A Time of Darkness: Experiencing Bramayugam
Bramayugam is a typical horror movie in the Malayalam cinema, but not in the genre, it is a visual and emotional experiment. Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, the film is set in 17th-century Malabar. Sadasivan makes the audience feel the weight of myth and superstition on the people as much as he fuels faith and fear. The film is in black-and-white, and black-and-white cinema, to colour cinema audiences, suggests audience as a viewer, the audiences feel as if they are surrounded by darkness. The film is bold in that it is entirely black-and-white. Shadows, as Sadasivan implies, can be powerful. The darkness can be a profound message in the film.
The film builds a world from the onset that is rich in atmosphere and is filled with sound: the sound of rain over ancient wood, a distant cry of the forest, and the echo of footsteps.
The Story of the Singer and the Sorcerer
The story follows Thevan, a wandering paanan, a traditional folk singer. He is fleeing a sort of captivity, and stumbles into the estate of Kodumon Potti, a mysterious sorcerer. The mansion he enters is more than a house; it’s a labyrinth of rituals, voices, and power.
The cook, the only other visible soul in the house, warns him not to answer questions. Yet, like a curse, curiosity has its own rhythm. Thevan’s music, once free and soulful, is turned into a weapon in a house ruled by silence.
The dark legacy of the manor begins to reveal itself as the story progresses. The sorcerer’s lineage, the forbidden contracts with otherworldly forces, the ghost of the past, and the haunting, all merge into one intricate tale. By the time Thevan realizes he’s not a guest but a chosen vessel in an ancient game, it’s far too late.
The climax is an emotional and symbolic unraveling–beyond the cheap thrills of horror. It consumes with darkness and, in the end, reveals enthralling messages about what it means to be human, in a world consumed by fear.
Mammootty’s Spine Chilling Presence
Mammootty’s performance of Kodumon Potti is, arguably, one of the most spine chilling portrayals in modern malayalam cinema. He is able to recite a script while remaining silent, and dominantly presents a character while remaining silent-there is tension in the atmosphere. Each of his movements is deliberate- measured like the rhythm of an ancient ritual.
The value of experimental narratives has been appreciated by Mammootty, noting how Bramayugam was an exercise in self-restraint for him. He lost the heroic disposition we have become accustomed to and became something elemental—half man, half myth.
Arjun Ashokan’s portrayal of Thevan adds the emotional balance. The young folk singer, driven by fear and curiosity, reflects the human need to challenge fate, even in the face of terror. His off-screen journey as an emerging actor mirrors Thevan’s story—a struggle to find identity and voice in a world ruled by giants.
Bramayugam Art of Fear: Black-and-White Brilliance
One of the boldest creative decisions was to film Bramayugam entirely in black-and-white. It’s a choice rarely attempted in modern Indian cinema. The absence of colour heightens focus—on texture, movement, and emotion.
The film’s every frame is a work of art—a charcoal sketch that is haunting, imperfect, and yet, alive. The play of light and shadow turns the mansion into a breathing organism. The cinematographer, Shehnad Jalal, crafts the visual language of fear—muted yet striking.
Christo Xavier’s compositions evoke an unsettling ambiance with his haunting folk melodies, warped vocalizations, and long silences. When combined with the visuals, the sounds provide an immersive experience that focuses on psychological discomfort without relying on jump scares.
The film’s director, Rahul Sadasivan, wrote the screenplay during the pandemic, drawing on the folklore and ancient rites of Kerala. He selected Ottapalam and Athirapally, and their surrounding forests, as shooting locations because of their unrefined, primitive aesthetic, which aligned with the ageless quality of the narrative.
The focus and vision clarity of the crew enabled the project to be finished in little over two months. From the onset, the decision to photograph the movie in black and white required extensive extra lighting which in turn dictated the costumes to be altered for overall consistency.
The film’s title, Bramayugam, can be interpreted in several interesting ways, all of which connect to the central theme of the film and the psychological condition of the characters.
Echoes Beyond the Screen
Upon its release, Bramayugam became more than just a movie. It became a cultural discourse, gaining appreciation for deviating from the mainstream and innovatively blending horror, history, and philosophy. Trademark horror film tropes were redefined. It was a commentary on the allegorical power systems which continue to define the human condition: caste, control, and submission.
Audiences were not haunted merely by the visuals, but by the implication of being trapped in a cycle of endless darkness, history repeating itself through the silence and resignation of obedience.
Mammootty’s portrayal of Kodumon Pott was a seamless fusion of traditional Indian horror and western classic horror. He was not a villain. He represented the insatiable appetite for power that is concealed within wisdom and ritual.
The Legacy It Leaves Behind
Bramayugam is not a film that fades when the credits roll. It lingers. Its black-and-white imagery stays etched in memory, its performances echo like forgotten chants, and its questions about power and faith continue to resonate.
For Indian cinema, it marks a rare convergence of folklore, artistry, and psychological depth. It’s a film that invites the audience to not just watch, but to listen—to silence, to shadow, to stories that time has tried to bury.
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