Chhorii 2
Rating – ***(3/5)
Cast: Nushrratt Bharuccha, Soha Ali Khan, Gashmeer Mahajani & more
Directed by: Vishal Furia
Vishal Furia began his horror journey with Lapachappi, remade into Chhorri and now we have Chhorii 2. He is clearly not done with this world and mostly, no one is complaining.
In Chhorii 2, Sakshi (Nushrratt Bharuccha) returns to a world still haunted by the traumas of her past, but this time, she’s not just fighting for herself. The sequel opens in quiet isolation, where Sakshi is raising her daughter under strange, oppressive conditions. There’s an unspoken dread in every frame, hinting that whatever she escaped before may not be truly gone. The child Ishani’s odd sensitivity to sunlight adds a layer of mystery that cleverly taps into the psychological tension, setting a curious tone that promises something grim yet meaningful.
What follows, however, is a mixed bag of cinematic intentions. The film starts off with an urgency, trying to catch viewers up on the aftermath of the first chapter, but it doesn’t quite find a rhythm early on. Scenes from Sakshi’s new life feel fragmented, as if the film is rushing to its real plot while tripping over its own continuity. It’s clear that there’s a deeper story at play, but the build-up lacks finesse, and the early momentum quickly wanes.
There’s a sharp shift once the child vanishes, a narrative hook that should, in theory, jolt the story into motion. Instead, the pacing becomes erratic. It moves, yes—but often in circles. For every intriguing revelation, there’s a stretch of stagnation. It’s as if the film is caught between wanting to expand its mythos and simply getting to the next scare, which more often than not does land. It doesn’t quite commit to either. The atmosphere carries potential, with lingering frames and long silences, but it’s not always utilized with intention. The eeriness simmers, but rarely boils.
Set pieces arrive with dramatic music cues, yet lack the impact one might expect. The tension is present, but never escalates to a point of genuine discomfort. There’s an undercurrent of social commentary woven into the story, particularly around patriarchal traditions and systemic violence, but it doesn’t fuse seamlessly with the horror. It lingers in the background without ever seizing the spotlight, leading to a tonal mismatch that is hard to ignore.
Performances are a saving grace, albeit within the boundaries set by the script. Nushrratt Bharuccha carries the weight of a character spiraling through fear, confusion, and maternal desperation. Her presence anchors much of the film, even when the writing falters. Soha Ali Khan appears in a role that hints at layers but is left underexplored, her character floating in and out without making the mark it intends to. But even then with Soha sinking her teeth into the character like she does – she creates an instant and consistent impact. On several instances, she steals the show and how. The young actor playing the daughter is composed and understated, delivering a performance that resonates despite limited dialogue.
Technically, the film has moments of visual flair. A few sequences experiment with movement and space in interesting ways, especially when the camera attempts to reflect the characters’ inner chaos. But elsewhere, technical choices detract from the immersion—sound design that overwhelms instead of unsettles, and effects that lack polish, pulling the viewer out of otherwise immersive scenes. Editing decisions further dampen the mood, with scenes that could benefit from tighter transitions often dragging on.
By the time Chhorii 2 reaches its conclusion, the promise of the premise has worn thin. What begins as a psychological exploration of a mother guarding her child from an unseen danger ends with a climax that underdelivers. The payoff doesn’t rise to meet the questions posed, and the ambiguity feels more like narrative fatigue than intentional suspense.
Yet, despite its flaws, the film does attempt to chart new ground for Indian horror. There’s an ambition in its storytelling, a desire to blend real-world trauma with folklore and fear. That ambition, even if unfulfilled, signals a filmmaker striving for substance in a genre often reduced to gimmicks. Whether or not Chhorii 2 achieves that is debatable—but in its missteps, it reveals an earnest, if uneven, attempt to evolve the language of horror.
