Sometimes low-budget films surprise you with how deeply they stay in your head. Baramulla might start off feeling like an average thriller, but by the time it ends, it hits you hard. The story keeps running in your mind for hours, maybe even days. I was watching it alone, and when that 30-minute-long climax ended with the mid-credit scene, I just stood up and started clapping. I didn't even plan to. It just happened. That's how powerful it was.
Manav Kaul gives one of his most intense performances ever. Other actors have done a good job too, but Manav completely overshadows everyone. The pacing of the movie keeps changing. Sometimes it feels like a psychological thriller, sometimes mystery, and sometimes horror. The way it all connects in the end is brilliant. The entire 30-minute climax is pure brilliance. The reveal, the emotion, the tension... everything from the editing, color grading, and cinematography to the direction is at its best there.
Talking about the flaws, the director's use of metaphors was good but apart from the climax, the overall direction could've been better. The second act was slow, very slow at times, and almost made me lose interest. The jump scares were too many and mostly unnecessary. The music and BGM didn't help much either. It felt like they were trying too hard to create fear with loud sounds instead of atmosphere. The VFX wasn't great, but considering the budget, it's understandable. Also, like many Indian thrillers, it again falls into that cliché of showing a minor girl being trapped by evil to get to her father. That part felt forced and honestly uncomfortable.
Still, Baramulla is a strong horror-thriller that deserves to be seen. It's the kind of film that gets better the more you think about it. The climax makes it worth the wait. If you watch Bollywood movies or know even a bit about Kashmiri Pandits' history, you'll connect with it more.
