Hisss

2022-06-25T19:47:31Z

178.135.8.55:

{{Short description|2010 Bollywood snake horror film}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Hisss
| image = Hisss (movie poster).jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Jennifer Chambers Lynch]]
| producer = Govind Menon Vikram Singh Ratan Jain William Sees Keenan
| writer = Jennifer Chambers Lynch
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on = 
| starring = [[Mallika Sherawat]] [[Divya Dutta]] [[Irrfan Khan]] [[Jeff Doucette]]
| music = [[Anu Malik]] Julian Lennon [[Panjabi MC]] DKFP (David Kushner & Franky Perez)
| cinematography = [[Madhu Ambat]]
| editing = Tony Ciccone
| studio = Venus Movies
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2010|10|22|[[India]]}}
| runtime =
| country = United States India
| language = Hindi English Urdu Tamil Malayalam
| budget = $15 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/12528|title=Surveillance Director Transforms into a Snake Woman}}</ref>
| gross =
}}
'''''Hisss''''' (also known as '''''Nagin: The Snake Woman''''') is a 2010 [[horror film|adventure-horror]] film,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37720/two-new-sexy-one-sheets-jennifer-lynchs-hisss|title=Two New Sexy One-Sheets for Jennifer Lynch's Hisss}}</ref> directed by [[Jennifer Chambers Lynch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/19857|title=Behind-the-Scenes of 'Hisss' and A Great Interview with Jennifer Lynch!}}</ref> Indian actress [[Mallika Sherawat]] plays the leading role.

==Plot==
{{expand section|date=October 2014}}
The story begins in Natchi, a small town in the [[India|Indian]] state of [[Kerala]]. George States ([[Jeff Doucette]]) is suffering from the last stage of [[brain cancer]] and has only six months to live. To prevent death and gain immortality, he decides to extract the "Nagmani" immortal blood from a nagin, a [[Ichchhadhari Nag|shape-shifting cobra]] that can change into a human. He and hired henchmen capture the nag (the male snake) so that the nagin (the female) comes after the capturer to free her mate, thus allowing him to obtain the nagmani by force. He keeps the nag in a glass box where he electrocutes and tortures him. His plan works and the nagin starts following them.

The nagin transforms into a beautiful woman ([[Mallika Sherawat]]), and is later helped by police inspector Vikram Gupta ([[Irrfan Khan]]) and his wife, Maya ([[Divya Dutta]]), who is infertile, causing a strain in their relationship. The nagin helps a few women who are helpless: One who is beaten mercilessly by her husband; one being raped by a man, and so on. She even helps herself when two men try to rape her. She turns into a giant cobra and brutally kills those two men, some of George States’ henchmen who were involved in the capture of her mate as well as men who torture women. She turns back into a human after her killings. Inspector Gupta tries to help the nagin find her mate, but at the same time, tries to investigate the murders, unaware she is responsible for them. Finally, the Nagin reaches George's hideout where she reclaims her mate and they have [[sexual intercourse|sex]], leading her to becoming [[pregnancy|largest pregnant]]. George attempts to capture the nagin during [[sexual intercourse|intercourse]] since this is when she will be most vulnerable.

Wearing a suit that hides his heat signature, he lures her by using her dying mate as bait to a trap. He captures her and tries taking the nagmani, but at that moment, Inspector Gupta arrives and helps her. Angered by the death of her mate by the hands of George, the nagin turns into a half snake, half human hybrid creature and throws him in the glass box where her mate was kept and electrocutes him to death. She leaves the hideout, carrying her dead mate. Inspector Gupta is amazed at everything he has just witnessed. He returns to his wife Maya, who later gives birth to their baby, while the nagin, back in the form of a beautiful woman, watches over the nest of eggs she has laid, which hatch into numerous baby cobras.

==Cast==
* [[Mallika Sherawat]] as [[Nāginī|Nagin]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18550|title=New 'Hisss' Images Featuring Sexy Indian star Mallika Sherawat}}</ref>
* [[Irrfan Khan]] as [[Inspector]] Vikram Gupta<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37216/more-behind-scenes-hisss|title=More Behind-the-Scenes of Hisss}}</ref>
* [[Jeff Doucette]] as George States<ref name="Jennifer Lynch is heading to India">[http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/jennifer-lynch-is-heading-to-india/ Jennifer Lynch is heading to India] at Twitch.com</ref>
* [[Divya Dutta]] as Maya Gupta, inspector's wife<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37017/go-behind-scenes-jennifer-lynchs-hisss|title=Go Behind-the-Scenes of Jennifer Lynch's Hisss}}</ref>
* Sound Effects as Additional Characters
* All Actors as Additional Characters

==Production==
The film was shot simultaneously in English and Hindi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a109920/lynch-to-direct-snake-woman.html|title=Lynch to direct 'Snake Woman'|author=Beth Hilton}}</ref> Famed special effects designer [[Robert Kurtzman]] was responsible for developing the look of the Snake Woman.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/story/exclusive-kurtzman-joins-lynchs-nagin|title=Exclusive Kurtzman joins Lynchs Nagin}}</ref> ''Hisss'' was shot in the jungle of [[Kerala]], India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/13819|title=Nagin Retitled to 'Hisss', First Creepy Stills!}}</ref> It was also shot in [[Mumbai]], [[Chennai]], [[Madh Island]], and in the studios of [[Filmistan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1244093/locations|title=Hisss (2010)|publisher=Internet Movie Database}}</ref>

The film is edited by American editor Tony Ciccone, who is also credited with additional sound design. His editing credit is misrepresented on preliminary on-line posters as "Anthony Ciccone."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://twitpic.com/1qz2jc|title=new HISSS poster no. 2!! @mallikala on Twitpic|work=TwitPic}}</ref>

Mooppan Raghavan, tribal leader of Thalikakal settlement in [[Kerala]], and over a dozen members of his tribe were recruited as extras.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fillum.com/movies/news/hiss-releasing-on-15th-august-independence-day|title=Hiss Releasing on 15th August, Independence Day}}</ref>

A documentary, titled ''Despite The Gods'', about director Jennifer Lynch's struggle to make the film was released in 2012.<ref>[http://www.despitethegods.com Despite The Gods official website]</ref>

==Release==
===Theatrical===
At the [[Cannes Film Festival]], [[Mallika Sherawat]] promoted ''Hisss'' by posing with a {{convert|22|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} [[Burmese python]] on the red carpet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.themidaymasala.com/2010/05/mallika-gets-comfy-with-rudy-the-snake|title=Mallika gets comfy with Rudy the Snake!}}</ref> The film was released in India on 22 October<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.glamsham.com/movies/previews/05-hisss-movie-preview-101014.asp|title=Hisss movie preview|publisher=glamsham.com}}</ref> in [[Hindi language|Hindi]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]]. The [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] version was released on 12 November.

===Premiere===
The film was set to premiere at the [[Montreal]] [[Festival du Nouveau Cinéma]] on 14 October<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nouveaucinema.ca/programming_results?search&cid=23&page=1|title=FNC|publisher=nouveaucinema.ca|access-date=2 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706190939/http://www.nouveaucinema.ca/programming_results?search&cid=23&page=1|archive-date=6 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> and at the [[Gotham Screen Film Festival & Screenplay Contest]] in New York on 15 October<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gsiff.com/content/hisss-0|title=Hisss|publisher=gsiff.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427143524/http://www.gsiff.com/content/hisss-0|archivedate=27 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> but was pulled from both festivals shortly before they opened.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nouveaucinema.ca/nouvelles/2010/10/norwegian-ninja-de-thomas-cappelen-malling-remplacera-hisss-de-jennifer-lynch/|title=FNC|publisher=nouveaucinema.ca|access-date=13 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706190821/http://nouveaucinema.ca/nouvelles/2010/10/norwegian-ninja-de-thomas-cappelen-malling-remplacera-hisss-de-jennifer-lynch/|archive-date=6 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gsiff.com/content/hisss-fizzlesss|title=Hisss Fizzlesss...|publisher=gsiff.com}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
{{more citations needed|section|date=September 2016}}
Hisss attracted negative reviews from critics. [[Nikhat Kazmi]] of ''[[Times of India]]'' gave it 2 out of 5 stars and stated, "A film like Hisss should have scored with its special effects. But once again, the carnage that the serpent unleashes is grotesque and her transformation from seductress woman to venomous reptile is more funny than eyeball-grabbing."<ref>{{cite web|title=Hisss|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/hindi/Hisss/movie-review/6793467.cms|work=The Times of India}}</ref>
[[Taran Adarsh]] from Bollywood Hungama gave it 1/2 star out of five and stated that "If there were Razzies in Bollywood, HISSS would win hands down. Films like HISSS make you realize what's going wrong in Bollywood today. On one hand we celebrate the new stories being told in our movies and on the other, we churn out a HISSS, which is badly scripted, poorly enacted and carelessly directed. Believe me, it's easy to solve the crossword puzzle in newspapers than it is to understand what exactly is going on in this film. As for director [[Jennifer Lynch]], she needs a crash course in film-making pronto. The visual effects seem straight out of a B-grade Bollywood film.On the whole, HISSS is best avoided."

[[Rajeev Masand]] from [[CNN-IBN]] gave it 1 star out of five and stated that "In Hisss, directed by [[Jennifer Lynch]], Mallika stars as a shape-shifting snake that's been separated from her reptile lover by a crazy foreigner who's seeking a naagmani that will cure his cancer. The outrageous plot involves this ichchadhari nagin emerging as something of a feminist superhero who comes to the rescue of various tormented women, even as she's seeking out her kidnapped partner. Irrfan Khan plays the cop investigating a series of mysterious killings, and Divya Dutta his wife. At 90 minutes it's mercifully short, but watch it only if you're not easily disgusted."

[[Anupama Chopra]] from [[NDTV]] gave it 1/2 star out of five and stated that "Hisss has marginally better special effects and much more nudity but the script is so deliriously inept that, in comparison, the average Ramsay horror film looks like a class act." [[Mayank Shekhar]] from ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' gave it 1 star out of five and stated that "This is pornography for the hormonally demented teen. Or maybe this is erotica."

==Music==
{{Infobox album
| name = Hisss
| type = soundtrack
| artist = [[Anu Malik]], [[David Kushner]], [[Franky Perez]], [[Julian Lennon]], Mark Sipro, [[Peter-John Vettese]], [[Shraddha Pandit]], [[Panjabi MC]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2010|10|1}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length = {{Duration|m=46|s=37}}
| label = Venus
| producer =
| chronology = [[Anu Malik]]
| prev_title = [[Teree Sang]]
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = [[Toonpur Ka Super Hero]]
| next_year = 2010
}}
[[Anu Malik]] composed the on-camera songs for the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moviewood.net/bollywood/upcoming-movies/hissss|title=Hissss - preview, trailer, cast and crew, release date on moviewood.net|publisher=moviewood.net}}</ref> Alexander von Bubenheim composed the original score.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://twitpic.com/1qz1nc|title=introducing... new HISSS posters!! No.1: the eye sees it all ... on Twitpic|work=TwitPic}}</ref><ref>[http://twitpic.com/1qz2jc Second new poster]</ref> The soundtrack consists of six original recordings, composed by [[Anu Malik]], David Kushner, [[Panjabi MC]], Alexander Von Bubenheim, [[Salim–Sulaiman]] and Julian Lennon, and lyrics penned by [[Sameer (lyricist)|Sameer]], Shruti Haasan, Mallika Sherawat, [[Shweta Pandit]], Shraddha Pandit and Sayeed Quadri. The soundtrack also featured hit songs from the films ''[[Robot (film)|Robot]]'' and ''[[De Dana Dan]]''. [[Mallika Sherawat]] makes her musical debut on the soundtrack alongside [[Julian Lennon]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail/99314/Mallika-Sherawat-makes-singing-debut-Hisss.html|title=Mallika Sherawat makes singing debut with 'Hisss'}}</ref> [[Shruti Haasan]] sings and appears in a promotional video with music by [[Dave Kushner]].<ref name="Beyond the Snake">{{Cite web | title = Hisss-toric soundtrack for Mallika! | work = [[The Times of India]] | date = 26 September 2010 |url =http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-09-26/news-interviews/28272571_1_hisss-mallika-sherawat-david-kushner|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110811132856/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-09-26/news-interviews/28272571_1_hisss-mallika-sherawat-david-kushner|url-status =dead|archive-date =11 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title = Musician David Kushner praises HISSS and Shruti | work = Glamsham| date = 9 October 2010 | url =http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/10/oct/09-musician-david-kushner-praises-hisss-and-shruti-101008.asp}}</ref> The music supervisor for the film, Marcus Barone,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/10/sep/08-shruti-haasan-collaborates-with-rock-icon-david-kushner-091013.asp|title=Shruti & David Kushner make global history with HISSS}}</ref> co-produced the soundtrack album for Split Image Soundtracks with Venus Records and Tapes with co-producer of the film William Keenan. Official Bollywood Soundtrack Charts<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planetbollywood.com/top10Songs.php|title=Top 10 Hindi Film Songs on Planet Bollywood – Jeena Jeena storms the charts!|publisher=planetbollywood.com}}</ref> charted "I Got That Poison" performed by [[Panjabi MC]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pmcrecords.com/index.php/blog|title=PMC Blog|publisher=pmcrecords.com}}</ref> and Shweta Pandit at No. 8 from 24 October 2010 to 5 November 2010.

{{Track listing
| collapsed =
| headline = Hisss (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
| extra_column = Artist(s)
| total_length = 46:37
| title1 = Lagi Lagi Milan Dhun Lagi
| note1 = Version 1
| lyrics1 = [[Sameer (lyricist)|Sameer]]
| music1 = [[Anu Malik]]
| extra1 = [[Shreya Ghoshal]]
| length1 = 6:05
| title2 = Beyond The Snake
| lyrics2 = [[Shruti Haasan]]
| music2 = [[David Kushner]], [[Franky Perez]]
| extra2 = Shruti Haasan
| length2 = 3:11
| title3 = Sway
| note3 = Mann Dole
| lyrics3 = [[Mallika Sherawat]]
| music3 = [[Julian Lennon]], Mark Sipro, [[Peter-John Vettese]]
| extra3 = Mallika Sherawat
| length3 = 3:32
| title4 = I Got The Poison
| note4 = Hisss Remix
| lyrics4 = [[Shweta Pandit]]
| music4 = [[Shraddha Pandit]], [[Panjabi MC]]
| extra4 = Shweta Pandit
| length4 = 3:42
| title5 = Lagi Lagi Milan Dhun Lagi
| note5 = Version 2
| lyrics5 = Sameer
| music5 = Anu Malik
| extra5 = [[Sunidhi Chauhan]]
| length5 = 6:05
| title6 = Hisss
| lyrics6 = Shweta Pandit, Shraddha Pandit
| music6 = Shraddha Pandit
| extra6 = Shweta Pandit
| length6 = 2:59
| title7 = Lafanaa
| lyrics7 = [[Sayeed Quadri]]
| music7 = Anu Malik
| extra7 = Sunidhi Chauhan
| length7 = 5:52
| title8 = Naina Miley
| note8 = From ''[[Enthiran|Robot]]''
| lyrics8 = [[Swanand Kirkire]]
| music8 = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| extra8 = A. R. Rahman, [[Suzanne D'Mello]], [[Lady Kash and Krissy]]
| length8 = 5:16
| title9 = Rishte Naate
| note9 = From ''[[De Dana Dan]]''
| lyrics9 = Sayeed Quadri
| music9 = [[Pritam Chakraborty]]
| extra9 = [[Rahat Fateh Ali Khan]], Suzanne D'Mello
| length9 = 4:25
| title10 = Kilimanjaro
| note10 = From ''Robot''
| lyrics10 = Swanand Kirkire
| music10 = A. R. Rahman
| extra10 = [[Javed Ali]], [[Chinmayi]]
| length10 = 5:30
}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://hisssthemovie.com/}}
* {{IMDb title|id=1244093|title=Hisss}}

{{Jennifer Lynch}}

[[Category:2010 films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jennifer Chambers Lynch]]
[[Category:2010s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:Films about snakes]]
[[Category:Indian independent films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Anu Malik]]
[[Category:Films featuring songs by Pritam]]
[[Category:Films about shapeshifting]]

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Hisss