Ram Gopal Varma praised the independent horror film “Obsession”, which was made on a budget of $750,000 but grossed $170 million worldwide, describing himself as obsessed with its unique editing and filmmaking style. However, his remark that every woman has a little bit of Nikki in them left the internet furious, saying he completely missed the point of the film.
“Obsession” has turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the year. What makes it even more impressive is that it was produced on a shoestring budget of just $750,000, yet it grossed a whopping $170 million worldwide.
Director Ram Gopal Varma was clearly stunned by this. On Sunday, he took to X to say he’s obsessed with the movie and shared his thoughts on why he’s been able to connect with so many people around the world.
Ram Gopal Varma’s theory on why ‘obsession’ connects with the masses
RGV took his handle
What is “obsession” about?
The film follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a music store employee whose life takes a dark and terrifying turn after he gets his hands on a supernatural toy. He uses it to make his childhood friend Nikki, played by Indi Navarrete, fall in love with him but the desire comes at a terrifying price. “Obsession” is written, directed and edited by Carrie Parker.
Ram Gopal Varma breaks down Obsession’s budget and makings
In another post on X, RGV delved into what impressed him about the making of the film, focusing on the editing and direction. He said, “I’m obsessed with obsession. Even a few weeks ago the entire industry believed that only VFX films with big stars and big budget would attract the audience to the theatres, and now the obsession has reset that button. No big stars, no big sets, no lavish production design, no foreign cinematography, no top technicians, and contrary to the advertised budget of 7 Crores (Indian) it’s easy to see, it’s a pure manufacturing cost that couldn’t have been more than 70 lakhs without the technical fees considering it was filmed.” Entirely in exactly 3 locations (two rooms in a modest house, inside a car, and inside a small store).
“He added: “The director’s style is visually simplistic but very unique (I was particularly struck by his use of very large headspace in many shots which strangely enhances the mood) He treats editing not just as an artistic craft but as a psychological weapon mixing fast cuts with particularly long lingers (an example of this is the long lingering on Nicky’s face in an interlude shot) This type of long takes creates unbearable tension because the audience is trapped in the character’s perspective with no escape.”
“The note also said, “His cutting of sharp sound effects (a door closing, a sudden laugh, a heartbeat) to create rhythmic punctuation is astonishing. Parker’s editing philosophy seems to be: ‘Make the audience feel what the character feels, which is instability.'” He does away with traditional editing rules (smooth continuity, clear emotional beats) in favor of something very chaotic. The result is a film that feels vivid and unpredictable, and the montage itself is also part of the horror.
He mostly used single-source lighting and lit spaces rather than single shots, just like David Fincher, but more effectively. More than the $179 million set to date on a budget of less than $1 million, what needs more consideration are the groundbreaking editing and sound design techniques lest we forget the character design.
Internet roasts Ram Gopal Varma for missing the point of ‘obsession’
However, not everything RGV said was a hit online. His remark about every woman having a little bit of Nikki in her rubbed a large section of the internet the wrong way.
Since ‘Obsession’ is essentially a story about Bear forcing his crush Nikki into a relationship against her will through a supernatural desire, many social media users felt that RGV had completely missed the point of the film. One user didn’t mince words, writing: “The movie isn’t about Nikki in the beginning, what were you smoking before you entered the theatre, Ramu?” Another took a more sarcastic route, asking: “Are you suggesting every man looks like a male hero?”
“Obsession” director Cary Parker thanks fans after the film’s revenues exceeded $100 million
The film’s extraordinary success also prompted its maker to speak out. A few days ago, director Cary Parker took to Instagram to express his disbelief and gratitude as the film crossed the $100 million mark at the box office. In a sincere note to his fans, he wrote: “Over 100 million at the box office?! So surreal, and it’s all because of you guys. Thank you to everyone who came to see the movie and to everyone who helped us get here.”
“I’m obsessed with you.”
Obsession performed at the box office in India
‘Obsession’ made its way to Indian cinemas on May 29 and has since managed to make a strong impact domestically as well, collecting Rs 32 crore at the Indian box office.