The mangalsutra in this movie, if you may, is the Hindu equivalent of Hollywood's holy-cross that usually stands between mere mortals, and the evil spirit. This particular mangalsutra is also doubly blessed, as the mother-in-law puts it. Because, you know, it was taken to the 'Jai Mata Di Vaishno Devi' temple for an added layer of protective cover. Well. Now, this mangalsutra is broken. Damn. And then it goes missing altogether. Which is simply catastrophic. A newbie (Kriti Kharbanda) - fairly pleasant face for the screen if you ask me - plays the wife, who's possessed.

Rehan (Gaurav Arora) has just moved to the picture-postcard surroundings of Romania with his wife Shania (Kriti Kharbanda) who had been pestering him to chuck his earlier job as a zonal manager in Mumbai, and take up this plum offer as the head of a finance company that also gives him a plush apartment in an upscale locality. Things look perfect, though it doesn't take long to sense trouble in their marital life as Rehan snaps at Shania barely after their arrival from India, and even sleeping in separate bedrooms.

At the very onset of the narration, we are informed by a voiceover, "Secrets are the enemy of love". Narrated in a non-linear manner, the film delves into the secrets of the miseries of a young couple, Mr & Mrs Khanna. It is January 1, 2016. Rehaan and Shaina return to Romania after a few years of their marriage. Apparently they lived there when they were unmarried. But when Rehaan got an offer as a Venture Capitalist for the East European Finance Company, Shaina was insistent that he take up the job. Rehaan was reluctant, since he had a secret to hide.

Indian horror films have copied the possession and exorcism formula from The Exorcist (1973) for more than 40 years and Raaz Reboot is just another addition to that long, tedious and embarrassing list. To make matters worse, this film is based in Romania. To be more specific, it's set in Transylvania, the land of Count Dracula. In an attempt to be updated with horror lore, it makes the land of vampires seem like an assembly line for paranormal activity. While Romanian locales look exotic, the movie can't seem to make up its mind on what it wants to be.

You think only human beings face morality crisis? Well, ghosts too have emotions and respect the unsaid social mores. At least, the non-judgmental one in director Vikram Bhatt's Raaz Reboot does. He doesn't kiss women with a 'mangalsutra' (The necklace married Hindu women wear). But he does hope that she takes it off herself. Of course, there is no stopping him after that.

Her deadpan banker hubby refuses to believe her, while her ex beau Aditya (Emraan Hashmi) acts supportive. He also hints that the demonic spirit seeks revenge from Rihaan and not her. What's the big Raaz that the husband's been hiding from his wife? Since it's the fourth instalment of the Raaz franchise, it's obvious that the story is in the same vein as the first starring Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea. But this one has zero scares and newbies who make Bipasha and Dino look like 'actors'.

One can imagine how Vikram Bhatt pitched the fourth instalment of the Raaz franchise, Raaz Reboot, to the Bhatts. Imagining portions of the conversation where Vikram says, "The Raaz franchise is becoming predictable, we need to reboot this franchise with two unknown faces. The money we save in hiring two newcomers, we'll invest in shooting in Romania. For the nostalgia value we have Emraan Hashmi, who will play a role he has never essayed before - a creepy, stalker-ish ex-boyfriend. We'll include some Romanian folklore, but in the end the spirit will be exorcised by praying to Vishnu bhagwaan." The Bhatts clap and agree to bankroll the movie.

The Raaz franchise by the Bhatts has always managed to rake in moolah for the makers at the box-office, despite not being as scary as Hollywood scare fares. However, this time, it seems the latest film in the series is bound to break the record set by the preceding films. Emraan Hashmi makes a comeback to the Raaz franchise and though a big deal was made about it at the time of the film promotions, we are afraid that Hashmi's comeback is not enough to salvage the film.

Vishesh Films and T-Series' RAAZ REBOOT is essentially a horror film that explores many mysteries, secrets, human traits and evils. The film starts off with a voiceover narration about love and life amidst the picturesque locations of Romania. It is here where the married couple Rehaan Khanna (Gaurav Arora) and his wife Shaina (Kriti Kharbanda) have recently moved in. Post that, the film enters into a semi flashback of events that mirrors Rehaan's resistance and reluctance of shifting his base to Romania.

Shaina (Kriti Kharbanda) moves back to Romania with her husband, Rehan (Gaurav Arora), after he is given a better offer there by his company. It was in Romania that these two met and fell in love, before getting married and moving to Mumbai. However, when they move to their new house, Rehan begins to act strangely and maintains distance from her. She also starts seeing terrifying apparitions at her new house. A month later, Rehan finds her inexplicably in a place 23 kms from her home, battered and bruised.

Rehaan (Gaurav Arora) and Shaina (Kriti Kharbanda) are a married couple who move to Romania after Rehaan gets a better job offer there. The couple move into a plush house but there seems to be something bothering Rehaan, that is making him keep a distance from his wife Shaina. After trying to talk with Rehaan over their issue, Shaina is left wondering what secret her husband is hiding from her.

The fourth edition of the Raaz series takes us to Romania, specifically Transylvania, just so the caretaker of a large house can intone: yes, this is Dracula country. Instantly, you want to look out for skulking fellows in black robes, empty eyes, and bloody fangs. Instantly, you are all prepared to shiver and shudder.