Dear Friends,

Obsession.

After having watched numerous gruesome horror movies in every free time, one might wonder what could possibly be frightening enough to unsettle us. But, watching the film Obsession manages to do just that. Certain scenes are definately sending a chill down the spine—a testament to its exceptional craftsmanship where direction, music, cinematography, and acting converge magically. The film gradually enthrilled all the audience in its mounting intensity. The protagonist's anxiety becomes so contagious, creating a palpable sense of suffocation too.

And yet, this is not fully a horror movie; it is a romance.

The protagonist is in love with his colleague, Nikki; she is his entire world—his life exists solely for her. He is utterly besotted, consumed by a mad devotion. Nikki, however, harbors no romantic feelings for him; she views him merely as a friend or a brother, with absolutely no intention of a romantic relationship.

He comes into possession of a peculiar object—an item that grants a single wish, capable of working only once. Dismissing it as a mere game and doubting its efficacy, he makes a wish: "Nikki must love me more than anyone else in the world; she must live only for me." It is akin to casting a love spell. The very next moment, Nikki begins to love him with overwhelming intensity; her gaze and her actions become completely saturated with love. That is where the story truly begins.

No one can handle such an intense level of affection; moreover, Nikki’s love is the result of a spell—it does not stem from her own natural feelings. The realisation is that "you wouldn't have loved me if not for this spell". This deeply wounds his sense of self. She loves him exactly as he the way that desired, yet there is no authenticity in it. But this is only the act of loving; a love that does not spring from an innate, but the organic impulse can never yield anything good.

Here, the "spell" serves as a metaphor. If one speaks of progressiveness and women's freedom while harboring a mindset that demands a woman cover herself with a dupatta—essentially wanting a traditional partner while claiming otherwise—the relationship inevitably becomes toxic. If I project a version of myself that isn't authentic just to win your love, only to find I cannot sustain that persona in the long run, the relationship becomes a form of torment.

A truly compatible partner finds you only when you remain authentic to your true self. Otherwise, those who should be with you might walk away, thinking, "Oh, this person isn't for me," upon seeing the false image you project; conversely, those who are initially drawn to that false image will eventually realize the deception and leave as well. The noble love cannot be attained through all the shortcuts.

With deep down every man, looks for a desire for his partner to revolve any problem solely around him, shunning the interactions with other men—for his existence to be her entire world. But, the film poses a grave question: Could one actually handle such a woman if she truly existed?

Just imagine the turmoil when a woman faces when she cannot pinpoint why she loves someone or the devastation caused by the nagging doubt: "Do you love me the same way that I love you?" The film portrays this agonizing uncertainty with every way in theraw intensity.

Everybody desires the love, but not all the twenty-four hours a day.

We all crave attention and a sense of importance. But not twenty-four hours a day. After watching the film, one realizes the validity of the pragmatic view: love is fine in moderation, but one must attend to one's work the rest of the time.

Inde Navarrette, who plays Nikki, is terrifying—even with just her smiles and gazes. She shifts rapidly between emotions—laughing one moment, then crying or flying into a rage the next. Pure talent!

The friends play a game of 'Truth or Dare,' and the protagonist draws a card requiring him to kiss the person to his left. His female friend is seated to his left, while Nikki is across from him. Nikki, who wouldn't even tolerate another woman looking at her boyfriend—how would she react to him kissing another woman? The way the tension of that specific moment is captured speaks volumes.

Director Curry Barker is no ordinary filmmaker.

He is currently directing his next film, Anything but Ghosts, and anticipation for it is already soaring.