Sannata (1981)

The Ramsays, flushed with the success of their early horror hits, attempted to repeat the formula that had worked so well in their breakthrough success Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche with this follow-up effort, Sannata, starring horror regulars Sarika and the dashing—if somewhat spectacularly effete—Deepak Parashar.

The plot revolves around a collection of scheming relatives attempting to outmanoeuvre one another in a battle for a sizeable family inheritance. At the centre of the intrigue is the sultry Shobha, fresh from her vamp duties in Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche, who appears to be conspiring with a mysterious masked prowler responsible for bumping off members of the family one by one inside a sprawling old haveli.

Unfortunately, the film takes an eternity to get where it is going.

For nearly forty-five minutes the audience is subjected to endless plotting, bickering and suspicious glances before the story finally settles down to the business at hand. By that stage many viewers may already have drifted off into a deep and peaceful sleep. Once the murder mystery properly kicks in, however, the film becomes considerably more engaging.

Sarika plays the spirited daughter of a murdered landlord and the rightful heir to the family fortune. Naturally her greedy uncle, played by Bharat Kapoor, has very different plans for the inheritance. Assisting him is the ever-scheming Shobha, while Deepak Parashar spends much of the film floating elegantly through proceedings looking impossibly groomed and performing with his trademark blend of earnestness and theatrical flamboyance.

The supporting cast is surprisingly impressive. Lalita Pawar lends authority as the kindly convent warden, Pinchoo Kapoor is dependable as the family lawyer, and Iftikhar strolls comfortably through another police inspector role as though he could perform it in his sleep. There are also welcome appearances by Vinod Mehra as a CBI investigator, along with Bindiya Goswami and Vijay Arora in supporting roles.

The similarities with Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche are obvious. Once again the Ramsays rely more on mystery-thriller mechanics than outright horror. For much of its running time Sannata is essentially a murder mystery dressed in gothic clothing. It is only in the latter half that the horror elements become more prominent as the masked killer begins stalking victims through shadowy corridors and darkened rooms in a manner reminiscent of old Hollywood chillers such as The House of Wax.

While the screenplay lacks the narrative discipline and momentum of Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche, the Ramsays still manage to conjure up several genuinely eerie sequences. The masked killer, sporting what appears to be the very same mask used in the earlier film, proves surprisingly effective once the stalking begins. One murder sequence in particular is staged like a demented cousin of Psycho’s famous shower scene and remains one of the film’s highlights.

Curiously, one of the most memorable moments has nothing to do with horror at all. A wonderfully eccentric song featuring Mehmood and Jayshree T somehow steals the show. Sung beautifully by Vani Jayaram and considerably less beautifully by Mehmood himself, it possesses an infectious charm and stands as one of those obscure Rajesh Roshan compositions that deserved far more attention than it received.

Sannata is certainly not among the Ramsays’ finest achievements. The pacing is uneven, the opening stretch is far too sluggish and it lacks the tight plotting of its predecessor. Yet there is enough atmosphere, enough mystery and enough flashes of inspired silliness to keep things entertaining.

Not a vintage Ramsay classic by any means, but a respectable effort nonetheless. And if the murder mystery fails to hold your attention, there is always the considerable amusement of watching Deepak Parashar glide through the film with all the grace and poise of a man auditioning for a role in a very different movie altogether.