| Thick
woods covered with mist, form the backdrop for this Indian supernatural
horror.
We
delve in the life of Sandra Williams who lives in a mansion with
her two children, Sarah and David. Both children are sensitive to
light. So they need to live in dark rooms.
Sandra's
husband, Major Frank John Williams (Amitabh Bachchan) is at war
and there has been no news of his home coming.
To
help her cope with the chores, Sandra employs three domestic servants
- Mrs. Pinto the nanny, Edgar the gardener and Maria the cook. They
are briefed by strict house rules from Mrs Williams.
It's
after their arrival that Sarah begins to hear some strange noises
in the mansion. This raises many questions in Mrs Williams' mind.
Can
these servants be responsible for the noise or is her daughter imagining
in her head. Or worse still, can the mansion be haunted?
Feeling
insecure, Mrs Williams decides to consult Father D'Souza. But on
her way through the woods, she bumps into her husband Frank.
He
appears dazed. The family is thrilled by this reunion but he feels
that something is not right with his family. So he leaves the house.
With
the help of his friend Virendra (Dharmendra), Frank begins to investigate
the mystery surrounding his family...
Hum
Kaun Hai? (meaning who are we?) has a great screenplay. The
story unfolds gradually as we get to learn more about the Williams'
family.
You
will notice that some of the scenes have been lifted straight from
the Hollywood original. But having said this, the final reels deviate
by introducing the character of Virandra.
The
cCinematography helps with the mood of the film. Dark scenes add
that special edge to the proceedings.
It's
so nice to learn that this film has no songs and quite rightly so.
One does not need a song and dance sequence in the middle of a spooky
horror!
Dimple
Kapadia as Mrs Williams is brilliant. She has played her part with
perfection. From the servants, it is Moushmi as Mrs Pinto who shines
with her evil look and smile.
Amitabh
Bachchan makes a special appearance in the film even though the
publicity showed him as the central character.
On
the whole, Hum Kaun Hai will appeal to a small section of
cinemagoers in the UK due to its unusual storyline.
Reviewed
by Manish Gajjar
BBC
Shropshire's Mr Bollywood
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