Andhaghaaram

This was a surprising movie and the things that are good in this film are just about quintessential to any movie, but here it has been packaged really well. The acting, script, screenplay. 3 most important factor which was beyond expectations

The premise is rather simple, a backstory of what everyone does and gives you a sense of belonging in the movie. The protagonist portrays to be connected in different aspects although they keep the dark part hidden. Arjun Das has done a phenomenal performance in this and he aces every frame he is in. May it be a deranged man, a coach, a medium,,, he is very very convincing and makes you want to watch over and over.

The blind character played by Vinod Kishan is equally good if not better in few occasions. His portrayal of medium is spot on and he does it so casually with no frills it is very believable.

The director has taken his time to sculpt the characters, which may not be a preferred tone for many, it seems slow in that sense as every minor detail is given a due consideration. However I loved it as it gives you the involvement and who are you rooting for in the movie.

Any horror movie, mostly relies on jump scares and a one off appearance of the ghoul. The story mostly takes a backseat, not in this one though. The characters have a story and the connection is the very base of the movie for almost 80% of it. So you have to watch this in one sitting to truly enjoy the journey

Almost 50% of the movie you will piecing the puzzle together, but your presence is also a very important factor to understand the puzzle even more. So sometimes you may feel frustrated but like i said the movie being a slow burn will start twisting the tension higher with every scene. And its not a sudden release at the end as well. The director has taken adequate time to slowly unwind the mystery. Brilliant effort!!

Aside the pace of the movie which may not seem fit for everyone, this is one horror movie which does not have jump scares and relies on logic to move the movie forward. A shout out to the sound engineer who has done a phenomenal job in keeping us at the edge of our seats

Andhaghaaram (lack of light) does not lack anything to be skipped from watched. It is a wholesome movie with brilliant performances which will remain in your memory for a long time.

I would have given it a 8 but the movie really drags in some parts and at least 45 mins can be chopped off. Lot of movies released on OTT due to Covid but most of them I felt would have not added any value on going to screen but this one was an exception. This movie definitely lost big time because of an OTT release, would have been a blockbuster if it had, had a theatre release. Extremely good cinematography and effects which create a scary effect without the usual tropes. Original but quite complicated screenplay which felt rushed at the end. Arjun Das did go overboard in some scenes but the actor playing blind guy was perfect. A part 2 is most welcome as some questions still remain open in this movie.

I am writing this about an hour into the movie. It has an intriguing dark premise and has not been predictable so far. Thankfully, the movie is also without gimmicks and excessive melodrama so far. The actors have acted well and fit their parts. Hoping that it gets better.

Update: The second half gets a bit tiring and at places convoluted. Could have been edited by around 20 minutes and the big reveal could have been more effectively explained. Watchable but the second half pulls it down.

The genre of supernatural thriller is not new for Tamil Cinema; right from Mohini till Kanchana, we had several versions of "supernatural" stories on screen but the genre was not properly explored enough. The movie "Zero" came close in that aspect, in exploring something new but it failed to impress many. However, Andhaghaaram does it right - exploring the unexplored.

Right from the beginning, the setup of the movie is straight and clear - to provide a dark and intense thriller. The gripping camera work assisted by some sharp editing pattern, keeps us guessing throughout the movie. Though there are instances where one might feel distracted, one gets pulled into the action right after that. With a well-written screenplay and a powerful background score, Andhaghaaram explores the supernatural and psychological elements of our life - nothing new, yet refreshing when put-together.

A must watch supernatural thriller. A very well written & twisted screenplay.

Andhaghaaram is a slow burn type movie that goes from the beginning to end in a slow paced manner but keeps you gripped till the end because of the tight and complex screenplay from V. Vignarajan.

The story follows Vinod, a depressed cricketer; Selvam, a blind librarian and Dr. Indran, a former psychiatrist. As the story continues to unravel the mystery, we are drawn into the dark and supernatural world that director has created.

The performances of each and every character is mind blowing. Technically this thriller is a treat, it is strikingly different from the usual thriller "effects" and yet is as intense as it can get.

Finally Andhagaaram is a unique film in this genre which makes it a must watch.