Pisaasu

Mysskin's 2014 Tamil film rebuilds horror in his own register. A young violinist tries to save a girl injured in an accident but she dies; afterwards unexplainable things begin happening in his flat. Realising the spirit means to help rather than harm him, he sets out to find the truth behind her death. Mysskin's directing manner is familiar here: low camera angles, long corridor shots, almost no dialogue. The film does not reach for jump scares; the tension comes from the space itself and from silence. Its actual subject is not fear but grief and guilt. Made on a small budget, it was an unexpected success in Tamil horror. Who it's for: viewers who like Tamil independent cinema, Mysskin's style and atmospheric horror. Who it's not for: anyone wanting quick horror impact, or who will find the slow pace and sparse dialogue wearing.