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The highly anticipated supernatural horror thriller, It Lives Inside, is all set for its theatrical release on September 2022, 2023. Written and directed by acclaimed director Bishal Dutta, the film first made its premiere on March 11, 2023 at the South by Southwest Film Festival where it managed to receive rave reviews from both critics and audiences. Owing to its immense popularity, the film was eventually picked up for a theatrical release by Neon.
The film focuses on a teenage Indian-American girl, Sam, who struggles to fit in at her school. In order to conform to society's norms, she tries to reject her heritage and culture. However, she is soon forced to confront her heritage in order to vanquish a mythological demon spirit that attached itself to Tamira, her best friend.
Director Bishal Dutta's own childhood memories of his time in India before going to North America served as an inspiration for It Lives Inside's premise. In addition, Dutta's grandfather's personal account of his experiences and stories of demonic mythology in India had a huge influence on the film's story.
It Lives Inside promises to be a thrilling experience for fans
The trailer for It Lives Inside acquaints the viewers with Sam, an Indian-American teen who is incredibly anxious to fit in at her school. She denies her Indian ancestry to blend in with the others, however, she must accept her heritage as she's forced to battle the demonic spirit that she unintentionally releases.
The ghost is a Pishach, an evil being from Indian folklore that is infamous for its relentless appetite. Tamira, Sam's best friend, is caught up in the veil being's grasp and it starts to slowly kill her. Sam is forced to act quickly to save Tamira and come to terms with her ancestry and the dark secrets associated with it.
She has to face both her actual and symbolic demons along the road. To overcome the Pishach, she has to learn to navigate and accept her heritage's roots and harness its strength.
Given its unique one-of-a-kind plotline, the film is sure to explore numerous themes including those of identity and culture. Additionally, with its spooky and frightening sights and chilling sound effects, the trailer for the film certainly does a good job of building tension and fear among its viewers. It also hints at several otherworldly elements of the film without giving too much plotline away, as is the case with so many movies today.
The official synopsis of the film, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:
"Sam, an Indian-American teen, lives in an idyllic suburb with her conservative mother and her assimilated father. Sam's cultural insecurities grow due to her estranged friend, Tamira, who mysteriously carries around an empty mason jar all the time. In a moment of anger, Sam breaks Tamira's jar and unleashes an ancient Indian demonic force that kidnaps Tamira."
It continues:
"Sam searches for Tamira, following the trail of a young man who performed a deadly ritual, until the demonic entity starts targeting her, murdering her boyfriend and shattering her reality with terrifying visions. Sam must band together with her parents and a sympathetic teacher to save Tamira and put an end to the terror of the demon."
Who stars in It Lives Inside?
It Lives Inside is host to an exceptionally talented star cast with acclaimed actress Megan Suri in the lead. The actress, most famously known for her performance in the wildly popular show Never Have I Ever, truly shows her range as she perfectly brings the character of Sam to life. Aptly encapsulating the emotions of fright and anger, the actresses' performance will certainly be one to look out for in the upcoming film.
Suri has previously starred in a host of acclaimed projects, including The MisEducation of Bindu, Companion, Missing, Dramarama, Modern Family, and Poker Face, among others.
Apart from Suri, the film stars numerous other actors and actresses in pivotal/minor roles including, Mohana Krishnan as Tamira, Vik Sahay as Inesh, Neeru Bajwa as Poorna, and Betty Gabriel as Joyce, among others.
It Lives Inside premieres in theatres on September 22, 2023.
