Pick anything out of Ramgopal Verma Part I and you will find a gem mostly, as was Raat, which to my mind is the best ever ghost movie Bollywood has produced. Revathi is the star of the show, stupendous acting, and the eeriness felt throughout is unmatched in even the directors's later movies. 8/10

I remember seeing this the first time, when I was just seven years old and for some weeks, I couldn't sleep with the lights off. 'Raat' is undoubtedly one of the very rare genuine horror films of its time that can never be forgotten, because of quite a few reasons and a primary reason being it's impeccable cast performance, specially Revathi who gives a brilliant and effortless performance as the protagonist of the story. A fabulous performance from Om Puri as well, who breathes even more life into the story without a doubt. this is a film that always reminds us of of Ram Gopal Varma as one of the very few good directors of all time.Overall, this film will make you shiver for sure, It is not a great film, but the performances are very memorable.

I had started to become a fan of Ram Gopal Verma when I saw this movie. And I was all the more impressed by this talented film maker. The movie can remind us of Exorcist. But only as far as the main theme goes. Otherwise it is shot completely differently. Believe me, you will be kept on the edge of your seat if you see it in full attention. The atmosphere is kept tense all the time from beginning . The movie has many innovative scenes which I had never seen before (the one in the theater, and the one in the jungle off a road for e.g.). Not to mention, the background score, Revati's performance, and Om Puri's role. The possessed Revati's expressions really scared me.Final note : See it !!(Actually I was disappointed when I saw Bhoot recently. Why did he have to make a not-that-good horror movie when he had already accomplished more successfully in Raat ?)

******MINOR SPOILERS****Mixing dashes of THE EXORCIST, EVIL DEAD-inspired scares with Dario Argento-style image/sound combinations against a NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET-derived female teen protaganist, RAATRI really is the business. Never dull, and boasting some eerie atmospheric sequences (esp. when she finds herself alone, in what was seconds previously a crowded cinema-truly hallucinogenic), the cut'n'paste nature of the plot doesn't interfere with the flick's high enjoyability factor.RAATRI is an oddity for a Hindi flick- with no songs, no dance sequences,it delivers none of the escapism/romance typical of mainstream Bollywood fare. (To my Western eyes it seems like a totally "Off-Bollywood" production). This fact alone makes it a rare treat, and the peculiarly Indian spin on Hollywood's high school genre combined with the usual censorship limitations (i.e low gore) combine in an exotic manner delivering a tone quite unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's as cheesy as 80's Hong Kong horror in places, but...with that era sadly gone forever, this isn't necessarily a complaint.The lack of body count may disappoint hardcore gore-hounds but the film makes up for it in spades, with over-the-top sound design and a highly charged, atmospheric and eerie music score (some of which sounds awfully familiar to THE EXORCIST).For newbies to Hindi film, it's a great introduction and minus the staple song and dance numbers, (which I felt would have been terrific) it's a breezy two hours plus in duration. The acting is fine, the fx-old school (but all the better for it) and...the ending?...well, I've always been a sucker for a freeze-frame finale, especially when there's a demonic cat involved! Who couldn't dig a film that that simply announces "THRILLS by..." in the opening titles?The end credits mysteriously announce "70mm" in sound and pic departments-and the mind boggles at the thought of this gem being shot and viewed (if such is the case) in this format. WOW!