Bramayugam

It's been a while since a first-day-first-show experience, ha. Funnily enough, that had to be for a full-length black & white Malayalam film. While the story premise isn't exactly new, the setting and the style of presentation certainly are, at least by Indian film standards. The closest I can think of is the underrated gem Tumbbad, though Bramayugam is steeply rooted in Kerala's folklore. After a ghastly encounter with a malevolent being, a runaway singer (Arjun Ashokan) accidentally takes refuge in a dilapidated mansion during the 17th century in Kerala, where Kodumon Potti (Mammootty) and his caretaker (Siddharth Bharathan) reside. This is the one-liner, but the film is SO MUCH MORE!

Firstly, I want to applaud writer-director Rahul Sadasivan's decision to keep the film in black & white throughout. It not only helps set an eerie tone, but it also makes the experience a lot more fulfilling as we proceed into the final act when key characters go through potentially fatal situations. The script is thankfully in no hurry, and since we mostly see the three characters mentioned above taking up the majority of the screenspace, all of them get a sweet slow-burn build, particularly Mammootty's. One thing to note here is that while it is a horror film by definition, Bramayugam also places equal footing on the genres of mystery and suspense, even when it all unravels at a single location. Shehnad Jalal's cinematography constitutes repeated shots of various spots in and around this particular location - the traditional facade, the messy kitchen, Potti's dining and recreational areas, the overgrown weeds, and some "unexplored" spaces that we know will get covered later on. The aesthetics reminded me heavily of a Robert Eggers film, and art director Jothish Shankar deserves a lot of praise (and probably some accolades).

Christo Xavier comes up with a brilliant sinister score, and the inclusion of a few, well-placed old-school songs takes you back to a bygone era. The equation between the three lead characters keeps changing, and that's where the writer in Rahul Sadasivan plays mind games with us. At first, it gives off the impression of diving into feudalism, and Mammootty is channeling a more blood-curdling version of Bhaskara Patelar (from Vidheyan). But the director keeps reminding us that it's a horror film with frequent flashes of horrifyingly raw imagery, an intimidating score, and Mammootty's creepy laughs. There aren't any forced jumpscares, and the makers rely on the atmospherics and character evolutions to amp up the horror quotient. Editor Shafique Mohammed Ali smartly transitions between slow and fast cuts depending on the tension levels within each scene.

The film's pace dips a little in the second act, but the locales and the overall unpredictability keep you invested. The final act is well executed, with a few shocks and surprises in store. I think this is where the application of a black-and-white tone greatly helped, as there as scenes where you'll find it difficult to distinguish between real locations and artificially created sets. I didn't anticipate these many shots having visual (and practical) effects in the film and the respective departments have done a commendable job. I think it's a bit of a cliché by now, but it's safe to say that Mammootty's attempts at revitalizing the stunning performer in him continue in Bramayugam. He's every bit the vicious presence he's expected to be, right from his introductory shot.

Arjun Ashokan once again plays a naive, servile youngster and is mostly good, though I wish he doesn't get typecast. Siddharth Bharathan is solid, and I guess we'll see more writers and directors utilizing him in various "character roles" in the near future. Bramayugam offers a different kind of theatrical experience, and if you're ready for something unusual in terms of storytelling and presentation, then chances are, you may find it fulfilling too. Also, this is clearly designed for theatrical viewing, and I doubt the levels of enjoyment when experienced on a smaller screen.

Attempting a big-budget black-and-white horror movie in Malayalam itself is laudable. But using it to unleash the devilish side of Mammootty is where this movie really shines. As expected, Mammootty hit it out of the park. In films like this and Rorschach, we can see that the devilish side is used in a way that is so powerful but also charismatic in a way only he can do. We are in awe and horror of the deeds but also can't help but love it. And the director knows this, so the framing and music also evoke the same. Here, the story itself is pretty simple and uses an exposition sequence to fill in all the blanks. So, it's the atmosphere created and the performances that really carries the movie. Thematically there are a lot of obvious aspects to it but it felt like the focus on certain things could have made more impact instead of spelling everything out. Besides Mammootty, Sidharth Bharathan surprised me with his performance. The production design and some detailing in makeup were all fabulously intricate. Editing on the whole felt not as good as all the other technical aspects, as there were many moments where it felt like it disrupted the flow rather than immersing us. The black and white cinematography worked well but I wish they played with it more. Rather than just the usual black and white, the use of some darker black and whiter white etc would've been great, but that's just my opinion. Overall, it's an incredible attempt at folklore horror rooted in Kerala mythology, even though I do think there was some room for improvement.

The fans association people were celebrating with a bandset and everything at the end, so the repetition of a dialogue at the end of the credits wasn't completely audible but that was a really nice way to end the movie.

Well, we all know that the another famous actor's fanboys are gonna say negative for this movie. The movie was epic, thrilling. It takes a cynical sense of humour for people to understand most of the parts in the movie line. While on the other side, Ikka's unmatched acting skills makes it more impeccable. The Character is a bit spooky. Even if it's a B&W movie, we won't feel like one. Everybody must give it a try, those who love to experience a suspense music surely give it a try. Theatre experience is a must, those who have Dolby Vision or 4K theatres nearby, should experience the movie, there. Make sure to carry some popcorns.

One of the epic movies by Mammootty. The great actor Mammootty is like a wine that gets stronger with age. Everyone else, including Arjun Ashoka, has acted well. It can be said that Bharamayugam is definitely a must-watch movie. What sets Mammootty apart from other stars is the way he chooses movies. His finesse in story selection has been evident for some time now. It can be said that the director has made this movie for us in such a way that we even forget that we are watching the movie on a black-and-white screen. Watch this movie with the confidence of not being afraid. Because when the movie is over, others will understand the fear in your eyes.

Bramayugam starring Mammootty in the lead role. Also starring Arjun Ashokan and Siddharth Bharatan

Directed by Rahul Sadasivan.

*** A horror mystery set to convey the evil side of Rulership ***

Set in the period of the 17th Century where black magic, lust for power, control was in extreme, Bramayugam creates a world of the power vests in the hand of the evil & how the helpless society falls prey into this gamble of dominance.

As the whole movie set in Black and White, for me the impression was it was unambiguous of the dominance of the superior over the downtrodden.

Performance wise what we thought was completely different of the characterization of the megastar Mammootty. The thirst for acting has never ended and that's clearly being noticed in each frame of his. The cruelty of the character was very well absorbed by him and that's why he is the Kulapathy of the Malayalam Film Industry.

Another note worthy performance of Arjun Ashokan. The career graph of Arjun will escalate here onwards.. Siddharth Bharatan also gave a fitting performance.

The songs set back in the 17th century was pleasing. BGM added the horror mode.

Overall a purely experimental movie but with the good technical work and class performers Bramayugam sets a new benchmark for the upcoming horror jonor movies in Malayalam Film Industry.