Rahul Desai
Shaitaan introduces a seemingly happy family whose holiday is disrupted by a stranger, triggering a dark turn of events as he manipulates their teenage daughter.
Madhavan's character, Vanraj, takes control of Janvi, the teenage daughter, turning her into his puppet with increasingly sinister commands, embodying a bored devil exploiting his power.
Directed by Vikas Bahl, Shaitaan struggles with first-horror-movie syndrome, overly focusing on atmosphere and visuals at the expense of storytelling. Well-constructed scenes fail to coalesce into a compelling narrative.
The film falls into a repetitive cycle of Vanraj tormenting Janvi and her attacking her family, resulting in a showreel of pump-scares and Madhavan's gestures, lacking depth beyond surface-level shocks.
Shaitaan veers into torture-porn territory without providing clear commentary or purpose. Its narrative becomes incidental to its grandstanding, leaving viewers searching for deeper meaning amidst its superficial thrills.
The film struggles to establish coherent themes, leaving audiences perplexed about its underlying message. Despite its prolonged swag, Shaitaan fails to offer meaningful commentary, ultimately falling short of its potential.