Naina (2005) She Sees Dead People and More

ZC Rating 3 of 7: Good

It took a few attempts to get Shripal Morakhia's Naina into the DVD player. After the first bottle of Claret, my coordination deteriorated rapidly. I finally loaded the disc and Zombos and I were soon watching this intriguing Bollywood Horror remake of The Eye.

With a matter-of-fact tagline that reads, "Twenty years of darkness, seven days of hell, no one could survive it, SHE DID," we did not have very high expectations. But the Claret made us stronger and more daring. Then there are the cultural differences: how would a Hindi version of The Eye fit in with the melodramatic and religious aspects of Bollywood cinema? And most importantly of all, would there be singing and dancing?

"Bring on the dancing and singing Gopis," hiccupped Zombos. "If I could stand it in Rocky Horror, I can stand it here."

"There were no Gopis in The Rocky Horror Picture Show," I told him.

"Not dressed as such, but the premise is the same."

"Point taken," I conceded. "But there are no Gopis, nor singing or dancing in this film."

"What? Impossible! I thought that was a contractual requirement for every Bollywood film?"

"Apparently horror films are excluded from that requirement." I said. I started the film.

The opening shows the accident that leaves young Naina blind, intercut with a bloody cesarean-section of a still-born baby girl that suddenly comes back to life just as Naina's parents are killed in an accident. Then there is an eclipse of the sun. We move ahead years later to a point where Naina is ready to undergo a cornea transplant operation.

"I am already confused," said Zombos.

I refilled his glass. "There, that should help."

Urmila Matondkar plays Naina Shah with a touch of melodrama--after all this is a Bollywood film--and grandmotherly Mrs. Shah Kamini Khanna is constantly by her side. Yet the coloration of the film, the cinematography, and, to some extent the somber, bittersweet, piano score give this movie a J-Horror styling.