Bramayugam review: Mammootty strikes terror in this fascinating horror film

Mammootty in Malayalam horror Bramayugam, shot entirely in black and white. (Image via X @mammukka)

In a dilapidated 17th century mansion in south Malabar, an elderly man lives with his cook. One day, a desperate folk singer fleeing a war arrives at the mansion, seeking refuge. He finds what he’s looking for, but then, he isn’t allowed to leave.

Rahul Sadasivan’s previous horror film, Bhoothakaalam (2022), was set in contemporary times in an innocuous home with a dysfunctional family. Moving away from conventional horror tropes, the director wove a compelling story about a grandmother, mother and son who must confront a history of mental illness in the family. That also explains its title which could mean ‘the past’ or ‘the time of ghosts’.

His new film Bramayugam (2024) seems like such a dramatic shift from Bhoothakaalam. Here, the horror is sourced from the stock characters of Kerala folklore – the yakshi, chaathan and their hapless victims. But, in truth, the two films have the same conviction. The scariest place in the world is your own mind.

Shot entirely in black and white (Shehnad Jalal), Bramayugam brings back the terror of ancient stories passed on from generation to generation in hushed whispers and screams that don’t leave the throat. The monochrome doesn’t just transport us to the 17th century, it is also vital to creating the dreary, timeless trap that the characters find themselves in. With the frames bleached of colour, it is difficult to tell the passage of time – and so, when one character asks another if he has been around for days or months, we don’t know the answer either.

The first time Thevan (Arjun Ashokan) looks up at Kodumon Potti (Mammootty) is also the first time the audience sees the latter. The face, that we’re looking at from Thevan’s perspective, belongs to an actor who has charmed the Malayali audience for over 50 years. But the immediate reaction here is to shrink back. With his paan-stained teeth and ghoulish smile, there is no doubt that Potti is the stuff of nightmares.

Mammootty, of course, is no stranger to playing such roles. Bramayugam certainly takes inspiration from Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Vidheyan (1994), where the star plays a despicable landlord who exploits his manservant. In Bramayugam, Nietzche’s Master-Slave morality plays out in the ancient mansion with Koduman Potti symbolising the powerful aristocrat and Thevan and the unnamed cook (Sidharth Bharathan) seeking to displace his evil.

Scarier than Potti’s violent actions are the flickering expressions on his face. Each time he hears something he doesn’t like, a shadow crosses Potti’s face. His eyes register his displeasure, and you dread the punishment that will follow. The low angle shots deliberately create the effect of Potti being in a position of authority, and we feel intimidated along with Thevan. Even when Potti is in a good mood, the menace never leaves the air.

Kodumon Potti (Mammootty) (Image via X @mammukka)

Mammootty has a library of smiles at his command – it is astonishing how he reads each character and alters something so spontaneous as a smile to suit the role. If you thought the last shot from Munnariyippu (2014) was his creepiest, Bramayugam surpasses it by a mile.

Arjun Ashokan and Sidharth Bharathan excel in their respective roles, too. For most of the film, it’s just these three actors and the changing dynamic within the triangle. Amalda Liz is striking as the rapacious yakshi though she does not have a single line of dialogue. Christo Xavier’s brooding background score, punctuated by the pouring rain and the dragging of metal chains, plays a significant role in building the quietly terrifying atmospherics of the film. The art design, makeup and VFX also deserve special mention.

Folk stories are deceptively simple. Through fiction, the archetypes found in these stories speak deeper truths that remain true from one generation to another. Bramayugam is about the chaathan as a trickster who always tries to get the better of humans. But it’s also about the chaathan within who seeks power and control. Here, it is entrenched in caste – Potti is Brahmin while Thevan and the cook are of low caste.

But what if Thevan or the cook had the same power as Potti? Would they make better choices? Would their suffering make them more empathetic? Does power corrupt everyone the same way? Humans perish like all other living beings, but is there any death for the chaathan? Or does he always manage to weasel his way out, to appear in another form in another generation and in another time? Bramayugam is a fascinating study of the human mind and its many layers. This is a film where nothing is actually black and white.

Summary

What is Mammootty's new film about?

Mammootty's new film Bramayugam is a Malayalam horror film set the 17th century. It is written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan, who also made Bhoothakaalam.

Is Bramayugam a black and white film?

Yes, Kerala-based cinematographer Shehnad Jalal has shot Bramayugam entirely in black and white.

Who is in Bramayugam besides Mammootty?

The 2024 Malayalam horror film Bramayugam stars Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, Sidharth Bharathan and Amalda Liz.