Starring Gayathri Shanker, Bala Saravanan, Dev Ramnath and Preethi Nedumaran. Written and directed by B. Ramachandran. Produced by Gokul Benoy and Shaik Mujeeb. Verus Productions & Veyilon Entertainment.
A guide (Bala Saravanan) warns a group of trekkers not to venture into an area of the Kolli Hills forest that is shunned by the local villagers because it is associated with the spirit of a witch called Pechi, but the tourists ignore his advice…
This Indian film boasts attractively-shot footage of various forest landscapes, and it features such folk horror trappings as hanging effigies, a straw voodoo doll, and arcane symbols that fill a derelict woodland building.
Pechi herself is a short, wizened, wild-haired witch-hag who lurks about amongst the trees, gripping a club-like wooden staff, regularly turning herself into doppelgängers of the various characters stupid enough to trespass into her domain.
This production is a lightweight, rather gore-free Tamil-language film that remains watchable throughout, despite the fact it includes rather too many scenes of characters wandering off into the forest alone.
The movie has a fairly elaborate backstory for the witch (who is taking the lives of her victims to extend her own lifespan), ends with a final revelation that is a bit rushed and not particularly convincing, and features a weird, bandaged-up, black-haired, fanged wooden doll in several scenes. Actually, this doll is a memorable prop that I think should’ve been used more in the film.
Okay, let’s have one final look at Pechi the undead witch hag…
Monster Zone 