Director by: Vikram K. Kumar Producer by: Reliance Big Pictures Starring: Sachin Khedekar, Neetu Chandra, Poonam Dhillon Music Dir: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy [Watch Songs]
This movie titled '13B' falls in the horror category. There have been many such movies in Bollywood. In fact, some producers are known for making scary movies. Vikram K. Kumar is a known director in the Tamil world of entertainment.
He has shot this movie in both Hindi and Tamil simultaneously. After entering into a contract with Big Pictures, Vikram signed R. Madhavan for it as the latter is well versed in both languages and can work with equal ease. Similarly, Neetu Chandra is familiar with both languages and was therefore cast in the female lead role. Besides, she could give dates immediately for shooting.
Now, let's talk about the title of the movie. This is the number of a flat where the hero lives with his family. It may look a little odd but this isn't new in films. However, one wonder if the title has any major connect with the movie excepting that it's considered ominous to name a flat bearing this number.
The movie moves around a civil engineer named Manohar played by R. Madhavan. He has just moved into a new flat numbered 13 B with his joint family, comprising his wife Neetu Chandra, his brother with wife and their two kids besides a TV soap-addicted mother played by pretty Poonam Dhillon.
The movie begins on a cheerful note with both the brothers and their wives enjoying life, and their mother (or mother-in-law) enjoying TV soaps. But, the flat number being 13 B is considered ominous. So, strange things begin to happen almost immediately.
For instance, the lift stops working when Manohar steps into it, his photograph on the mobile cam comes constantly distorted and his bleeding thumb makes a `B' pattern on the floor! These don't end here; such kind of turns takes place in his life, too.
The family is faced with rainy nights, overbearing music, a mysterious box unearthed by the neighborhood dog, and power breakdowns. Manohar walks up 13 floors every day. He along with wife dances late at night singing an odd romantic song! So, everyone around inquires about their well-being.
Strangely, Dr Desai played by Sachin Khedekar talks about the paranormal powers that want revenge. Not to suffice, one of the spirits talks directly to the culprit and tells him what he did was wrong, and that too some 30 years ago.
As a critic, we would like director Vikram K. Kumar to explain all this as he or any director shouldn't take so much of liberty in the name of making a movie. He needs to see that everything connects well in the plot.
Otherwise, we shall say that he has wasted a skilled actor like Madavan in his movie. Acting-wise, Madhavan plays excellently well whatever role he is assigned. Though Neetu Chandra looks attractive in the movie, she has no big role to play. Poonam Dhillon has proved that she still counts in her charm and skill.
Overall, the movie is worth a watch because of its good cast but fails in connecting the plot with nothing but horror.