Phillauri
2017 · Directed by Anshai Lal
Original language: Hindi
- fantasy
- comedy
- romance
- drama
The story
A man is forced to marry a tree to ward off ill-luck that surrounds his love-life which turns into a nightmare when the tree is embodied by a spirit with an unfinished business.
What it’s like
Warm, bright Punjabi-town colour: mustard fields, marigold garlands, sun-washed courtyards and crowded wedding halls lit by glowing tube lights and flickering lamps, with a soft, slightly soapy digital gloss. The camera stays close and mobile in domestic scenes, moving with the family's bustle, then widens for song sequences where bhangra percussion and sweet romantic melodies carry the emotion more than the dialogue does. Sound is full and busy: drums, chatter, and a lilting score that shifts into eerie, hushed notes when the supernatural presence stirs. The mood is light-hearted with a wry, bittersweet undercurrent, a comedy of errors that eases into a tender, slightly melancholy romance, and the pacing is brisk and playful with gentle lulls. Its people are a hesitant man and a woman trying to untangle old pain and find a way toward each other, with the supernatural stirring up their feelings. Intensity is low: some spooky moments and mild jump scares, no real gore, no graphic violence, and sexual content kept mostly to suggestion and innuendo. It suits a relaxed evening with family or a friend, for viewers who enjoy romantic comedy with a touch of ghostly whimsy and cultural texture.
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