Hide and Seek was definitely one of my favorite childhood games and if my memory serves me right, I think I most enjoyed hiding under my bed or in my closet. Anyhow, when a newbie director decides to direct a film with the title of a popular game, it isn’t hard to guess that the film is going to be a suspense-thriller. Shawn Arranha is an unknown name to many, but has been associated with a number of hit films including Shootout at Lokhandwala, Ek Ajnabee and Saathiya . Recognizing that the assistant director is bursting with talent, it was Apoorva Lakhia who insisted he get into direction and that too with Hide & Seek . Arranha loved the script and quickly took on the task of making this edge of your seat thriller. The film stars Purab Kohli, Arjan Bajwa, Mrinalini Sharma, Samir Kochhar, Amruta Patki and Ayaz Khan. With a twisted slasher tale and brand new ways of direction, Arranha promises that the film will scare…and how. Check it out!
As young kids, six friends got together to play a game of hide and seek. And at some point during that fated Christmas Eve, things go wrong causing a rift between the friends forcing them to part ways. Years later, the friends are forced, after being “kidnapped,” to meet again in a mall. Growing up, the six still suffer from the incidents of the childhood game they once played. They are made to play Hide and Seek again. Immediately the friends become sworn enemies as they are start blaming each other. Whodunit? You’ll need to watch Hide & Seek for more.
Kudos and props to Shawn Arranha. The director does an apt job of creating a thrilling and exciting film considering this is his debut film. His style of directing is certainly different just as he claimed. However, the film does falter in parts. Logically, the film makes sometimes slips, but if you choose to ignore that facet, the film does manage to scare and even engage you as a watcher. Additionally, did the characters have to be so perfect? Why couldn’t they be normal average folk? Why was it necessary to have a boring dumb girl, an actor and so on? Unnecessary. You will get confused. You will scratch your head. But all your perplexities are all solved post the interval. And then you come to the climax which could have been a bit tighter but never the less, Hide & Seek is a fun thriller.
Super awesome performances all around by the cast. Purab Kohli is as usual, his fine self although he does ham a bit in the climax and gets melodramatic. The same goes for Arjan Bajwa who finally gets his due post Fashion; the actor was really shunned behind the actresses and their clothes in the 2008 hit. Samir Kochhar is awesome along with Ayaz Khan. The actresses do well too. Mrinalini Sharma is top-notch. Her performance really manages to create an impact. Amruta Patki is impressive and is given good scope to perform in her debut film. Overall, the actors help the film.
If you’re a slasher film fan—especially if you liked I Know What You Did Last Summer and other’s of this genre, you will thoroughly enjoy Hide & Seek.
