Boo (2023 film)

Boo is a 2023 Indian Tamil-Telugu bilingual horror thriller film written and directed by A. L. Vijay. The film stars Rakul Preet Singh, Vishwak Sen, Nivetha Pethuraj, Manjima Mohan, Megha Akash, and Reba Monica John in the lead roles. It premiered on JioCinema on 27 May 2023.

Plot
The story revolves around Kiara (Rakul Preet Singh) and her friends who discover a mysterious book called "Halloween Stories" during their Halloween party at Kiara's house. The book includes a warning to read all the chapters without stopping, and they embark on a journey into its ghostly tales. As they delve deeper, they find themselves encountering the characters from the stories in real life. The movie explores the secrets of the book and the friends' experiences in this extraordinary situation.

Production
The production on the film developed under the title of October 31st Ladies Night in 2021. In 2023, it was acquired by Jio Studios and was retitled Boo. The tagline of the film is "The next time you get a hiccup, don’t look for water, look around, it could be a ghost." The film was produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Ramanjaneyulu Javvaji, and M. Raja Shekhar Reddy under the banners of Sarvanth Ram Creations and Shri Shirdi Sai Movies, while it was co-produced by Anil Jain and Rakesh Jain. The cinematography was done by Sandeep K. Vijay, and Anthony handled the editing. It has action sequences choreographed by Stunt Silva. The film was shot during the second wave of COVID-19. The film's trailer was released on 23 May 2023.

Music
The film's music was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar, while the background score was by Madhu R. This film is the eleventh collaboration between the music composer G. V. Prakash Kumar and the filmmaker A. L. Vijay.

Release
The film was released on JioCinema on 27 May 2023, with free streaming and a dubbed version in Hindi.

Reception
MM Productions gave it 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, "The movie has a good premise and had the opportunity of being an ideal horror flick. The twists and turns in the movie were absolutely unexpected and unpredictable. The script is deadly terrifying and so are the ghosts. The movie consisted of talented actors which made it more interesting to watch. The movie also has some funny moments which were not forced comedies unlike other horror movies. The thrill, suspense, and funny moments keep the audience engaged throughout the movie. If you’re looking for a good scare, it is a must-watch film for you."

Navein Darshan of Cinema Express gave it 1 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Though the film has a couple of capable performers, the film refuses to rise above mediocrity thanks to its lackadaisical writing and amateur execution." 123telugu gave the film 2 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Though the movie has a good premise and had the opportunity of being an ideal horror flick, the poor direction didn’t let that happen."

Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave it 2 out of 5 stars and wrote, "If you’re looking for a good scare, it is not the film for you. But if you’re in the mood for a spooky movie to watch with friends, go for it." Siby Jeyya of the India Herald gave the film a mixed review, noting its "a silly horror flick."

Bijal J of Latest Web Series gave it 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "A Disappointing Horror Film, Despite the presence of talented actors and a promising premise, the movie fails to deliver a genuinely terrifying experience. Weak execution, overuse of cliches, unintentionally funny moments, and forced twists contribute to its disappointing outcome. Overall rating 1.5 star".

Farhad Dalal of Popcornreviewss rated the film 1/5 and concluded, "Boo is a brilliant masterclass on how NOT to make a horror film, period!"