Bramayugam Review – A Peculiar Horror Drama

Bramayugam is a 2024 Indian Malayalam-language dark fantasy horror thriller film written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan. The film is dubbed into Telugu with the same title and is released by Sithara Entertainments banner. The film stars Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, Sidharth Bharathan, Amalda Liz, and Manikandan R. Achari in key roles. The music is composed by Christo Xavier and the film is produced by Chakravarthy Ramachandra & S. Sashikanth under Night Shift Studios & YNOT Studios banners.

Story:

Thevan (Arjun Ashokan), a court singer of the Paanan caste, and his friend Koran (Manikandan R. Archery) escape from the Portuguese slave trade in Ponnani and flee to the east. They try to cross a river, but Koran gets killed by a female spirit, Yakshi (Amalda Liz). To save his life, Thevan enters a mansion where he meets Kudumon Potti (Mammootty) and his cook (Sidharth Bharatan). Thevan has a fateful encounter with Kudumon Potti as he insists Thevan that he stay in the mansion as a singer all through his life, in spite of his desire to leave. Did Thevan escape from that mansion? What are the secrets inside the mansion? Needs to be seen in the film.

What about on-screen performances?

Mammootty delivers a stellar performance with remarkable expressions, mysterious emotions, and perfect body language. His subtle variations in his eyes, add depth and intensity to his character. He once again reinvents himself and shows how good an actor he is with this act as Kudomon Potti. His dedication to pushing his boundaries and embracing varied diversified roles is appreciable.

Arjun Ashokan leaves a huge mark as the singer who gets trapped, effectively conveying the character’s plight, pain, and fear through his innocent eyes.

Sidharth Bharatan as the cook also offers an amazing act with his strong personality and impressive mannerisms. Amalda Liz as the female spirit, Yakshi and Manikandan R. Archery as Koran are pretty decent in their limited roles.

What about off-screen talents?

The story by Rahul Sadasivan is in the peculiar horror drama space. The plot majorly revolves around 3 characters and mostly happens in one mansion. Despite the limited resources from the core story standpoint, the narrative packs a punch. The narrative unfolds at its own pace and for cinema lovers, it makes for a satisfactory watch.

The screenplay by Rahul Sadasivan & T.D.Ramakrishnan has decent twists & turns but the pace of the proceedings go up and down. The first half of the film sets up the plot neatly and ends on a high note with an intriguing twist, setting the stage for a gripping second half. The latter half is a bit dragged but it ultimately holds the attention and ends as a good watch.

Director Rahul Sadasivan does a decent job with his presentation. He provides an eerie experience throughout with his making style and the way he extracted performances from his cast. Filmed entirely in black and white, he creates a suspenseful atmosphere with shadows dancing in the light but couldn’t keep us invested with the plot all through. He also gives an undercurrent message about the harms of unfettered authority, as well as how people become addicted to power and therefore corrupt themselves.

The camera work by Shehnad Jalal, the artwork by Jotish Shankar, the sound design by Jayadevan Chakkadath, Christo Xavier’s music, and M R Rajakrishnan’s sound mix are superb. All of these departments together set the mood of the film on the right note. The editing by Shafique Mohammed Ali needed to be sharper. If certain lags are eliminated on the editing table, the film could have made for a better watch. The production values by Night Shift Studios & YNOT Studios are good.

What’s Hot?

* Mammootty’s Performance
* Arjun Ashokan & Sidharth Bharatan’s Performances
* Sound Design & Background Score
* Good Twists & Turns

What’s Not?

* Uneven Pace at times
* A few Boring Moments

Verdict: Overall, Bramayugam is a peculair horror film which caters to cinema lovers. The intense performances, intriguing sound design, and the whole Black-and-White format offer a unique viewing experience. There are certain slow-paced sequences, but for those who love generic films, it can make for a decent watch.

Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.75/5