Baramulla

Aditya Dhar and Aditya Suhas Jambhale's story is novel. Aditya Suhas Jambhale and Monal Thaakar's screenplay is extremely captivating. However, the writing has a few loose ends. Aditya Suhas Jambhale and Monal Thaakar's dialogues are realistic. Some one-liners raise laughs. Aditya Suhas Jambhale's direction is exemplary. He keeps the run time in check (112 minutes) and packs in a lot. There's a lot happening in the film and has various sub plots - the kids have disappeared, there's an eerie presence in the house, a terrorist duo is planning a sinister operation and there's a past track that also wreaks havoc. The way Aditya weaves all these aspects together is commendable. He also ensures that certain horror scenes are terrifying. The idea of having a film in this space in Kashmir is also a masterstroke as no one has attempted it before. Aditya reserves the best for the last 20 minutes. The suspense comes as a bolt from the blue. The final scene is also commendable. On the flipside, a few questions remain unanswered. Why do these mysterious developments occur so late and not before? Did the previous occupants of the house not sense that they were living in a haunted mansion? Lastly, the Noorie–Khalid Dar (Aswini Koul) track feels rushed. More time should have been devoted to establishing the deep bond they shared.

This is really one of the most unique and creatively well-realised Hindi films I've seen in a long time. All this supernatural-mystery stuff is well balanced with the film's more grounded, socially realistic elements. But as the narrative unfolds, the story feels far too simple and predictable for its own good. The film falters a bit with a few plot points that aren't explored as much as they could be. Even Kaul's protagonist is largely pushed into the corner once the twist is revealed. Still, what makes Baramulla stands out is how confidently it holds your attention. While the final reveal plays too safe and it can be hit-or-miss for some, the journey leading there is so engaging that it's hard not to admire the film as a whole.

Despite its uneven moments, Baramulla remains a gripping watch, powered by Manav Kaul’s composed performance and Aditya’s confident direction. It’s not without its imperfections, but it’s atmospheric cinema done with intent... a reminder that sometimes, the real horror lies not in ghosts, but in the world we inhabit.

But placing a horrific episode with a massacre at the heart of the film captures and directs our attention, to the exclusion of all else.

But the true triumph of 'Baramulla' lies in its searing climax: layered, haunting, and too moving for words. The horror here is not imagined; it's historical. The exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the early 1990s remains a wound that refuses to heal, and Kaul treats it not as spectacle but as soul. Baramulla doesn't dramatise the tragedy – it becomes it.