Tejal Sinha
Plot
Chhorii 2 picks up seven years after the events of the first film, opening with a disturbing prologue where a young girl searches for her mother in a fog of sugarcane stalks, only to encounter eerie duplicates whispering, “Maa bula rahi hai.” That little girl is now Ishani, who suffers from a rare condition that makes exposure to sunlight dangerous. Her mother, Sakshi (Nushrratt Bharuccha), has tried to rebuild their life with the help of Inspector Samar (Gashmeer Mahajani). But peace proves to be an illusion when Ishani is taken by a sinister force, pulling Sakshi back into a horrifying underworld—both literal and ideological. What follows is a three-day countdown laced with ritualistic violence, where Sakshi must fight not just ghosts, but deep-rooted systems of control.
Highlights
The film’s greatest strength lies in its ability to blend horror with commentary. It isn’t just the supernatural elements that create fear—it’s the reflection of societal cruelty masquerading as culture. The horror feels real because it stems from twisted beliefs, not just spirits. The underground world Sakshi explores is constructed with metaphorical precision, representing the suffocating traditions women are forced into. Another standout is the atmospheric dread—slow, creeping and relentless—making viewers feel trapped with the characters rather than simply watching them. The film also avoids reducing its villains to caricatures, presenting them as both terrifying and tragically indoctrinated.
Drawbacks
Despite its strong themes, the film falters in its final act. The pacing slows down significantly, stretching scenes longer than necessary and reducing the impact of the climax. Several side characters appear briefly, are given intrigue and then are written off without resolution, making parts of the story feel incomplete. While the ending delivers a powerful message, it leans heavily into setting up a sequel rather than offering a fully satisfying closure. This undercuts some of the emotional payoff that the earlier portions carefully built up.
Performances
Nushrratt Bharuccha shines in her role as Sakshi, delivering a layered performance that captures both maternal vulnerability and steely determination. Her emotional range carries the film, particularly in scenes where dialogue is minimal, and expression does all the work. Soha Ali Khan is a revelation as Daasi Maa—a chilling presence cloaked in ritual, silence and suppressed grief. Her performance is not just eerie but deeply evocative, hinting at the human cost of blind obedience. Gashmeer Mahajani offers a grounded counterbalance as Samar, but it’s the women who truly dominate this narrative. Meanwhile, the supporting cast too have done a good job.
Technical Aspects
The cinematography by Anshul Chobey is visually arresting. Through stark contrasts of light and shadow, sugarcane fields transform into mazes of dread and underground passageways become psychological battlegrounds. The visual language reinforces the story’s themes, making the setting itself a character. The background score by Adrija Gupta and Rob Della Fortuna enhances the immersive horror, using traditional tones with a contemporary edge. The sound design, too, deserves credit for creating an oppressive atmosphere without resorting to cliché jump scares.
Verdict
Chhorii 2 is more than just a sequel—it’s a sharpened extension of the original’s message. It takes the genre of horror and uses it as a tool to confront inherited violence and patriarchal conditioning. While it stumbles in parts with its pacing and character development, the film triumphs in telling a bold, socially resonant story through haunting imagery and powerful performances. It’s not just a scream in the dark—it’s a cry for liberation.
Cast: Nushrratt Bharuccha, Soha Ali Khan, Gashmeer Mahajani, Kuldeep Sareen, Saurabh Goyal, Pallavi Ajay, Hardika Sharma, Shyam Gopal, Jitendra Kumar, Arvinda Jaiswal
Director: Vishal Furia
Streaming on: Amazon Prime
Rating: 4/5
