Bhoothakaalam presents itself as a mental health drama, but it scores immensely when it becomes a full-on horror movie. Some obvious inspiration (from films like Hereditary and It Follows) aside, Rahul Sadasivan's debut film is thoroughly engaging. On the one hand, it presents the troubled lives of mother and son - played by Revathy and Shane Nigam - as the mental health of the duo begins taking a nosedive. Vinu is unsuccessful at finding work, gets drunk too often, and according to an acquaintance, a "weakling." His mom Asha has clinical depression breaks down more often than not, crying buckets every night.
But the worries of these characters do not end there. Very soon, it becomes apparent that the episodes they're facing aren't just hallucinatory. That's when the film transitions from psychological drama to terrifyingly atmospheric horror. The "house" where much of the film takes place is a great choice. It does hold a sense of mandatory eeriness.
Another thing that works for the film is the casting. Both the leads are sensational - of course, Shane Nigam adds yet another "devastated youngster" character to his filmography, which he handles well while Revathy gets an equally meaty presence. Some of the scares in the latter half are well-staged, even when they present themselves as "jumpscares with a suspenseful score."
One of the bummers arrives in the form of a misplaced song featuring generic romantic couple shots. It's a lovely song (composed by Nigam himself), but it doesn't need to be in Bhoothakaalam. Also, the tonal shift isn't the smoothest. In fact, it's the leads' efforts that make the whole ordeal feel less abrupt. I'd have liked a little less background score in the climactic finale, as the director was already able to hold my interest visually.
