Baramulla Movie Review
The Manav Kaul-starrer Baramulla tries to blend allegorical elements with an uneven plot, resulting in a film that struggles to maintain its grip throughout.
Plot Overview
In the scenic town of Baramulla, young children begin to disappear mysteriously. DSP Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul) is sent to investigate the unsettling incidents. Upon arriving with his wife Gulnaar and their children Noorie (Arista Mehta) and Ayaan (Rohaan Singh), Ridwaan faces challenges unlike any he has encountered before.
Atmosphere and Mystery
The movie opens powerfully with a street-side magician making a boy vanish into a box. As the search intensifies, Ridwaan and his team confront difficult questions:
- Who is responsible for the kidnappings?
- Why is there a locked room on the second floor of Ridwaan’s old wooden house?
The mystery is layered with secrets, lies, and betrayal, evoking an eerie atmosphere as the story unfolds.
“Secrets, lies, betrayal– all the things that make up a mystery– swim up from the creaky floorboards like smoke-like wraiths.”
Critique
While the initial suspense and setup are compelling, the film gradually reveals a more forceful and accusatory tone, particularly addressing the painful history of the Kashmiri Pandits. The portrayal of their targeting by terrorists and the resulting exodus is a deep wound that continues to affect the valley and its people.
“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 Notes
- Produced by Aditya Dhar
- Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Author’s summary: Baramulla offers a gripping start and atmospheric mystery but falters as its heavy-handed messaging overshadows the storytelling.