Raaz Reboot review: Cliched and regressive, even Emraan Hashmi can't save this film

Narrated in a non-linear manner, Raaz Reboot delves into the secrets of the miseries of a young couple, Mr & Mrs Khanna. It is January 1, 2016. Rehaan and Shaina return to Romania after a few years of their marriage. Apparently they lived there when they were unmarried. But when Rehaan got an offer as a Venture Capitalist for the East European Finance Company, Shaina was insistent that he take up the job. Rehaan was reluctant, since he had a secret to hide.  On the very first day, while unpacking her luggage, Shaina experiences paranormal activities. Rehaan refuses to believe her. A month later, while on a business trip, Rehaan receives a frantic call from Shaina requesting for help. She is found holed up in a telephone booth in a rural area. Apparently, she had gone there to visit a clairvoyant. And thence, the narrative juggles back and forth as to what plagues them and what leads her to the clairvoyant. After almost three parts done to death, it’s a wonder how they did the same thing for the fourth time again. Emraan Hashmi, who plays the “antagonist” seems to be the only person in this film who understands what’s going on but even he can’t save the film. This movie is a bundle full of the worst cliches on earth. The basis of Raaz Reboot is so regressive you feel like you’re in the 14th century. A movie set in 2016 says that if you wear a ma__ngal sutra, the ghost won’t be able to possess you, but if you don’t, you’re possesed. All the other horror tropes are present in this film, which includes an eye in the washbasin, ghost under the bed, mattress being pulled out, and it still doesn’t manage to scare. It doesn’t take too much time to figure out the climax of the movie involves putting the mangal sutra back onto the possessed woman. An award should be given to every actor in the movie — Emraan Hashmi, Kriti Kharbanda, Gaurav Arora, Madhu Anand Chandhock — for wonderfully over-acting. Cliched and boring, one would be tempted to walk out of the movie in the first 10 minutes, but what if the second half got better? Bad news, second half is worse. There’s no polite way to say this: Don’t watch Raaz Reboot. (with inputs from IANS)