Overview
A young artist's battle with her fears reveals a chilling mystery lurking in her new home.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- paranoid
- claustrophobic
- eerie
- late night horror viewing
- psychological thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Phobia as a gripping, unnerving psychological thriller distinguished by Pavan Kirpalani's controlled suspense and Radhika Apte's commanding performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mehak's agoraphobia and perceptions make it unclear whether the apartment's danger is mental or real.
The recently vacated apartment becomes increasingly menacing as neighbors behave strangely and its former tenant disappears.
Mehak's severe agoraphobia directly follows a traumatic attack and governs her experience of the world.
Critics highlighted the film's psychological approach, unexpected turns, and fresh treatment of established horror conventions.
Films like Phobia, and why
The Babadook
psychological horror centered on trauma, isolation, and uncertainty between mental disturbance and supernatural danger
Repulsion
claustrophobic psychological thriller where an apparently safe domestic space becomes threatening and reality remains unstable
Saint Maud
female-led psychological horror using confinement, paranoia, and ambiguous perception to generate dread
Movie Details
- Director
- Pavan Kirpalani
- Release Date
- 2016-05-27
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (36)
Cast
- Radhika Apte
- Satyadeep Misra
- Ankur Vikal
- Amrita Bagchi
- Nivedita Bhattacharya
- Yashaswini Dayama
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Brew, Eros Now Select Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Brew, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Brew, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Phobia about?
- After a traumatic attack leaves an artist unable to face the outside world, a supposedly therapeutic apartment turns her recovery into a maze of paranoia and possible supernatural peril.
- What is Phobia like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Phobia as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Phobia violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Phobia as mild.
- What did critics think of Phobia?
- Critics broadly praised Phobia as a gripping, unnerving psychological thriller distinguished by Pavan Kirpalani's controlled suspense and Radhika Apte's commanding performance.
- Which films are like Phobia?
- Films with a similar feel include The Babadook, Repulsion, and Saint Maud.
- How long is Phobia?
- Phobia runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch Phobia?
- In United States, Phobia streams on Brew, Eros Now Select Apple TV channel.
