Kriya (2020)
Directed by Sidharth Srinivasan · 2020 · Navjot Randhawa, Noble Luke, Avantika Akerkar, MD Asif, Kishan Bahurupiya
In 2020, director Sidharth Srinivasan delivered Kriya, a genre-bending blend of horror, fantasy, and comedy centered on a DJ who meets a mysterious woman at a club and follows her home—only to be pulled into an unsettling labyrinth of ritual magic, patriarchal death customs, and familial tension. The film leans into surreal, dreamlike atmosphere rather than jump scares, using its horror elements to explore cultural rituals with darkly comic undertones. Navjot Randhawa leads as the unwitting protagonist, whose descent into this strange world is rendered with a grounded, bewildered realism that contrasts sharply with the escalating absurdity around him. Supporting performances by Noble Luke, Avantika Akerkar, and MD Asif lend depth to a family dynamic steeped in tradition and unspoken rules. The tone oscillates between eerie, almost mythic dread and satirical wit, creating a disorienting yet compelling experience. Stylistically, Kriya favors moody lighting, intimate framing, and a soundscape that blends club beats with ritual chants, reinforcing its fusion of modern and ancient. This is not a conventional horror film; it’s a surreal, culturally rooted fable that rewards viewers open to ambiguity and symbolic storytelling. It suits audiences who appreciate genre hybrids like The Lighthouse or Midsommar but with a distinctly Indian folk-horror sensibility and a touch of absurdist humor.
Why it’s worth watching
Kriya (2020) stands out as a bold, low-budget indie that dares to fuse horror, fantasy, and comedy through the lens of Indian ritual and family dynamics. Directed by Sidharth Srinivasan, it avoids clichés by grounding its supernatural elements in tangible cultural traditions, making the bizarre feel eerily plausible. With strong performances from Navjot Randhawa and a nuanced supporting cast, the film crafts a haunting, darkly funny odyssey that lingers beyond its 96-minute runtime. For viewers seeking something unconventional yet deeply rooted in its setting, Kriya offers a rare cinematic experience that’s both unsettling and thought-provoking.
Trivia
- Directed by Sidharth Srinivasan
- Released in 2020
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Starring Navjot Randhawa, Noble Luke, and Avantika Akerkar
- Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy