Baramulla Review: A Gripping Thriller with Flaws
The Manav Kaul-starrer Baramulla unfolds as it attempts to blend allegorical elements with a disjointed storyline. The film is set in the scenic town of Baramulla, Kashmir, where mysterious disappearances of young children unsettle the community.
Plot Overview
Deputy Superintendent of Police Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul) is sent to investigate these unsettling events. Accompanied by his wife Gulnaar and their children Noorie (Arista Mehta) and Ayaan (Rohaan Singh), Ridwaan moves into an old wooden house that holds secrets of its own.
Atmosphere and Mystery
The film opens on a powerful note with a street magician who seemingly makes a child vanish inside a box. As the search for the missing boy intensifies, Ridwaan and his team confront troubling questions:
- Who is responsible for the kidnappings?
- What lies behind the locked room on the second floor of Ridwaan’s house?
Secrets, lies, and betrayal emerge like ghostly apparitions from the creaky floorboards, forming the core mystery.
"Who is behind the kidnappings? Why is there a locked room on the second floor of Ridwaan’s old, wooden house? Secrets, lies, betrayal– all the things that make up a mystery– swim up from the creaky floorboards like smoke-like wraiths."
Thematic Depth and Execution
While the atmospheric tension initially draws the viewer in, the narrative gradually shifts into a more overt and accusatory tone. The film highlights the painful history of the Kashmiri Pandits, who were terrorized and forced to abandon their homes, a wound that continues to resonate within the valley.
"Yes, the way the Kashmiri Pandits were targetted by terrorists, and made to flee their homes, is a wound that the valley and its residents have lived with all these decades."
Production Details
- Produced by Aditya Dhar
- Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Summary: Baramulla’s strong atmospheric setup and poignant themes are undermined by an inconsistent plot and a heavy-handed narrative that lessens its impact.
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