Community hub
0 subscribers7 pages, 0 posts
Recent from talks
All channels
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Welcome to the community hub built to collect knowledge and have discussions related to Sssshhh....
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Sssshhh...
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
| Sssshhh... | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Pavan S. Kaul |
| Written by | Arshad Ali Syed |
| Based on | Scream by Wes Craven |
| Produced by | Sunil Mehta |
| Starring | Dino Morea Tanishaa Kushal Punjabi Gaurav Kapur Suvarna Jha Shivaji Satam Simone Singh Karan Nath |
| Cinematography | Hiroo Keswani |
| Edited by | Amit Saxena |
| Music by | Anu Malik Salim-Sulaiman (BGM) |
| Distributed by | Cinevistaa Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 163 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Sssshhh... is a 2003 Indian slasher film[1] written and directed by Pavan S. Kaul. It stars Tanishaa (in her debut) and Dino Morea along with Kushal Punjabi, Gaurav Kapur, Suvarna Jha, Karan Nath, Shivaji Satam and Simone Singh. It was produced by Sunil Mehta and Prem Kishen, with the music directed by Anu Malik and background score by Salim-Sulaiman. It is a remake of the 1996 American film Scream.[2][3]
Plot
[edit]Late one night, Malini Gujral and her boyfriend Sunny are brutally murdered by a killer in a clown mask on their college campus.
Six months later, in Shimla, Malini's younger sister Mahek runs into police inspector Kamat Uncle. He tells her there is no progress in searching for her sister's killer, as no evidence was left behind. Mahek gets a call from the killer, which frightens her. The next day at college, she hangs out with her friends Rocky, Gehna, Rajat, Rhea, and Nikhil when she meets Suraj Rai, the man who returned her purse at the mall the other day. He is new to the campus from Delhi. It is obvious that Rocky is jealous and in love with Mahek. Over the course of the day, Mahek is stalked by the killer, who murders one of her teachers, Mrs. Roy.
There is a bloody shoe print at the crime scene, and inspectors believe it is the work of a serial killer. Rocky jokes about how he escaped having to take the psychology exam, and Kamat Uncle becomes suspicious, but Rocky's feet are bigger than the prints at the scene, eliminating him as a suspect. Suraj becomes nervous when his shoe size matches the footprint. Kamat Uncle suggests that they wait for the post-mortem report.
Mahek starts to avoid Rocky and apologizes to Suraj for his behavior. Suraj shares his close relationship with his father, and Mahek has flashbacks to when her dad left her family. She is comforted by her mom at home, who then leaves for an art convention in Delhi. Later that night, Mahek finds a window unlocked and realizes she's in the house with the killer. She notices an orange watch on the killer's wrist during the pursuit. She manages to alert Kamat Uncle and is able to fight the killer, who escapes before the police arrive. She runs outside, and Suraj is there. She notices the same orange watch on his wrist. Kamat Uncle arrives, and Suraj is arrested.
Mahek attends a party with Rocky but leaves early. On the foggy drive home, she receives a call from the killer. She is terrified because Suraj is supposed to be in jail. The killer appears on the road, causing Gehna to lose control of the car and crash into a river. Gehna is unconscious, and the killer tries to drown Mahek. Suraj arrives and fights the killer. It turns out he had an alibi. The killer escapes and is shot by Kamat Uncle. He jumps into the river, but the police are unsuccessful in recovering the killer's body.
Mahek makes amends with Suraj but continues to have visions of the killer. She has a breakdown, and her friends decide that they need to go on holiday. They go to an island and get trapped with the killer, who has followed them. They realise there is no escaping death now and argue over who cannot be trusted amongst them. Mahek is turned against Rocky as suspicious circumstances continue to surround him. Rajat, Rhea, and Nikhil are all murdered. Kamat Uncle and Rathod arrive on the island with news of Mahek's mother's death. Kamat Uncle is killed, and Suraj shoots the killer. When they remove the mask, it is Inspector Rathod. Rocky implores Mahek to accept his love, but Suraj shoots him.
Suraj reveals his identity as the killer. It is also revealed that Rajat was not killed but is alive. The killer is a duo. Heartbroken, Suraj and Rajat are brothers. Their mother was raped by Mahek and Malini's estranged father, destroying their family after she committed suicide from the shame. Following their mother's suicide, their dad shot himself. For revenge, Suraj and Rajat killed Mahek's father first, followed by Malini, then her mother, and needed to claim Mahek's life to repay the debt owed for her father ruining their lives.
Rocky shoots Suraj and Rajat, saving Mahek from the same fate as her family. Suraj dies at the hands of Mahek, who stabs him after his gunshot wound proves nonfatal. Rocky and Mahek ride back to the mainland on a boat in each other's arms.
Cast
[edit]- Dino Morea as Rocky
- Tanishaa as Mehek Gujral
- Gaurav Kapur as Rajat Rai
- Kushal Punjabi as Nikhil
- Karan Nath as Suraj Rai
- Suvarna Jha as Gehna
- Tina Choudhary as Riya
- Alyy Khan as Inspector Akash Rathore
- Shivaji Satam as Commissioner Kamath
- Simone Singh as Malini Gujral
- Sambhavna Seth in an item number
- Kashmera Shah in an item number
Music
[edit]| Sssshhh... | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 5 September 2003 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Label | T-Series |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dheere Dheere Hua" | Praveen Bhardwaj | Alka Yagnik, Adnan Sami | 6:33 |
| 2. | "Ishq Da Maara" | Dev Kohli | Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder Singh | 7:09 |
| 3. | "Kab Mera Haal-E-Dil" | Rahat Indori | Sonu Nigam | 5:16 |
| 4. | "Sapney" | Yogesh Gaur | Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik | 7:50 |
| 5. | "Mohabbat Mein Ye" | Praveen Bhardwaj | Shaan | 5:45 |
| 6. | "Tera Mera Dil" | Praveen Bhardwaj | Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik | 7:02 |
Release
[edit]Reception
[edit]Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama gave the film 2 stars out of 5, feeling it was stylishly executed and had ample shock value, but was also weakly written and too lengthy.[4] While appreciative of the cinematography, Sukanya Verma from Rediff.com criticized the acting performances except Morea, the focus on romance, and the background score.[5]
Reviewing the film in 2022, Paul Lê from Bloody Disgusting noted the film's similarities with Scream as well as I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, feeling it still had a high amount of unpredictability, and while not as good as the original, the film was "a loud remake rich in regional charm and bold choices."[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Thai beauty beckons Bollywood". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
What happens when half a dozen college kids decide to make a getaway trip to Thailand? A perfect premise for a slasher flick, that's what. Tanishaa's debut, Sssshhh... belongs to this genre.
- ^ a b Squires, John (20 January 2023). "'Sssshhh…' – Bollywood Remake of 'Scream' Becomes a SCREAMBOX SVOD Exclusive on February 3!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Kalla, Avinash (28 December 2003). "Bold themes and pretty faces". Tribune India. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ Adarsh, Taran (24 October 2003). "Sssshhh? Movie Review: Sssshhh? Movie". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2003.
- ^ Verma, Sukanya. "Sheesh!". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2003.
- ^ Lê, Paul (14 January 2022). "'Scream' Got the Bollywood Treatment in 2003 Remake 'Sssshhh…' [Horrors Elsewhere]". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
External links
[edit]- Sssshhh... at IMDb
Sssshhh...
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Synopsis and cast
Plot
The film opens with the brutal murder of college student Malini Gujral and her boyfriend Sunny by a masked killer wearing a clown disguise on the campus of Simon College in Shimla, India.[12][13] The attack shatters the tranquility of the snowy mountain town, leaving the police baffled as the killer vanishes without a trace, marking the beginning of a series of unsolved killings.[14] Six months later, Malini's younger sister, Mahek Gujral, enrolls at the same college in Shimla, attempting to rebuild her life amid lingering grief.[15] She is soon plagued by anonymous phone calls from the killer, who taunts her with details of her sister's death and threatens to target her next, heightening her isolation and fear.[13] As Mahek grows closer to new student Suraj and reconnects with her childhood friend Rocky—while navigating tensions with mutual friends like Rajat, Nikhil, Riya, and Gehna—the stalking escalates into direct attacks, including an intrusion into her home where she barely escapes by setting the assailant ablaze.[12][14] Suspicions arise among the group, with red herrings pointing to Suraj due to a suspicious watch and Rocky's overprotectiveness, as additional murders claim a teacher and other acquaintances, each executed with theatrical cruelty by the clown-masked figure.[15][13] The narrative delves into Mahek's family backstory, revealing that her father was killed by the perpetrators as the initial act of revenge, intertwined with the killers' own family tragedy of their mother's suicide—attributed to an affair with Mahek's father—followed by their father's suicide. This has left deep emotional scars. The tragedy intertwines with the killings when Mahek's mother is savagely murdered in their home, splattering blood across her artwork, further isolating Mahek and drawing in her uncle, Inspector Kamat, to investigate.[14] Seeking respite, Mahek and her friends embark on a group trip to a secluded beach resort in Thailand, but the killer follows, turning the vacation into a deadly trap where friends like Nikhil and Riya fall victim in gruesome attacks, including a throat-slitting during a raft escape.[12][13] In the climax, the killers are unmasked as Suraj and Rajat, a duo driven by a revenge motive rooted in their parents' suicides, which they attribute to Mahek's father's infidelity and the ensuing family fallout that indirectly affected their lives.[15][14] The revelation unfolds during a tense confrontation at a reservoir, where Rajat—previously presumed dead—is shown to be alive and collaborating with Suraj, using the murders to punish Mahek and her circle for perceived wrongs tied to the past suicides.[13] Mahek, aided by Rocky and the police, fights back in a chaotic showdown, leading to the killers' demise when they are shot by police and fall into the water, though Mahek is left haunted by nightmares, suggesting lingering uncertainty.[12][15]Cast
Sssshhh... features Tanishaa Mukerji in her film debut as Mahek Gujral, the bubbly yet traumatized younger sister who withdraws into a protective shell following a family tragedy.[8][11][16] Dino Morea plays Rocky, Mahek's supportive love interest and protector who aids her amid the ensuing suspense.[8][1] The ensemble supporting cast includes antagonists and allies in Mahek's circle:- Karan Nath as Suraj Rai, one of the key antagonists.[8]
- Gaurav Kapoor as Rajat, a co-antagonist and friend-turned-suspect.[8]
- Kushal Punjabi as Nikhil, a friend in the group.[17]
- Tina Choudhary as Riya, a friend and victim in the group.[8]
- Suvarna Jha as Gehna, a victim entangled in the events.[8]
- Shivaji Satam as Inspector Kamat, the lead investigator.[8]
- Simone Singh as Malini Gujral, Mahek's older sister and another family member.[8]
Production
Development
Sssshhh... marked the directorial debut of Pavan S. Kaul, who co-wrote the story alongside handling direction, while Arshad Sayed crafted the screenplay. The production was spearheaded by Sunil Mehta and Prem Kishen under the banner of CinéVistaas Limited, marking a collaborative effort to introduce a modern slasher narrative to Indian audiences.[8][18] The film's script originated as an adaptation of the 1996 American slasher Scream, directed by Wes Craven, recontextualizing its core elements—a masked killer, anonymous phone threats, and a mystery-driven whodunit—within an Indian framework centered on college life and familial vengeance. This creative choice aimed to localize the genre's suspenseful tropes while navigating Bollywood's stylistic norms.[13] To align with Indian cinematic traditions, the screenplay integrated Bollywood hallmarks such as song sequences interspersed with horror beats, enhancing emotional depth and providing rhythmic breaks in the tension. Developed throughout 2003, the project positioned Sssshhh... as a pioneering Bollywood venture into the slasher subgenre, blending high-stakes thrills with cultural familiarity.[1]Casting
Tanishaa Mukerji was selected for the lead role of Mehak Gujral in her Bollywood debut, bringing a youthful appeal that aligned with the film's target audience despite her lack of prior experience in the horror genre. Originally set to debut in a Rajshri Productions project that collapsed due to financial constraints, she was chosen by director Pavan S. Kaul for this slasher thriller, marking his introduction of the actress as Kajol's younger sister.[19][20] Dino Morea was cast as Rocky, capitalizing on his rising star status following the commercial success of the horror film Raaz (2002), where he established an action-hero persona suitable for the thriller's intense sequences.[20] The supporting cast included Kushal Punjabi and Karan Nath in antagonist roles, with auditions emphasizing the actors' chemistry to support the narrative's dual-killer twist; Nath portrayed Suraj Rai alongside Gaurav Kapoor as Rajat. The selection process highlighted fresh faces like these to attract a young demographic, amid Bollywood's limited pool of experienced horror performers at the time, as the genre was still emerging post-Raaz. Auditions particularly tested emotional range and scream scenes to suit the film's demanding physical and vocal requirements.[20][8] No major controversies arose during casting.Filming
Principal photography for Sssshhh... commenced in mid-2003 and spanned several months, culminating in the film's theatrical release on October 24, 2003. The production involved a hectic schedule, with lead actress Tanishaa Mukerji later recounting shooting for just two hours before sleeping three, often passing out from exhaustion during her debut.[21] This intense pace was compounded by a severe on-set car accident for Mukerji, who fell off a mountain and sustained brain damage, including swelling that required a year of EEG monitoring; she continued filming with producer support despite the injury affecting her performance.[21] The film was shot primarily in the hill stations of Himachal Pradesh, such as Shimla and Kulu Manali, to evoke the story's isolated, atmospheric college setting amid snow-capped landscapes.[22][12] Additional exterior sequences were captured in Khandala, Goa, and exotic Thai locales including sunny, secluded beaches, blending misty mountain suspense with contrasting tropical visuals.[22][12] Cinematography was handled by Hiroo Keswani, whose work was praised for its outstanding capture of these diverse locations and creation of an eerie ambience through effective lighting and framing, enhancing the slasher genre's tension.[12][8] The production relied on practical effects for murder sequences, aligning with the film's mid-2000s Indian horror context where CGI was limited. In post-production, editing by K. Raj Gopalan aimed to build suspense, though the final cut ran excessively long at 19 reels, with critics noting padded friend-group scenes and a protracted climax that diluted the thriller's impact.[8][12]Music
Composition
The soundtrack for Sssshhh... was composed by Anu Malik, responsible for the film's six songs that blend elements of horror suspense with traditional Bollywood romantic and item numbers.[23][24] These songs are integrated into the narrative to provide relief from the building tension, such as in sequences that break the slasher thriller's pace, while the background score—composed by Salim and Sulaiman Merchant—enhances the eerie and suspenseful atmosphere with tense cues during stalking and kill scenes.[8][25][26] This approach exemplifies Bollywood's hallmark fusion of slasher horror with musical numbers, contrasting upbeat tracks against the film's thriller elements.[26]Track listing
The soundtrack album for Sssshhh... was released on September 5, 2003, by T-Series and consists of six tracks composed by Anu Malik.[27] The lyrics were penned by multiple writers, including Praveen Bhardwaj, Dev Kohli, Yogesh, and Rahat Indori.[28] Featured singers include Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Adnan Sami, Sukhwinder Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Shaan.[28] Among the tracks, "Dheere Dheere Hua" is a romantic duet sung by Alka Yagnik and Adnan Sami, running 6:30 in length.[28]| No. | Title | Singers | Length | Lyrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tera Mera Dil | Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik | 7:01 | Praveen Bhardwaj |
| 2 | Ishq Da Maara Hai | Sukhwinder Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan | 7:06 | Dev Kohli |
| 3 | Dheere Dheere Hua | Adnan Sami, Alka Yagnik | 6:30 | Praveen Bhardwaj |
| 4 | Sapney | Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik | 7:49 | Yogesh |
| 5 | Mohabbat Mein Ye | Shaan | 5:43 | Praveen Bhardwaj |
| 6 | Kab Mera Haale Dil | Sonu Nigam | 5:14 | Rahat Indori |