Baramulla (2025) [Movie Review] — Kashmir’s Winter Silence Becomes a Slow-Burn Threat

Baramulla is a Bollywood supernatural-horror thriller that marries procedural tension with folkloric unease. Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale and co-written with Aditya Dhar, the film uses Kashmir’s frozen landscapes as more than a backdrop — the valley’s hush and cold play an active role in building dread. Anchored by solid performances from Manav Kaul, Bhasha Sumbli, and a promising young cast, the movie is as visually arresting as it is quietly unsettling.

Story & Structure — Two strands of mystery that converge into a sombre reveal

Baramulla opens with a grim inciting incident — the abduction of Shoaib Ansari, the son of a local ex-MLA — and quickly splits into parallel narratives. One thread follows DSP Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul) as he pursues leads through a fearful town; the other tracks Ridwaan’s wife Gulnaar (Bhasha Sumbli) and their children as inexplicable phenomena unsettle their home. Jambhale paces the investigation deliberately, alternating procedural beats with uncanny domestic moments. The payoff ties the strands together in the finale, but the film’s tendency to withhold motives and explanations early on can test viewer patience.

Performances — Restraint and authenticity elevate the film’s emotional stakes

Manav Kaul lends the film a steady centre as DSP Ridwaan — a measured performance that forgoes melodrama in favour of lived-in authority. Bhasha Sumbli is quietly effective as Gulnaar, navigating maternal fear and stoic resolve with credibility. Young Arista Mehta (Noorie) creates an affecting portrait of trauma, and the supporting ensemble (including Mir Sarwar and Shahid Latief) helps populate the town with believable faces. At times, the largely regional cast’s line deliveries feel rough, but that rawness often enhances the film’s grounded, local texture.

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Direction & Writing — Confident atmosphere, uneven exposition

Jambhale shows a real gift for mood — he composes frames that emphasize silence, emptiness, and the creeping intrusion of the uncanny. With co-writer Aditya Dhar, the script balances investigative beats against supernatural suggestion, but it errs on the side of ambiguity. Important connective clues are sometimes underplayed, which makes the eventual revelations work less as surprises and more as late clarifications. When the film chooses to linger on small domestic details, it rewards viewers with evocative moments; when it rushes explanatory beats, the emotional impact is diluted.

Visuals & Sound — Kashmir’s winter and a haunting score do the heavy lifting

Cinematography exploits the valley’s monochrome palette — snow, slate skies, and muted interiors — to create a sense of isolation that complements the story. The sound design and a plaintive closing track (sung by Shilpa Rao) heighten the film’s melancholic tone, turning natural sounds into sources of unease. Visual motifs — empty playgrounds, footprints in snow, and fleeting shadows — are used effectively, making the setting feel like an additional character.

Themes & Impact — Loss, cultural memory, and the cost of silence

Beyond its scares, Baramulla probes how communities absorb trauma and how secrets can fester like frost beneath the surface. The film gestures to histories and tensions that lurk in the background, but it rarely interrogates them fully — preferring impressionistic suggestion over overt commentary. This makes the film feel intimate and specific, though sometimes at the expense of narrative clarity.

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Verdict: Who should watch? — A moody thriller for viewers who value atmosphere over jump scares

Baramulla is an accomplished, visually striking film that rewards patience. If you relish atmospheric horror rooted in place and character, Jambhale’s film will stick with you after the credits. If you prefer tightly plotted mysteries with every thread signposted, its ambiguities may frustrate. Either way, Baramulla stands out for turning Kashmir’s icy silence into a memorable engine of dread — a film that chills more by what it implies than by what it shows.

Rating: ★★★⯪☆ (3.5/5)