Review of Kakuda: Riteish Deshmukh, Saqib Saleem, Sonakshi Sinha’s horror-comedy fails to evoke fear or laughter
Name: Kakuda
Director: Aditya Sarpotkar
Rating: 2/5
Where To Watch: Zee 5
Plot:
Kakuda follows the story of Sunny (Saqib Saleem), a less-educated man who is in love with Indira (Sonakshi Sinha). Determined to be together, they marry and move to the village of Ratodi only to be cursed by Kakuda, a wicked ghost. On their wedding night, Sunny fails to open the smaller door for Kakuda at 7:15 pm sharp, inviting Kakuda, who punishes the man of the house by inflicting a hump on their back that grows until their demise on the thirteenth day. With Sunny’s life hanging by a thread, Indira seeks help from Victor (Riteish Deshmukh), a ghost hunter.
Together, they embark on a journey to solve the mystery of Kakuda, and uncover the shocking truth about the ghost’s identity, motives, and the village’s haunting curse that has lasted for decades.
What works for Kakuda:
Kakuda has a good concept and an interesting conflict. It classifies as a decent family watch. With better screenplay and presentation, it had the potential to be among the better horror-comedies that we see today. Riteish Deshmukh is in good form and he elevates the proceedings to a certain degree. A handful of scenes in the movie make you chuckle a little.
What doesn’t work for Kakuda:
Kakuda fails to scare or invoke laughter; Something that it really needed to do. The movie just doesn’t get its rhythm of comedy, correct. Kakuda feels like a cocktail of horror-comedies like Stree, Bhediya and Munjya. The template of horror-comedies is getting repetitive now and they are, in general, becoming increasingly formulaic too. Despite having the potential to explore, makers find it best to play to the gallery.
Watch the Kakuda Trailer:
Performances in Kakuda:
Riteish Deshmukh as Victor is the pick of the actors. He delivers a good performance as the crazy ghost hunter.
Sonakshi Sinha as Indira and Saqib Saleem as Sunny are just about alright. They could have surely done better but the script doesn’t offer them much.
Other supporting actors in the movie are formidable. They perform as they are expected to perform.
Final Verdict of Kakuda:
Kakuda despite an intriguing concept, ends up being a dull fare that offers very little that it promises to give. With the increasing inflow of movies of the horror-comedy genre, new presentation is what’s required and Kakuda fails to provide that.
You can now watch Kakuda on ZEE5.
ALSO READ: Kakuda: Sonakshi Sinha, Riteish Deshmukh’s horror-comedy releases a day early; here’s where you can watch it