Bhramam review: This Malayalam remake of Andhadhun is funnier and more mass-market

It is always a challenge for a remake to live up to the expectations set by the original film if the latter is as widely celebrated as Andhadhun (2018) was. It is even more challenging when the film has already been remade in one language — Maestro (2021) in Telugu — and most audiences are aware of the twists and turns in the story.

Ravi K Chandran’s Bhramam (2021), which stars Prithviraj, Mamta Mohandas and Raashi Khanna, stands out solely because of the solid lead performances and takes a more commercial route to tell its story, becoming pacier in the process.

The story is centred on Ray Mathews (Prithviraj), a blind pianist. He is ambitious and desperate to move to Europe where he aspires to make it big. He gets the opportunity to play at a restaurant owned by Anna (Raashi Khanna) and her father Simon (Rajesh Raj) after an accident connects Ray and Anna.

Shankar plays an ageing superstar called Uday Kumar, who loves watching his old films over and over again, wallowing in memories of lost stardom. Simi (Mamta Mohandas) plays his much-younger wife who yearns to become an actress. What happens when these characters cross paths and there is a murder that makes everyone a suspect is what the film is about.

Unlike Maestro (2021), which suffered due to bad performances, Bhramam shines on the acting front thanks to the solid work by the leading cast. Andhadhun (2018) was a seriously dark film that had humour born out of the most unexpected situations and the result really worked in its favour.

Bhramam, on the other hand, doesn’t hold back and plays out like a comedy disguised as a thriller. For those who haven’t watched the original, the attempt to commercialize Bhramam would work, but for others it is a letdown. By taking a more commercial route and making the proceedings pacier, however, Ravi K Chandran ensures there are no lulls in Bhramam and keeps the viewer engaged for the most part.

In terms of acting, Prithviraj delivers another noteworthy performance. He shines in the role of a blind pianist and effectively portrays his helplessness when he gets stuck in a mess. Mamta Mohandas was a peculiar choice for the role essayed by Tabu in the original, but the move works and she makes a strong impact in a negative role.

Bhramam is the kind of film that doesn’t expect its hero to be morally right, and Prithviraj seems to have had fun playing such a character. Even Mamta getting to play a negative character is refreshing as it’s something she is not quite popular for in mainstream cinema. Raashi Khanna has a decent part.

Bhramam is definitely better than the Telugu remake. But when you place it next to Andhadhun, it’s a pointless remake that offers nothing new. Its minor changes hardly make an impact. It will only work for those who haven’t watched the original.

Bhramam is now available on Amazon Prime Video.