Ram Gopal Varma calls Obsession ‘reset button’ for theatrical cinema: “Every woman has a little bit of Nikki in her”Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has shared his admiration for Obsession, the independent thriller directed by Curry Barker, praising not only its box office performance but also its filmmaking techniques.
Ram Gopal Varma calls Obsession ‘reset button’ for theatrical cinema: “Every woman has a little bit of Nikki in her”Sharing his theory on the film’s popularity, Varma wrote, “My theory on the tremendous success of OBSESSION / Every woman has a little bit of NIKKI in her, which she too knows / Every man sees a little bit of NIKKI in his woman / Hence the CONNECT.”The filmmaker went on to argue that Obsession has challenged the belief that only star-driven spectacles can succeed in theatres.
“Am OBSESSED with OBSESSION,” he wrote, before adding that the film has “reset that BUTTON” for an industry that increasingly relies on big-budget productions.
Varma highlighted the film’s stripped-down approach, noting that it was made without major stars, lavish production design, foreign locations or expensive visual effects.
He concluded by saying that beyond the film’s impressive commercial performance, its editing, sound design and character construction deserve close study.
Ram Gopal Varma calls Obsession ‘reset button’ for theatrical cinema: “Every woman has a little bit of Nikki in her”
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has shared his admiration for Obsession, the independent thriller directed by Curry Barker, praising not only its box office performance but also its filmmaking techniques. In a series of posts on social media on June 7, Varma reflected on why he believes the film has struck a chord with audiences and how it challenges long-held assumptions about what draws viewers to theatres.
Ram Gopal Varma calls Obsession ‘reset button’ for theatrical cinema: “Every woman has a little bit of Nikki in her”
Sharing his theory on the film’s popularity, Varma wrote, “My theory on the tremendous success of OBSESSION / Every woman has a little bit of NIKKI in her, which she too knows / Every man sees a little bit of NIKKI in his woman / Hence the CONNECT.”
The filmmaker went on to argue that Obsession has challenged the belief that only star-driven spectacles can succeed in theatres. “Am OBSESSED with OBSESSION,” he wrote, before adding that the film has “reset that BUTTON” for an industry that increasingly relies on big-budget productions.
Varma highlighted the film’s stripped-down approach, noting that it was made without major stars, lavish production design, foreign locations or expensive visual effects. Referring to reports about the film’s budget, he observed, “No BIG STARS No GRAND LOCATIONS No LAVISH PRODUCTION DESIGN No FOREIGN SHOOTS No TOP TECHNICIANS,” while pointing out that much of the story unfolds across just a handful of locations.
The director was particularly impressed by Barker’s visual and editorial choices. He described the filmmaker’s style as “visually simplistic but very unique,” praising the use of excessive headroom in certain frames and the way editing was employed to heighten psychological tension.
Am OBSESSED with OBSESSION..
Till even a few weeks before the whole industry believed that only Big starred , massive budgeted , Vfx spectacle films will pull audience into the theatres and now OBSESSION reset that BUTTON
No BIG STARS No GRAND LOCATIONS No LAVISH PRODUCTION… — Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) June 7, 2026
“He treats editing not just as a technical craft but as psychological weapon blending rapid cuts with especially lengthy stays,” Varma wrote. He specifically pointed to a lingering shot on Nikki’s face during the interval sequence, saying that such moments create “unbearable tension” by trapping viewers in the character’s emotional state.
Varma also praised the film’s sound design and unconventional editing rhythm. According to him, Barker abandons traditional editing rules in favour of a style that feels chaotic and unpredictable. “The result is a film that feels unpredictable and alive, like the editing itself is also a part of the horror,” he noted.
My theory on the tremendous success of OBSESSION Every woman has a little bit of NIKKI in her , which she too knows Every man sees a little bit of NIKKI in his woman Hence the CONNECT 💪💪💪 — Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) June 7, 2026
The filmmaker further compared Barker’s lighting approach to that of acclaimed Hollywood director David Fincher, while suggesting that Obsession uses the technique even more effectively. He concluded by saying that beyond the film’s impressive commercial performance, its editing, sound design and character construction deserve close study.
In another post, Varma shared a clip from his 1999 psychological thriller Kaun, starring Urmila Matondkar. Drawing a connection between the two films, he wrote, “I remembered this shot of Urmila from KAUN after watching OBSESSION.”
I remembered this shot of Urmila from KAUN after watching OBSESSION pic.twitter.com/o9mpQa7oTR — Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) June 7, 2026
Written, directed, and edited by Barker, Obsession follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a lonely music store employee who harbours deep feelings for his childhood friend and co-worker Nikki, portrayed by Inde Navarrette. Despite its modest scale, the film has emerged as a major success story, attracting significant audience attention worldwide.
Also Read: Obsession’s sleeper blockbuster run exposes an UNCOMFORTABLE truth: You can’t demand fresh films from Bollywood and then wait for their OTT premiere; genuine efforts need to taste box-office success like they did in the good old pre-pandemic days
BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2026 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
