Shock is a 2004 Tamil language supernatural horror film directed and produced by Thiagarajan. The film features his son Prashanth and Meena in lead roles, while Abbas, Thiagarajan, Suhasini, Kalairani, and Sarath Babu, amongst others play supporting roles. The music is by Salim-Sulaiman. Shock was a remake of Ram Gopal Varma’s Hindi film, Bhoot (2003), and was released on 23 July 2004 to a positive response from critics.
Shock revolves around Vasanth (Prashanth), a stock analyst, and his wife Malini (Meena). The two are in search for a flat in Chennai. Vasanth finds the perfect place on the 12th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
However, the apartment has a horrifying past. The previous occupant of the flat, Manju (Meena), killed her child, and then jumped from the balcony and died. Malini learns about this incident and becomes oddly fixated with the story. Then, a series of inexplicable experiences drive her to near madness. Vasanth is convinced that she has developed some sort of psychological disorder. He consults a psychiatrist named Dr. Rajan (Sarath Babu) and begins to doubt that his wife is suffering from a psychological disease. The couple’s maid (Kalairani) believes Malini to be possessed and calls in an exorcist (Suhasini).
Meanwhile, seemingly unrelated events take place around the building: the watchman was murdered with his head completely twisted; one of the residents, Ajay (Abbas), behaves erratically; and a murder occurs. Inspector Paramasivan (Thiagarajan) is sent to investigate the murder.
The exorcist spends time with Malini and learns that she is possessed by Manju. Vasanth goes to Manju’s mother (K. R. Vijaya), and with her help, the possessed Malini lets everyone know that Ajay lusted after Manju and forced himself on her, and to save herself, she jumped from her balcony. Later, Ajay realized that her son had witnessed the murder and got the watchman to throw the little boy from the balcony, and creating a fake story that the woman killed her son and then committed suicide. By killing the watchman via Malini, Manju takes revenge for her son’s death and wants to kill Ajay. At the last minute, the mother comes and tells her dead daughter’s spirit that she cannot take revenge from Ajay by making Malini a murderer, so Manju leaves Malini’s body, and Ajay is thrown in front of everyone.
The story ends with Ajay going to prison and Parmasivan telling him to rot in a jail cell forever. After Paramasivan leaves the cell, Ajay finds himself face-to-face with Manju. He starts begging for mercy, but his voice fades out as she draws closer; it is implied that she kills him.
Directed by Thiagarajan
Produced by Thiagarajan
Written by Thiagarajan, Lalit Marathe & Sameer Sharma
Starring Prashanth, Meena, Abbas, Thiagarajan, Sarath Babu, Suhasini
Music by Salim-Sulaiman
Cinematography M. V. Panneerselvam
Edited by P. Sai Suresh
Distributed by Lakshmi Shanthi Movies & Kalasangham Films
Release date 23 July 2004
Running time 120 minutes
Country India
Language Tamil
