Rate Movie 0/5
Your Rating
Slide to Rate
| Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Sonia Rathee, Abhishek Kumar, Varun Pandey, Manmeet Kaur | |
| Sangeeth Sivan | |
| Comedy, horror | |
| 2 hours 20 minutes |
Critic's rating 2.5/5
Kapkapiii, directed by the late Sangeeth Sivan, is a horror-comedy that blends scares with slapstick in a manner reminiscent of films like Stree. A remake of the 2023 Malayalam hit Romancham, it attempts to capture the chaos and charm of a group of aimless friends who unwittingly stumble into the supernatural but ends up feeling more like a stitched-together series of comedy sketches than a cohesive film.
The film follows Manu (Shreyas Talpade) and his friends Rivin (Abishek Kumar), Nanku (Jay Thakkar), Achyut (Dinker Sharma), Vijay (Dhirendra Tiwari), and Nirup (Varun Pande), who all share a house in Faridabad. Only Rivin is gainfully employed, while Nirup doubles as housekeeper and cook.
The entry of two young girls, Kavya (Siddhi Idnani) and Madhu (Sonia Rathee), in the apartment above theirs, leads to a hint of romance. But just when you think you're in for another brainless rom com, the group's mundane existence is jolted into action when Manu, intrigued by a séance conducted via an Ouija board, attempts his own spirit-summoning with a carrom board. To their shock, they make contact with a spirit named Anamika and things quickly spiral into madness. The arrival of Manu's eccentric childhood friend Kabir (Tusshar Kapoor) in the second adds another layer of chaos to their already bizarre lives.
To the late Sivan’s credit, he does manage to elicit solid performances from the film's ensemble cast. Shreyas Talpade, a reliable comic presence, is in his element here. He brings manic energy to Manu, while Tusshar Kapoor’s bizarre, almost creepy Kabir is a standout, his unsettling smile and strange antics lend the film some of its funniest moments. The camaraderie among the core group of friends feels authentic, their banter and bond evoking genuine warmth and humour. Supporting actors like Dibyendu Bhattacharya shine in fleeting appearances, proving that strong character work can leave a mark even in limited time.
However, where Kapkapiii falters is in its narrative structure. The screenplay lacks fluidity, unfolding more like a patchwork of loosely connected skits than a fully realised story. Key plot points are introduced but not meaningfully explored most notably, the origins and motives of the spirit Anamika remain frustratingly vague despite the film’s considerable 140-minute runtime. Rather than building intrigue, the script squanders opportunities for tension and coherence, leaving viewers amused but ultimately unsatisfied.
The film’s humour, while often crude and occasionally verging on the offensive, lands more often than it misses. The tapori lingo and unfiltered dialogue inject a raw energy into the scenes, but the over-reliance on bawdy jokes and repetitive gags undermines any genuine suspense the horror elements aim to build.
Visually and tonally, Kapkapiii exudes a nostalgic early-2000s charm, from its set design to its background score, which, while oddly comforting, also makes it feel dated. The female characters, unfortunately, are underwritten and serve more as ornamental diversions than meaningful contributors to the plot, which is a missed opportunity.
While clearly designed to set up a sequel, the untimely passing of director Sangeeth Sivan casts uncertainty over the continuation of the story. His signature flair for comedy is evident, but here it overshadows the horror, resulting in a film that entertains in spurts but doesn’t fully deliver on its promise.
In sum, Kapkapiii is carried by its cast and comic moments, but let down by a screenplay that never quite comes together. It’s a fun ride, no doubt, just one that could have used a sturdier roadmap.
See Also: Upcoming Bollywood Movies Releasing In May 2025: Raid 2 & More
TRAILER :
Kapkapiii
Your rating is submitted
