88 ANTOP HILL

Director: Kushan Nandy.
Producer: Sarvodaya Visuals
Music: Uttank Vora.
Starring: Atul Kulkarni, Shweta Menon and Rahul Dev

PREDICTED RATING: 6/10

With major films failing to generate any waves at the box office, it's an ideal time for smaller budget films to get noticed by the baying crowds. 88 Antop Hill is the latest edition of the horror/thriller sensation Bollywood is facing at the moment. "Three Murders, Six Suspects and One Address" sets up the kind of film the audience will encounter.

The story revolves around a particular character whose life is turned on its head when he receives a late phone call one stormy night. Pratyush a city banker is a happily married man and father, but he has a dubious secret he has been keeping from his family for a very good reason. After receiving the late phone call, Pratyush turns up at an address, as advised in the phone call. As he nears 88 Antop Hill he soon realises that he has bitten off more than he can chew. Pratyush encounters a number of shady characters including an honest cop, a pub dancer, a prostitute, a millionaire's fiancé, and more deadlier than the night ahead, a blackmailer.

National award winner, Atul Kulkarni, takes on his first lead role, with Rahul Dev and Shweta Menon in pivotal roles. The film will also introduce new find, Jasmine, in a "sultry" role, as the millionaire's fiancé.

The film was shot in as many as 27 locations in just 40 days. Director, Kushan Nandy, son of Pritish Nandy, debuts in an unusual thriller which will keep to the trend of thriller and horror, that Raaz triggered off, last year. Whether or not the audience will still be interested in this genre by the New Year, the film will face little competition when it releases on 17th January 2003.

SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE: January 17th 2003

PREVIEWED BY RUPA NANDHA