Bhaagamathie is a horror thriller film trilingual made in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam written and directed by G. Ashok. The film stars Anushka Shetty in the lead role, with Unni Mukundan, Jayaram, and Asha Sarath in supporting roles.
For any horror film to succeed, an engaging plot is a must. And, Bhaagamathie emerges triumphant on all fronts. The most interesting aspect about the film is its plot that is unpredictable till the end. You get the sense something big is about to happen, but we are all in for a surprise on several occasions when the story exceeds our expectations.
Bhaagamathie starts off showing Jayaram as a Central Minister, who works for the betterment of the people. As he is engaged in his duties, reports of idol theft cases are presented to him to which he says he will oversee the outcome personally. He goes on to assure that the culprits will be nabbed else he shall resign from politics altogether.
Sensing this will make him more popular, his opponents hatch a plan to see him gone as he is a threat to their survival in the political arena. That is when they decide to seek Anushka Shetty’s help, who was previously Jayaram’s Personal Assistant. However, she is in jail on charges of murder of her lover Unni Mukundan.
Knowing they won’t be able to get the necessary dirt on Jayaram while Anushka is in jail, the ministers use their influence to get Anushka out on the basis of an enquiry in a fort situated on the outskirts of the city.
Local residents often have claimed the fort to be haunted, but the police carry out their interrogation there on Anushka by monitoring all her movements on the digital platform with the help of cameras.
And, as expected, a sequence of unexplainable events begin to take place, which the police deem is beyond their authorization and have Anushka admitted in a mental hospital under the claim she is hallucinating. This subsequently leads to a fantastic turn of the tide twist in the plot.
The biggest USP of Bhaagamathie would be its plot which is unpredictable at the same time is exceptionally engaging. The twists in the film are an absolute delight making us wanting more. There are several edge-of-the-seat moments, but the one that stands out happens to be during the interaction between Jayaram and Anushka, which not only elevates the overall film to a whole new plane, but also brings out some of the finest acting performances from both the stars.
Director G. Ashok needs to be complimented for sketching out a story that is all guns blazing. His efforts to tell a story that keeps you hooked till the end of the film is no simple task and he delivers to the point; except for the climax, which could have had a bit more depth.
On the acting front, we get satisfactory performances. However, it is Anushka, who has single-handedly carried the film on her shoulders confidently and in a rather majestic manner reminding us the talent powerhouse she is. Jayaram’s character is not all what he seems, which we kind of get a feeling right from the beginning, but often question ourselves if we could be wrong. And, that is where his strength lies - in making us believe one thing while coming on top doing the unexpected. Although a short role, Unni Mukundan’s character in the overall narrative is significant and adds more intrigue and intensity to the plot. Asha Sarath has done yet another powerful role and her subtle performance makes the plot move more gracefully.
From a technical standpoint, Bhaagamathie is solid as a rock - be it Madhie’s cinematography, Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao’s editing and S. Thaman in his music with his songs and the background score - all elements fit in well. However, since the film has been dubbed into Tamil, there are few instances where it can be outright noticed.
In terms of what works best for Bhaagamathie, the big plot twist complimented by Anushka Shetty’s stunning performance helps the film on the whole.
Thumbs Up
An unpredictable plot is the biggest USP
Clever screenplay that avoids cliches seen in previous horror films
Anushka rises to the occasion once again
The big twist is indeed a surprise
Top quality sound mix
VFX is on point
Thumbs Down
Anushka's character could have had more depth.
VERDICT: Not boring at any point and a definite one time watch.
Verdict: Not boring at any point and a definite one time watch.
