Bhoothakalm is a horror thriller. The word Bhootha in Malayalam means ghost and Bhoothakalam aptly explores the ghosts from the past.
Jaynee Joseph
Revathy and Shane Nigam, who were missing from screens for a while, carry the film forward all through. Asha (Revathy) and Vinu (Shane Nigam) live with Revathy's mother. Revathy’s mother dies, which first seemed to be because of the obvious reasons of old age; but later the audience are exposed to see the existence of an ominous life-force. The movie as it explores a parallel psychological dynamics first seems to be a normal stereotypical film; but the climax terrorizes the audience with a realistic approach and breaks the stereotype. Bhoothakalam shifts between a psychological thriller and a horror thriller.
The film shows a haunted house with ghosts from the past haunting each and every member who lives there and thereby they all end up dead. The sinister happenings in the house remain unexplored though one gets a glimpse of it in the climax. Asha's and Vinu's hampering shackles from the past, rising up as a monster to haunt them, is another way of seeing the causes of the ominous happenings in the film. Now people not being dead, which used to be the case in the past keeps the audience glued to their seats till the end; and their patient waiting pays off.
Asha could be any woman: the sole earning member of the family, dealing with issues in family, and has a career. A woman, who is clinically diagnosed with depression, sorting herself out while carrying the burdens of family. Asha, helping Vinu to get out of the situation of loneliness by searching for opportunities away from their hometown, created confusion and puzzlement in young Vinu. Asha never opened herself up to either her son or her mom. Her past is not revealed; her failure to do so raises more questions.
Asha all along had her mother on her side to support her; but simply breaks down after her mother’s death. She feels alone, angry and sad. She feels it more when Vinu decides to go out of town for work. Asha’s reaction throws Vinu into a critical situation. Both find it difficult to sit face to face and speak their minds out; but eventually they will have to for their own redemption.
Bhoothakalam discuss mental illness, family, women, men, young generation, alcoholism, love, and more. Director Rahul Sadasivan takes a realistic approach to cinema, but treating every situations and characters thoroughly seemed dragging and unnecessary. Staging the story in a simply and ordinary way makes the film calm yet mystical. Revathy and Shane have played their roles extraordinarily. Shehnad Jalal's controlled cinematography and Rahul Syam's minimal sound design adds to the film. Shafiq Mohammad Ali's editing kept the film tight and in good shape.
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