As someone who found history classes boring, I thought learning about our past through movies and TV shows was a good idea because, at least, it would be entertaining. But then I started noticing that the creators of those movies and shows were using those chapters of human history to incite hatred in the present, without even reflecting the overall sentiment of the stories they were telling. And that led me to realize that this medium of entertainment probably wasn't the best way to educate ourselves, because its creators constantly distort the facts in the name of "artistic expression."
After that, I did my best to stay away from this subgenre and limited myself to taking history classes with, you know, actual historians. Meanwhile, the subgenre itself flourished (and I don't mean that in a good way) because, apparently, people love being emotionally exploited and handing over their money to producers who don't care how their products affect impressionable minds. As if that weren't disrespectful enough, with Baramulla, it seems we've moved on to using real tragedies as mere gimmicks in horror films.
Director: Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Writers: Aditya Dhar, Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Stars: Inthikav Alam, Aquib, Shradda Bhatt
Baramulla, by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, who co-wrote the story with Aditya Dhar and the dialogue with Monal Thaakar, begins with the disappearance of a boy named Shoaib Ansari at a magic show. The magician, Zafar, is arrested and interrogated, but he can't provide any answers because he isn't a kidnapper. Sub-Inspector Ridwaan Sayyed then takes over the case, since the missing boy isn't just any boy; he's the son of a former legislator, Ismail Ansari. Naturally, Ridwaan's entire family—his wife, Gulnaar, his daughter, Noorie, and his son, Ayaan—has to move in with him, and none of them are exactly happy about it.
While Ridwaan and Gulnaar keep busy with work, and Ayaan entertains herself with her imaginary friend, Noorie struggles to adjust. Some of these problems stem from the present, others from her turbulent past, but with each passing day, Noorie begins to suspect a supernatural element. Due to her strained relationship with her parents, Noorie is unable to communicate with them. And the further she distances herself from her family, the more she becomes entangled with a criminal organization and the spirits that haunt her house.
I know the story has been interpreted from a horror perspective on several occasions. One of the first examples that comes to mind is Overlord, which imagines American soldiers fighting Nazi zombies, created to establish a thousand-year Reich. The Count portrayed the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet as a vampire. The website used complex time paradoxes to discuss what the Japanese did to Chinese prisoners in Unit 731. And Exhuma, which happens to be one of my all-time favorite horror films, tackled the controversial relationship between Japan and South Korea through hypnotic rituals and a near-immortal monster.
So yes, horror and history can be blended to create something educational and entertaining. Baramulla's mistake lies in its overly adherence to reality, adding the most innocuous supernatural elements to the narrative. Because you can't fully suspend disbelief or get a nuanced interpretation of the facts underlying the story, it all leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It feels exploitative and disrespectful, something even the most well-intentioned horror films fail to convey. I mean, you remind me that real lives were lost, and then you want to talk about ghosts? Please!
The cast is incapable of making Baramulla entertaining. Manav Kaul is one of the best actors in the Hindi film industry, and I haven't seen him so uncomfortable in a long time. Bhasha Sumbli delivers an utterly bland performance. That said, there's a moment when he has to tell Kaul that his daughter is dead inside, and the performance is so bizarre it made me laugh out loud. Khurshid Mir, Vikas Shukla, Shahid Latief, Neelofar Hamid, Mir Sarwar, Shaifa Maqbool, and the rest of the supporting cast are completely forgettable. And while Aswini Koul falls into that category, I think he's the worst of them all. He has only one decent scene.
I admit that's not easy, as it involves police brutality. But what Koul does with the material borders on parody. Everything, from his accent to his body language, is simply comical. Even if it were a horror comedy, I don't think I could have forgiven Koul's performance. So, in short, it's not a good film. I admit that Kashmir has a lot of potential as a setting for gothic horror, but after this film and Qala (along with several action and comedy movies), I think Bollywood should leave that region alone. Furthermore, I advise you not to learn about real tragedies through movies; read a book.
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