Darna Mana Hai (2003)

In the shrouded darkness of a distant forest, seven urban friends find themselves marooned when their car succumbs to mechanical failure. To stave off the creeping dread of the night and pass their time, they begin to weave a tapestry of chilling tales, each one more unnerving than the last. As each story unfolds, however, the line between reality and fiction blurs as one by one, each storyteller succumbs to the sinister grip of their own narrative, disappearing back to the forsaken car. Their tales range from the eerie to the surreal: Karan and Anjali, a couple trapped in the wilderness, grapple with an uncanny doppelgänger phenomenon; Anil Manchandani, a habitual smoker, finds himself in a disturbingly eccentric hotel where the proprietor despises his habit; Pramila, a struggling student, gradually becomes an object of fear for her once intimidating teacher, Dayashankar Pandey. Then there's the curious case of Gayatri, a housewife who grows suspicious of an apple vendor only to wake up to a world transformed into apples, including her husband. In another tale, John, a weary traveler, accepts a lift from Amar on a desolate freeway, only to uncover Amar's chilling secret. Lastly, we meet Purab, deemed a misfit by his peers, who suddenly acquires the ability to halt the world around him. "Darna Mana Hai" is a cinematic experience that transcends the conventional boundaries of Indian horror. This anthology doesn't rely on clichéd sound effects and visuals for thrills but instead delves into the realm of psychological horror. The actors, including the notable Raghubir Yadav as the terrified school teacher, deliver compelling performances, enhancing the eerie ambiance of the film. Some stories could have benefitted from refined scripts and less simplification, but each narrative nonetheless holds its unique allure. This film invites viewers on a journey into the human psyche, exploring our shared fears and the chilling power of storytelling.

Darna Mana Hai is a horror movie featuring Sameera Reddy and directed by Prawaal Raman.

It is possible to buy Darna Mana Hai on Amazon Video.