Vadakkan review: Kishore’s technically sound film is thrilling in parts

Vadakkan plot: Raman (Kishore), a paranormal investigator in Helsinki, heads to a remote island in Kerala after mysterious deaths are reported during a reality TV show. That his former girlfriend’s husband is among the victims adds another layer to the film, which seeks to weave in a thrilling supernatural tale with the folk ritual of Theyyam in North Malabar.

Vadakkan review: Before Sajeed A’s debut directorial Vadakkan released in theatres in Kerala, it had a good festival run, winning accolades at the global level. Though the plot unfolds in Kerala with the supernatural entity linked to a Theyyam performer, the film feels distant. While the effort is commendable, given that the mainstream Malayalam cinema is guilty of hardly making any significant attempts to tell tales on the folklore, Vadakkan doesn’t quite hit home.

In the 2024 Malayalam film Bramayugam, Rahul Sadasivan had also crafted a period horror film that successfully explored the tale of a chattan, weaving supernatural and mythical entities in a gripping plot. Vadakkan, on that account, falls short as the film relies more on the appearance of the Theyyam performer and the sound of the chilambu (anklets) to set the mood, while the story stays clearly in the horror genre. Much like Mammootty's Bramayugam, Vadakkan too brushes upon the caste dynamics and the oppressor vs oppressed tales, but Sajeed’s plot doesn’t fully explore it.

Another factor that makes the film look alien is that conversations in Malayalam and the dialogue delivery, especially by the lead cast, do not come across as natural. This does make one wonder if the film was aimed at a ‘subtitle-reading’ audience, for whom this wouldn’t be a problem. This is surprising as the screenplay and the dialogues are penned by Unni R, who is known for scripting the unsettling Munnariyippu and the enigmatic Charlie, which starred Dulquer Salmaan.

But once you get past this and immerse in the plot, Vadakkan does offer some eerie moments of thrills.

While the Vadakkan team needs to be appreciated for firmly staying clear of the usual horror tropes or jumpscares for the sake of it, the film takes its time to reach the thrilling parts. After breaking the news of deaths, that draws our protagonist to Kerala, Vadakkan slips into a placid mode as the focus shifts to the reality TV show. The bits showing the six youngsters in the reality TV set-up hardly leave an impact. It is only when the film reaches almost the 1-hour mark that Vadakkan enters the thrilling landscape, imparting an ominous, eerie feeling. That’s when the film peaks, especially with its strong technical department setting the right mood and tone.

Oscar-winning Resul Pookkutty’s ominous sound design and Keiko Nakahara's sweeping frames that capture the vast swathes of the Western Ghats and the sprawling backwaters definitely elevate the movie-watching experience. Bijibail’s music and Bhadra Rajin's Kettingo song will hauntingly ring in your ears long after the credits roll.

Coming to performances, Kishore does the lead way and fully slips into his character, and his transition in the end portions looks convincing. Shruthy Menon, who plays Raman’s ex-girlfriend Megha Nambiar, is straddled with a poorly written role. Merin Philip, Maala Parvathi, and Gargi do justice to their roles. Some of the plot points, like Raman being scared of darkness and his grandmother’s role in his life, are passing mentions but don’t get explored. Earlier, the reports had said Vadakkan would be a trilogy so maybe the makers are saving these for the future instalments.

Vadakkan verdict: The strong technical team and the thrilling portions in the second half ensure that Kishore's paranormal thriller remains engaging enough to be a one-time watch. Fans of the horror genre, looking for a different slate, can tune in to watch Kishore's Vadakkan this weekend.

Vadakkan is streaming on Aha and OTTplay Premium