. “Raaz” is the story of an architect in love with a Christian girl. Community becomes an obstacle to the union, so he leaves his religion and becomes an atheist. Normality returns till he gets an offer to renovate a palace into a hotel. The palace is possessed by an evil spirit — related to his wife!

The film has all the staple ingredients of horror. An old mansion, an ice maiden, who you fear will be possessed by the devil, flying objects, creaky doors, a gramophone that plays on its own and above all a lingering musical score.

What’s interesting is, we come to know quite early that the devil is not much affected by the Cross, promising a healthy fight. Vikram has created Palampur in picturesque Yorkshire. The scene stealer is debutante Adah Sharma as Lisa, the ice maiden.

Model Rajneesh Duggal makes an average start as Arjun, the architect. As with most films of this genre, the devil becomes so big that any end would have seemed contrived.

Vikram’s premise that where God failed, Bhagwan will come to the rescue doesn’t appeal to the mind.

But you don’t go to watch a horror film with the mind. Do you?

A.K.

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