Aval (2017 film)
A 2017 Indian horror film shot in Tamil and Hindi.
**Aval** (meaning "Her" in Tamil, released in Hindi as *The House Next Door*) is a 2017 Indian horror film co-written and directed by Milind Rau. It was filmed in both Tamil and Hindi at the same time, starring Siddharth and Andrea Jeremiah. Siddharth also co-produced and co-wrote the movie. Released on 3 November 2017, it received mostly positive reviews across all languages and was a commercial success. A Telugu dub titled *Gruham* came out on 17 November.
The story begins in 1934 with a happy mother and daughter. In 2016, neurosurgeon Dr. Krishnakumar (Siddharth) and his wife Lakshmi (Andrea Jeremiah) live peacefully in a mountain house in Rosina Valley. The D'Costa family moves into the neighboring house, which once belonged to that mother and daughter. Their teenage daughter Jennifer (Anisha Angelina Victor) is rebellious but loves her family and half-sister Sarah. Jenny and Sarah befriend Lakshmi, and Jenny is drawn to Krish's charm.
At a dinner party, Krish saves Jenny after she jumps into a well. Later, Jenny picks up belongings of a dead person while sneaking out to smoke. She begins acting strangely, sleepwalking to a cliff edge, where her father Paul (Atul Kulkarni) and Krish rescue her. Paul refuses help from a psychic, so Krish refers his psychiatrist friend Dr. Prasad (Suresh). Under hypnosis, Jenny says someone is telling her family to leave, then starts speaking Chinese. Prasad diagnoses paranoia with hallucinations and advises an exorcism. Pastor Joshua (Prakash Belawadi) performs it, revealing three ancient Chinese spirits: a bloodthirsty man, and a mother and daughter who want the family gone. The exorcism cures Jenny but leaves Joshua in a coma, with Krish and Paul injured.
Things calm down, and Lakshmi discovers she is pregnant. But the housemaid vanishes, and paranormal disturbances increase. Paul finds disturbing evidence and finally calls the psychic, who uncovers the mother-daughter spirits and their skeletal remains near the cliff, along with the male spirit's remains. Prasad researches further and learns of an old village woman who witnessed events 80 years ago. She reveals that Lu Wei, the house's owner, practiced black magic. He tried to sacrifice her as a child, but his pregnant wife intervened. Lu Wei then lured and sacrificed his own daughter. The wife stabbed herself in grief, killing her unborn child, and Lu Wei drowned h
- Release date
- 3 November 2017
- Languages
- Tamil, Hindi (simultaneous); Telugu (dubbed)
- Director
- Milind Rau
- Lead actors
- Siddharth, Andrea Jeremiah
- Co-producer and co-writer
- Siddharth
- Genre
- Horror
- Rotten Tomatoes rating
- 100% positive (7 critics)
Lore & Background
Later, Krish and a psychiatrist visit an old lady who reveals that in 1934, the man of the house, Lu Wei, practiced black magic and attempted a human sacrifice during a solar eclipse to ensure his next child would be a boy. He sacrificed his own daughter, his wife stabbed herself in the stomach, and Lu Wei drowned himself in the well. A similar eclipse is about to occur. It is then revealed that Krish was possessed by Lu Wei's spirit since rescuing Jenny from the well. Lu Wei intends to sacrifice Sarah, the D'Costas' younger daughter, so that Lakshmi's unborn child will be a boy. The mother-daughter spirits overpower Lu Wei's spirit during the eclipse, and Krish returns to normal. Years later, Krish and Lakshmi have a son, whose eye shows double irises, implying he may be demonic.
Reader's Guide
Aval (2017) is notable as a bilingual horror film shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi, a relatively uncommon production approach. It received mostly positive reviews across languages, with critics praising its craft and tone. The film's plot intertwines family drama with supernatural elements rooted in Chinese spirits and black magic, culminating in a twist involving the protagonist's possession. Its success in multiple language markets demonstrates the cross-regional appeal of well-made horror in Indian cinema. The film also features a soundtrack with tracks in Hindi and Telugu, and its Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% from 7 critics indicates strong critical reception, though the sample is small.
Did You Know?
- The film was shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi, with a Telugu dubbed version released later.
- Siddharth co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film.
- The plot involves three ancient Chinese spirits and a human sacrifice during a solar eclipse.
- The film's ending implies the protagonist's son may be demonic, shown by double irises in his eye.
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