Among the recent comedy-thriller films, ‘OMG’ (O Manchi Ghost) is one. Featuring Vennela Kishore and Nandita Swetha in lead roles, this film was directed by Shankar K. Marthand.
It was released in theaters on June 21st and has now made its way to the ‘Aha’ platform this week.
Let’s see how much this film scares and entertains.
The story begins in 1970. A couple kidnaps a girl and takes her to an abandoned mansion, demanding a ransom of one lakh rupees from her father.
Before he can deliver the money, the ghost in the mansion kills the couple. The story then shifts to 2023.
Chaitanya, Pavuram, Sita, and Lakshman meet unexpectedly at a police station, where they get acquainted. Each of them faces individual problems and admits they are struggling financially.
They believe that only by making money can they solve their issues and start contemplating what to do.
Chaitanya talks about the injustice he faced because of his uncle, a politician. He suggests kidnapping the politician’s daughter, Keerthi (played by Nandita Swetha).
He assures the others that he will take responsibility if they get caught. They agree and kidnap Keerthi, taking her to the same old mansion from 1970. They demand four crores from Sadashiva Rao in exchange for her release.
Unknown to the kidnappers, Keerthi has been possessed by a ghost, and Sadashiva Rao’s family has been performing rituals with an exorcist to remove the spirit.
They worry that Keerthi will be in danger if the spirit isn’t exorcised that day. When the kidnappers see Keerthi possessed, the mansion’s ghost becomes even more enraged.
A man named ‘Aatma’ (played by Vennela Kishore) arrives at the mansion, claiming he is a ghost who died in a road accident some time ago, terrifying the others even more.
The protective talisman used to trap the spirit in Keerthi comes undone. What happens next? Who is the spirit possessing Keerthi? Who is the ghost haunting the mansion? These questions create suspense.
Horror-comedy films are typically made with low budgets and a limited cast, and this film is no exception, centered around a mansion.
The unique twist is that the mansion, already haunted by one spirit, now sees the arrival of a young woman possessed by another spirit. Shakalaka Shankar’s role, where he claims to know how to expel spirits but not how to trap them, adds some comedic value.
This is a simple film with an interesting concept, but it fails to deliver suspensefully. Vennela Kishore’s character could have been planned more intriguingly.
Anoop Rubens’ background score is mediocre. Andrew Babu’s cinematography and Varma’s editing are just okay.
In the past, some low-budget horror-comedies managed to both entertain and scare the audience, but this film does not achieve that balance.
Sound effects and camera work are crucial for films like this, and their inadequacies make this movie feel mediocre.
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