The Manav Kaul-starrer Baramulla attempts to blend allegorical themes with an uneven plot, resulting in a mixed experience. The film opens with a mysterious event: children in the Kashmir town of Baramulla vanish inexplicably. DSP Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul) is sent to investigate and moves into an old wooden house with his wife Gulnaar and their children Noorie (Arista Mehta) and Ayaan (Rohaan Singh), where he faces challenges unlike any before.
The film, produced by Aditya Dhar and directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, starts strongly. A street magician’s act turns eerie when a child willingly climbs into a box and suddenly disappears. The urgency to locate the missing boy escalates, and Ridwaan and his team confront unsettling mysteries:
The setting is charged with tension, as dangers and unresolved questions arise like ghostly specters from the creaking floorboards.
As Baramulla unfolds, the film shifts from subtle atmosphere to an overtly pointed message. It addresses the painful history of the Kashmiri Pandits, who were targeted by terrorists and forced to flee their homes — a trauma that still haunts 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.
While Baramulla captivates with its mysterious and dark setting, its heavy-handed narrative approach diminishes its overall impact.
The film’s atmospheric tension and social commentary intrigue but are diluted by an inconsistent plot and an overly blunt message.
Would you prefer a more formal or conversational tone in the summary?