevolent spirit. What you cannot see is sometimes much scarier.

‘?’ (Question Mark) gets shackled by too much explanation about ‘spirits’ and ‘paranormal activity’,and it could have done with more crispness,and a little less amateurishness. But as an attempt which stays true to its purpose,of providing uneasy chills,’?’ (Question Mark) pretty much does its job.

shubhra.gupta@expressindia.com