Baramulla Review: A Gripping Thriller That Falters Under Its Own Weight
The Manav Kaul-starrer Baramulla begins with a strong and atmospheric setup but struggles to sustain its promise as it mixes allegory with uneven plot points. The film centers on the mysterious disappearances of young children in the picturesque town of Baramulla, Kashmir.
Plot Overview
DSP Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul) is sent to investigate the strange kidnappings. Arriving with his wife Gulnaar and their children Noorie (Arista Mehta) and Ayaan (Rohaan Singh), Ridwaan faces a situation unlike any he has handled before. Early scenes create tension and curiosity, highlighted by a street magician who makes a boy seemingly vanish inside a box.
Mystery and Atmosphere
As the urgency to find the missing children rises, Ridwaan and his team confront unsettling questions: who orchestrates these kidnappings? Why is there a locked room on the second floor of Ridwaan’s old wooden house? Secrets, betrayal, and lies emerge like shadows from the creaking floorboards, adding to the eerie mood of the film.
Key Scene
"A street-side ‘jaadugar’ asks a child to clamber into a box, and voila, the boy vanishes."
Thematic Undertones
While Baramulla draws viewers into its suspenseful narrative, it eventually shifts towards a louder, more accusatory tone. It touches upon the historical trauma of the Kashmiri Pandits who were targeted by terrorists and forced to flee their homes—a painful wound that still affects the valley and its people decades later.
"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 Credits
- Produced by Aditya Dhar
- Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Summary
Baramulla presents an intriguing premise and a haunting atmosphere but struggles with an inconsistent storyline and heavy-handed messaging.
Author's Conclusion
The film captivates with its eerie setting and mystery but loses impact by becoming overtly accusatory, diluting the emotional resonance of its story.
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