For someone like Aditya Dhar, whose name is attached to films like Uri: The Surgical Strike, Article 370, and Dhoom Dham, Baramulla feels like a complete letdown. With a title so loaded with regional and political undertones, you expect a film steeped in the intensity of Kashmir — maybe something that touches on militancy, identity, or belonging. What you get instead is a confused supernatural thriller that neither grips nor moves.
The story follows DSP Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul), who moves with his wife Gulnaar (Bhasha Sumbli), daughter Noorie (Arista Mehta), and son Ayaan (Rohaan Singh) to a house in Baramulla. Ridwaan has been posted there to investigate a series of child disappearances — cases initially believed to be kidnappings, though there are no ransom calls, no clues, and no communication whatsoever. His attempts to lead the investigation are met with hostility, as locals see him as an “Indian puppet.” But before he can make headway, tragedy strikes closer home – his own daughter vanishes. From this point, the narrative spirals into the supernatural, and what unfolds is a messy blend of mystery, horror, and politics that never truly finds its footing.
The film had all the makings of a gripping thriller — but the writing collapses under its own weight. The tone wobbles, the dialogues feel misplaced, and the pacing is painfully uneven. It’s as if the film wants to be everything at once — a ghost story, a commentary on Kashmir, a meditation on grief — but ends up being none of them.
The biggest disappointment lies in the family dynamic, which should have been the emotional heart of the film. Conversations between the family members are bleak and negligible, but whatever little interaction exists feels off balance — and, frankly, absurd. There’s no warmth, no rhythm, no sense of real connection. You can sense what the film wants to make you feel, but it never earns that emotion.
Visually, Baramulla has a certain charm. The snow-covered landscape, the eerie silences, and the shadowy interiors create a moody, almost gothic texture. But the atmosphere is the only thing that works. The screenplay stretches scenes unnecessarily, the first half moves at a crawl, and by the time the actual unraveling begins, the viewer’s patience has already run out. The background score goes into overdrive, trying desperately to inject intensity into scenes that lack substance.
Even Manav Kaul, with his quiet gravitas, can’t rescue this ship. He does what he can, but his performance feels stranded amid a script that offers no emotional or narrative direction. The supernatural track feels forced, the political commentary is surface-level, and the climax — meant to be shocking — only leaves you wondering why you sat through it all.
Also Read: Baramulla Trailer: Manav Kaul’s Supernatural Thriller to Premiere On Netflix on this date
Baramulla mistakes atmosphere for storytelling. It looks haunting, but has no heartbeat. There’s potential in setting a supernatural mystery against the backdrop of Kashmir’s conflict, but this film barely scratches the surface. By the end, when the mystery resolves, it doesn’t feel like closure — just exhaustion. The conclusion leaves you not stunned, but annoyed, with a sinking feeling that it’s all been a complete waste of time.
Movie: Baramulla
Directed by: Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Cast: Manav Kaul, Bhasha Sumbli, Arista Mehta, Rohaan Singh, Neelofar Hamid, Masoom Mumtaz Khan, Ashwini Koul, Vikas Shukla, Mir Sarwar, Madan Nazneen, Kiara Khanna, Shahid Latief
OTT Release Date: 7 November 2025
Streaming on: Netflix
Rating: 2/5
