During the 1990s Indian cinema landscape, horror films were becoming an increasingly rare genre. However, director Ram Gopal Varma, often called RGV, stood against the tide. His influence on contemporary Indian horror was undeniable, with films like Raat and Govinda Govinda etching his mark on the genre. However, it was in 1999 that audiences were treated to a cinematic gem that would go on to become a cult favorite – Kaun? (translation: Who?).
How did Urmila Matondkar’s movie end?
Kaun? unfolds with a timeless horror premise. Urmila Matondkar portrays a nameless woman alone in her house. Gripped by fear as a storm rages outside, an ominous news of a serial killer circulates around. The tension escalates when Sameer Purnavale (Manoj Bajpayee) arrives at her doorstep. He keeps on pestering her by asking about Mr. Malhotra. The woman’s unease intensifies, setting the stage for a thrilling narrative.
Matondakar’s character, despite her reservations, tolerates Sameer’s persistent presence. She goes to the extent of even making him a sandwich and allowing him to watch television with her through the window. Above all, she makes a false clearance that her husband, Mr. Gupta, is sleeping upstairs.
However, the atmosphere takes a sinister turn when Sameer claims to have seen her husband. This leads to a sequence of events that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats as there is indeed no husband. Upon hearing this, she gets scared and runs outside, but Sameer assures her he will protect her while the two head inside the home.
Kaun movie: Who was the murderer?
The ending of Kaun? is a rollercoaster of suspense and unexpected twists. As mentioned earlier, Matondkar’s character feared the rumored killer and was unsettled with the happenings on that particular gloomy day.
As the story unfolds, a power outage leads her to discover her pet cat dead. She runs out of the kitchen terrified to find a man wielding a gun, which adds to the chaos. The man declares himself as Inspector Querishi, but Sameer and the women are suspicious of him.
They get into a fight with him when Matondkar’s character gets hold of the gun. The woman, armed with the gun, learns that the man claiming to be a police inspector is, in fact, a thief. This revelation prompts her to call for help, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation between Sameer and the imposter. Sameer then picks up the phone to call for help, but it does not work. Confused, he asks her to hide while he fixes it.
The doorbell rings and Sameer answers. The man who arrived was asking the same question he had, i.e., asking about Mr. Malhotra. This confuses him further as she had made it clear that the house belonged to Mr. Gupta. To quench his curiosity, he starts looking for her, which leads him to discover Mr. Malhotra’s dead body. The woman attacks him, but Sameer stabs Qureshi believing he is the serial killer. In a cult classic move, the woman starts humming and stabs Qureshi to death.
The following day, the nameless female protagonist commences the unsettling task of disposing of the bodies, tidying up the residence, rearranging the furniture, and speaking to her mother on the disconnected telephone.
The doorbell rings, introducing another man inquiring about Mr. Malhotra. In a chilling moment, the woman turns and breaks the fourth wall (looks directly at the camera) and gives a sinister smile.
