It Lives Inside Ending Explained

Warning: This post contains spoilers for It Lives Inside

It Lives Inside, the horror movie written and directed by Bishal Dutta, ends with Samidha (Never Have I Ever’s Megan Suri) having absorbed the Pishach, the malevolent creature feeding off of her Tamira. After Tamira is kidnapped by the Pishach, and Samidha watches a friend die in front of her, she finally caves and goes to her mother for help. Samidha and Poorna’s relationship was tense, but once Samidha explained what was going on to her mom, Poorna was quick to believe her and help. Poorna had been taught all the stories, and her knowledge of the Pishach was helpful.

Poorna uses henna to mark Samidha’s hand with protection against the creature, but after the Pishach stabs her father, Samidha decides to head to Karan’s house to save Tamira before the creature devours her soul, and to fight the Pishach alone. But she isn’t alone, as Tamira, despite her weakened state, begins reciting the prayer against the Pishach, which is no longer invisible. Samidha finally understands Karan’s drawings — to trap the Pishach, she must become its vessel. A year later, everyone has survived the ordeal; the Pishach is contained, and through Samidha, offered meat to feed. Samidha later promises Tamira the creature will never escape because they won’t let him.

It Lives Inside’s Creature Lore & Plan Explained

The Pishach, or Pishacha, is a creature that appears in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The lore surrounding the creature may vary, but It Lives Inside establishes the Pishach as a soul-feeding entity that is a representation of evil itself. It not only feeds on human life force, but it attaches itself to negative, desolate thoughts and energy. The Pishach aims to isolate Samidha and Tamira, killing anyone standing in its way. Once alone, it feeds on them for seven days before finally devouring its victim’s soul.

The Pishach never speaks, but it obtains power from feeding, and when it’s done with one victim it quickly moves on to the next. Some of the lore surrounding the entity suggests it can shapeshift, though it’s not something It Lives Inside reveals about the creature, and become invisible. Additionally, the Pishach tends to haunt grounds where death occurred, which is why it takes up residence at Kanan’s home.

Will Samidha Be Able To Contain The Pishach Forever?

Samidha began crying at the end of It Lives Inside, likely because she feared the Pishach couldn’t possess her forever. Although she promised Tamira that they wouldn’t allow the Pishach to ever escape, the creature is evil, and will not want to use Samidha as a vessel forever. It Lives Inside ends a bit ominously in that respect; Samidha’s worries are initially hidden because she doesn’t want to alarm her family and friends, but the Pishach can only feed on meat for so long. It’s a dark creature, and has lived off of human souls, feeding on a person’s life force.

There’s no doubt the Pishach is angry Samidha is able to trap it to begin with, and it’s possible it will fight her to escape, or feed on Samidha’s soul from the inside in a bid to be free. That said, it’s likely the Pishach is satisfied for the time being. After all, it’s being fed on a regular basis, and Samidha, as its human vessel, allows the Pishach to live out in the open instead of hiding in the shadows. So long as it remains satiated, the Pishach probably won’t cause any trouble, but it’s unlikely to stay satisfied for the length of Samidha’s life.

How The Pishach’s Possession Of Samidha Affects Her Future

Samidha takes her possession by the Pishach rather bravely, but the creature is strong, cunning, and malevolent. Prior to being trapped, the Pishach was able to get into Samidha’s head, showing her nightmarish images and isolating her. It’s possible this is still happening, but on the inside. Samidha’s tears during It Lives Inside’s final moments suggest that she’s already being affected by the Pishach’s possession. The creature could be toying with her mind; crucially, the Pishach might be trying to influence Samidha to do its evil bidding. The Pishach showcased how powerful it was throughout the horror film, and it could play the same mind tricks on Samidha.

The longer she is possessed by the creature, the less control she could have on her thoughts and actions. Samidha is staying strong for her family and friends to cover up the possibility of the Pishach essentially eroding her mind and willing her into its evil acts. To that end, it’s possible Samidha might take a dark turn at some point in the future. The protective henna may not be powerful enough to keep the Pishach at bay, and that could mean Samidha’s slow descent to the creature’s will. Whatever happens, Samidha has to tread softly in everything she does, especially if the Pishach starts feeding on her.

How It Lives Inside Sets Up A Sequel

It Lives Inside may seem like it has a definitive ending, but the fact that Samidha is shown crying as Tamira walks away hints there could be more to the story. Samidha only became a vessel for the Pishach, but the creature is still alive and well. It’s possible the Pishach will find a way to escape — perhaps Samidha’s henna will no longer be strong enough to contain it — and go after her as revenge for trapping it. This could be the plot of It Lives Inside 2. However, a sequel hasn’t been confirmed, and the film’s ending works as a standalone regardless of whether it ever gets another installment.

The Real Meaning Of It Lives Inside’s Ending

It Lives Inside’s plot is a metaphor for the immigrant experience. There is a lot of tension between Samidha and her mother because they view things differently, yet they both feel like outsiders. No one but Samidha and her family understands the true threat of the Pishach, and others might look upon her as though she’s strange. Samidha wants to fit in so badly, but it also means abandoning parts of her Indian culture to do so. Meanwhile, Poorna is isolated because she knows she doesn’t fit in, and isn’t trying to the way Samidha is.

Samidha and Poorna’s stories are two sides of the same coin, and the Pishach symbolizes their negative thoughts and experiences. To that end, the Pishach is also representative of depression, a theme It Lives Inside touches upon to some extent but never delves into fully. Still, Samidha’s feeling of being othered, as well as her putting distance between herself and her Indian culture showcases the way in which the Pishach latched onto her, and how she came back to her roots by finally confronting it instead of ignoring it the way she had been.