Cast: Tovino Thomas, Chemban Vinod, Roshan Mathew, Reema Kallingal, Shine Tom Chacko, Abhiram Radhakrishnan
Director: Aashiq Abu
Cinematography: Girish Gangadharan
Editing: V. Sajan
Music: Bijibal, Rex Vijayan
Producers: Aashiq Abu, Reema Kallingal
OTT: Aha
This week, a Malayalam horror film has made its way to OTT platforms, aiming to captivate digital audiences. ‘Bhargavi Nilayam’, originally released in 1964, has been remade as ‘Neelavelicham’ in 2023 with several alterations. The movie stars Tovino Thomas, Reema Kallingal, Roshan Mathew, and Shine Tom Chacko, directed by Aashiq Abu. Released in April last year, the film greatly attracted Malayalam viewers. Recently, this movie has been dubbed into Telugu as ‘Bhargavi Nilayam’ and brought to OTT on Aha. How does the film fare? Does it engage the Telugu OTT audience? Let’s find out in this review.
The Story
‘Bhargavi Nilayam’ is set in a small village near the seaside, where the titular mansion has been abandoned for many years. The very mention of the mansion sends shivers down the spine of the villagers. It is said that Bhargavi (Reema Kallingal) haunts the house as a ghost, attempting to kill anyone who steps inside. In this context, a writer named Basheer (Tovino Thomas) arrives in the village. Unaware of the mansion’s haunted history, he rents it. Financial constraints force him to stay, leading him to befriend the ghost. He decides to write a story about her. What caused Bhargavi’s death? How did her lover Shivakumar (Roshan Mathew) mysteriously disappear? How does Basheer uncover the mystery of this tragic love story? That forms the crux of the narrative.
Performance
Tovino Thomas excels in the role of the writer. His appearance and dialogue delivery are notably different from his previous films, bearing the weight of the movie on his shoulders. He leaves his mark in key scenes. The love pair, Reema Kallingal and Roshan Mathew, perform adequately. Shine Tom Chacko delivers a compelling performance as the villain, leaving a strong impact. Other actors perform well within their roles.
Direction
While Aashiq Abu has chosen a routine story for the movie, he succeeds in making the narrative engaging. The scenes depicting the tragic life of a couple, uncovered by a writer, are captivating. The segments where the hero enters the haunted house and the villagers scare him with dreadful tales are intriguing, maintaining suspense about what will happen next. The horror elements introduced occasionally do instill fear. The friendship between the hero and the ghost before the interval sets up an engaging second half. In the latter part, the director reveals the love story of Bhargavi and Shivakumar, and the villain behind their tragic fate. The climax shows Bhargavi’s revenge drama in an interesting manner. However, the routine storyline, boring love track, and standard horror scenes could be seen as negatives.
Technically
On the technical front, the cinematographer does an excellent job. His camera work effectively recreates the atmosphere of the 1960s. The background music also adds value to the film. The editing is adequate, and the production values are fitting for the film.
Plus Points
– Tovino Thomas’s performance
– Engaging narrative
– Strong technical department
Minus Points
– Routine horror concept
– Lack of thrilling elements
