An intense, Indian-American-centric horror film, “It Lives Inside” will appeal to fans of such cult horror hits as “It Follows” and “Talk to Me.” Directed and co-written by award-winning India-born, U.C. Berkeley graduate Bishal Dutta making his feature film debut, the film stars Megan Suri of “Never Have I Ever” as Samidha, a high school student who is seriously conflicted about her heritage and frankly more interested in fashion, TikTok, makeup and flirting with a good-looking white guy from school. Samidha’s beautiful mother Poorna (Neeru Bajwa) is a fine cook, who wants her daughter to accept her heritage and its beliefs and to continue to speak Hindi at home. For example, Poorna wants Samidha to attend a Puja gathering with her father at their home with friends and relatives. Samidha prefers to hang out with her non-Indian friends, who appear to accept her.
But when Tamira (Mohana Krishnan), once Samidha’s dearest childhood friend, shows up at school, clutching a glass jar and muttering like a lunatic, Samidha does not want to get involved. In fact, she rebukes a concerned Black teacher named Joyce (Betty Gabriel, “Get Out”) when the teacher asks her to look into Tamira’s problem. “Why me?” Samidha asks, challenging the notion that her ethnicity makes her the likely candidate for intervention.
In the film’s background, we hear about violent Hindu myths and see an awful lot of J-horror-evoking big hair. A local Indian American family has disappeared, leaving behind a boarded-up house. A big piece of action takes place in a girls’ locker room. Tamira leaves behind an old, leather book complete with calligraphic Hindi cursive and deeply disturbing illustrations, recalling multiple, miniature versions of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” These faces appear to be swallowed by a larger demonic visage. Your flesh begins to creep. Samidha’s romance with the boy from school appears to endanger him. Samidha is stalked by some growling thing with glowing eyes and no visible body.
“It Lives Inside” has atmosphere to spare. At times, the film, which Dutta co-wrote with Ashish Mehta (TV’s “Hush Hush”), recalls the unforgettable 1957 landmark “Curse of the the Demon,” a film based on the short story “Casting the Runes” by ghost-story maestro M.R. James.
Director Dutta, who examines such themes as the shame experienced by those who look different in a white community, keeps his camera moving without shaking. He does a lot with sound and shadow and secludes his creature in the dark until he’s ready to show it to us (I was a bit disappointed). We hear about a “pishacha,” a Hindu demon known as the “eater of souls.” In the traditional lead of the imperiled girl, Suri is completely likable and prickly when appropriate. As usual in films of this kind, she becomes quite the warrior when she has to. “It Lives Inside” is not perfect, and, although it has a unique cultural context, it is also derivative. But it is a remarkably skillful debut. Dutta is someone to watch.
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‘IT LIVES INSIDE’
Grade: B+
MPA rating: PG-13 for terror, violent content, bloody images, brief strong language and teen drug use.
Running time: 1:39
How to watch: In theaters.
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