Emraan Hashmi, Nikita Dutta-starrer Dybbuk released on Amazon Prime Video on October 29. Helmed by Jaya Krishnan, the movie revolves around an antique box purchased by the female protagonist, following which the couple faces paranormal activities. The partners then seeks the help of a rabbi to solve its mystery. The horror-thriller is a remake of 2017 Malayalam film Ezra. Dybbuk stars Emraan Hashmi, Nikita Dutta, Darshana Banik and Manav Kaul, among others in the lead roles. Dybbuk Trailer: Emraan Hashmi, Nikita Dutta’s Hindi Remake of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Ezra Promises a Spooky Ride (Watch Video).
The synopsis of the film reads, "Dybbuk, in Jewish mythology, is a malicious possessing spirit believed to be the dislocated soul of a dead person. It supposedly leaves the host body once it has accomplished its goal, sometimes after being exorcised. The story begins when Mahi, a newly married woman brings an antique Jewish box into her home. Soon the couple experience paranormal activities, and come to know that it is a dybbuk box." Dybbuk Movie: Review, Cast, Plot, Trailer, Release Date – All You Need To Know About Emraan Hashmi, Nikita Dutta’s Horror Film!
Check Out What Critics Have To Say About The Film:
News 18: "Dybbuk has an interesting line of cast that includes Emraan Hashmi and Manav Kaul, but the film, now out on Amazon Prime Video, has too many convenient points that make it somewhat of an implausibility. Helmed by Jay K, he has remade his debut Malayalam movie, Ezra (with Prithviraj), in Hindi as Dybbuk. Hashmi as Sam or Samuel reprises Prithviraj’s role, and does a decent job of a man who gets a new posting in a nuclear waste disposable plant in – believe it or not – the Mauritius capital of Port Louis. His wife, Maahi (Nikita Dutta), is not too keen to translocate, because that would mean going far away from her parents. But she plays a sport and accompanies Sam to a really scenic city that sadly harbours a demonic spirit inside a Jewish wine box. It can emerge for its run of death and destruction only after the last of the Jews dies on the island, and Sam’s transfer coincides with the death of a rabbi, the last of the tribe there."
Times of India: "Keen to give her new home a heritage look, the wife goes shopping. At an antique store, an ancient box dated to the 16th century catches her eye. Intrigued by its mystery, she opens it, thus unleashing a malicious spirit. The box is a Dybbuk (pronounced as dibuk). In Jewish folklore, Dybbuk is a disembodied human spirit that wanders until it finds a host. The house starts facing supernatural occurrences and an exorcism is the only way out. Can the couple sail through?"
Deccan Herald: "It is no secret that most horror films feature a flashback sequence that gives the viewer a closer look at the supernatural being's backstory. Dybbuk is no exception as the second half features sequences that explore the incidents responsible for the the 'curse', which is an integral part of the narrative. These segments cater to those not familiar with Ezra and have come out better than the ones seen in the Karan Johar-backed Bhoot: The Haunted Ship. The twist towards the end too works well as it comes out of nowhere but makes sense in the larger scheme of things."
Firstpost: "A remake of 2017 Malayalam film, Ezra (starring Prithviraj and Priya Anand), the director seems to be going about the beats of the Hindi remake on autopilot. Couple moves to a palatial house, the husband goes to work, and the bored wife (of course!) goes shopping. At an antique store, she picks up a seemingly ancient wooden chest with scary looking letters inscribed on it. She opens it, and trouble begins. She tells her husband about seeing a spirit in her mirror, and his response is Hashmi’s typical flat-toned “you need to get some rest.” “Why won’t you believe me?” she begs, shortly after which we’re told that she’s undergoing the trauma of a miscarriage."
Bollywood Life: "The best part about Dybbuk are the performances, which somehow manage to hold the film together despite all its shortcomings. Emraan Hashmi breezes through his part, Nikita Dutta exhibits oodles of talent in a tough role that's more expression than emotion, Denzel Smith lends solid support and Manav Kaul is terrific as the exorcist rabbi. Even Vipin Sharma and Yuri Suri leave a mark in their brief appearances. Coming to the how effective the actual film is, well... it does manage a fright or two here and there, and the backstory is interesting, but that's about it." Dybbuk Movie Review: Emraan Hashmi and Nikita Dutta's Horror-Thriller Lacks Good Spooks (LatestLY Exclusive).
Sreeju Sudhakaran from LatestLY has also watched the film and said, "Although Dybbuk doesn't change the setting (save for the locales), I feel that Jay K couldn't just recreate the same atmosphere, thereby robbing Dybbuk of the mystique it needed. The first half, especially, felt average, with the usual scare-tactics. Couple of sequences don't make much sense. Like when Sam hears footsteps in his attic and reports it as burglary, the investigating cop (Gaurav Sharma) claims no such thing happens in the town. This, despite the fact that he is presently investigating a gruesome murder of Dybbuk's first victim. Another major negative is that Sam and Mahi's relationship doesn't feel very fleshed out, or for the matter, brings anything new. This is crucial, because how that affects their equation in the climax (an issue I also felt with the Malayalam original, though it had more depth)."
However, with the above reviews it can be said that the film has fail to make a mark on critics' hearts. Considering the cast and the story, the audience had quite some expectations from the film, as the Malayalam film Ezra was a quite hit movie back in 2017. Dybbuk is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 29, 2021 06:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).