Story - 13B

Manohar (Madhavan) an upwardly mobile middle class Indian moves into a new apartment - 13B on the 13th floor with his family. Right from the very first day they stay there, the women folk in the house are hooked on to a new TV show. The show is about a family eerily similar to theirs and according to the story in the serial that family had also moved into a new house.

As the TV show unfolds, all the incidents that happen in the show start happening to Madhavan and his family. Initially, a number of happy events take place and a lot of good things happen, both in the show and with Madhavan's family. Then things take a sharp turn for the worse and shocking incidents start happening in the TV show… Will the same happen to Madhavan and his family? Will he be able to solve the mystery in time before it consumes him and his entire family?

13B is an Intelligent Thriller

13B revolves around Manohar (Madhavan) and his joint family comprising of his wife (Neetu Chandra), his brother and his wife, their two kids, mom (Poonam Dhillon) and a college going younger sister. They move into a new address -13B and as is the case in most Indian households, the female folk get hooked on to watching the daily Saas Bahu soaps on TV. But bizarre things start happening to Manohar after shifting to this new address – like the lift never works whenever he boards it alone, his mobile phone keeps clicking distorted images of himself, his bathroom bulb is constantly on despite him switching it off and him being unable to hammer a simple nail in the room of his house walls. While he is traumatized by all this, his family members are strangely experiencing personal gains. Just around that time the female folk in his house start following a new daily TV Soap called Sab Khairiyat. The show comes daily at 1300 hours at channel number 13 in his 13 B flat only. Manohar soon realizes that the things happening in the TV series being mirrored in his own family life as well. It is almost as if, his life’s daily events are being dictated by the TV series. This drives Manohar to the edge, driving him to take the help of an old friend Shiva (Murli Sharma) to find answers to it.

An innovative plot that steers clear of typical Bollywood horror cinema clichés like a Tantric Baba, Sanskrit shlokas, and badly made up ghosts, 13 B scores on many counts. The setting is very relatable to anyone staying in urban cities and the script makes good use of daily every day life happenings. Even things as simple as a lift and mobile phone are smartly used as a prop to scare you. It’s a tough job scaring the daylights out of the audience by showing things taking place on screen in broad daylight but 13 B succeeds very well in doing so. First timer director Vikram K. Kumar who is also the film’s story-screenplay and dialogue writer deserves full marks for all inventive efforts in making a gripping thriller that has you on the edge of the seat most of the time. Also, the back story which reveals the suspense behind the weird experiences Madhavan is experiencing appears very convincing. Vikram has also made good use of camera by employing lot of handheld camera moments which give you just the right feel of the character’s helplessness. The only downer is the film’s running time which is 2 and a half hour. Also, the need for sensuous dream song between Madhavan and Neetu was just not needed especially when sufficient time had been given for their bedroom act just few minutes before it. The background music by Tubby-Parik succeeds in elevating the tension.

The film is a must see for Madhavan’s superb act. He brilliantly conveys the dilemma that he faces and his vulnerability in handling the bizarre situations around him. Neetu Chandra in a less make up look gives him able support. Murli Sharma employing a lot of black humour is superb and gets some really good lines to give you that much needed comic relief. Poonam Dhillon making a comeback of sorts after over a decade is good too. Sachin Khedekar as the family’s trusted doctor does a fine job. In a small part, Deepak Dobriyal impresses a lot.

13 B is not to be missed, it not only engages you but also gives you the right chills and thrills just when you don’t expect them. It is one of the most intelligently made thriller in recent times in Bollywood. Go watch it.