10 Reasons To Go Watch Trapped

I’ve heard polarizing reviews from people about this film and really wanted to put my two cents out there. I’m pressed for time and can’t do an in-depth review. So, here’s a list of reasons that I think make Trapped a film you should go watch and one reason for you not to.

1) IT IS REFRESHING

If you’re tired of run of the mill narratives and stories that give you a sense of Déjà Vu, Trapped will stand out. It’s a film about survival; an emotion so universal that you will feel it (unless you resist it). The film is not what a lot of people would expect but an educated audience must readjust expectations and try to accept what the filmmaker wants to serve.

2) IT IS HORRIFYING

What you will notice in the cinema hall while watching this film is that people will constantly laugh and giggle. This behaviour is similar to what you witness during horror films. When something begins to feel too real we tend to shut it off by ridiculing it, do yourself a favour... go watch this alone or with people who genuinely respect the medium enough to immerse themselves in it.

3) IT SHOWS MORE THAN IT TELLS

A good film should say more by way of its visuals and sound design than with dialogues and this film fulfills that duty. The camera moves inside the same house in so many different ways that you feel like you’re stuck inside the house, with Shaurya (the protagonist). There are hardly any dialogues and you won’t miss them one bit.

4) IT GOES THE EXTRA MILE

When I saw the film there was no interval. I think this was intentional and I loved the feeling of being trapped inside the cinema hall, right there with the lead character. The film makes you feel fidgety. It has repulsive bits which are just enough to get you uncomfortable but not disgusted.

5) IT IS AN EXPERIENCE

Watching this film reminds you of why you go to watch a film in the cinema hall at all. It’s an experience; it just wouldn’t have the same impact minus the massive screen. It’s background music and sounds are such a delight that the slightest sound is a disturbance (I wish people weren’t eating popcorn).

6) RAJKUMAR RAO

The man has done a brilliant job. As I saw him I wondered if he literally rehearsed for the role by locking himself up in a room without food or water for days together. That shit was just too real. Even when you laugh at him you know at a subconscious level that you’re doing it because if you empathise with him, you’ll feel emotions nobody really wants to. He’s just so good.

7) THE STORY

The story is a simple one and stories that appear simple are almost always hard to write. When the film starts out you may have tons of questions but, soon everything that could wrong, from his phone dying, to a power and water cut comes into play. While these coincidences are convenient and further the plot, it’s still intriguing to see the writer, write himself into a corner and then figure out a plausible way to get out of it.

8) IT IS RELATABLE

Anyone can relate to the predicament of the lead character. It could’ve been you – and that is something that sends you down a rather relatable journey. You start thinking what you would have done, how you would’ve been smarter than Shaurya and before you know it, you’re worried he won’t make it.

9) IT IS IMPRESSIVE

One thing you cannot take away from Trapped is that it achieves what a lot of writers fail to; it’s a story set in a small room and the narrative is so simple that it could’ve easily been a short film. It is impressive how a film like this was shot in just a month and how it managed to be interesting despite that.

10) WHO SHOULDN’T WATCH IT

I’m adding a why not to the list because I understand this isn’t the kind of film that would suit everyone’s palate. Don’t watch this film if you’re heading out with your family hoping to come out in a cheerful mood. Don’t watch it if you’re seeking mindless entertainment. There is no song and dance; this isn’t your regular Bollywood Buffet. If you enter the hall with the wrong expectations, you are bound to be disappointed.

Do you have any thoughts on this? Leave a comment, Tweet to me @Likhnewaala or message me on my Facebook Page.