It Lives Inside should be applauded for bringing a heartfelt Indian horror story to a wider audience. It certainly ticks all the boxes as it leans into its folk-inspired narrative in order to firmly grab your attention and delve into a tale of twisted and macabre origins.

Sam (Megan Suri) is an Indian-American teenager, struggling to fit into the westernised ideals and expectations of society, and favours this lifestyle to her cultural background, looking to curb her identity in order to ‘fit-in’.

This leads to a serious falling out with her former best friend, Tamira (Mohana Krishnan) and in the throes of their angst, they unwittingly unleash a demon that feeds on loneliness. The catch 22 for Sam is the further she strives to meet in with American idolism, the further she strays from her own kind and her background. In doing so, she becomes more and more isolated; a feast for the demon who haunts her.

The Prognosis:

Bishal Dutta tries his hand at a feature length directorial debut and serves up a fairly decent offering, Dutta plays to his strengths in order to produce his and co-writer Ashish Mehta’s vision, harnessing a story embedded with his own roots and cultural perspectives, whilst infusing with a contrasting world. Where he leans into the horror movie tropes, the heightened reaction received from the trailer doesn’t quite meet up to expectations. That’s not to say that you won’t be treated to a solid showing as It Lives Inside ticks along nicely and will entertain regardless.

• Saul Muerte