Bhairadevi Movie Review : Bhairadevi review: Radhika and Ramesh add soul to this revenge horror film

Plot: Haunted by ominous presence around him, DCP Aravind (Ramesh Aravind) seeks help from the Aghoris (Radhika Kumaraswamy and Ravishankar) of Varanasi to help him get rid of it.

Review: Conceived in 2018, Bhairadevi, is, without an iota of doubt, written for actor Radhika Kumaraswamy. Radhika’s stint with horror is not new as her 2019 film, Damayanthi, also dealt with a similar plot line. But what stands out here is Radhika and Ramesh’s stellar performances.

DCP Aravind (Ramesh Aravind), who lives with his daughter Divya, is often haunted by ominous presence around him. He suspects that it could be his dead wife, Shalini (Anu Prabhakar) trying to connect with them from the netherworld. With a help from his assistant Veeraiah (Rangayana Raghu), he travels to Varanasi to meet the Aghoris, who are known for their power to provide salvation to spirits. There, he meets two Aghoris (Ravishankar and Radhika Kumaraswamy). The latter, Bhairadevi - worshipper of Kaali - accompanies Aravind to find a solution to his problem. When the soul is summoned, it is revealed that it is not Shalini, but her sister Bhoomika (also played by Radhika Kumaraswamy) who is haunting Aravind.

Bhairadevi is reminiscent of many films from the horror genre. But what stands out here is performances of lead actors Radhika and Ramesh, and the inclusion of Aghoris in the storyline. Ample research seems to have gone into bringing this angle into the film. Radhika, in a dual role, manages to captivate the audience and keep them hooked to the screens with her aggressive acting skills as she embodies Bhairadevi. She returns as girl-next-door in the second half, which is a cake-walk for her as she has been doing that for two decades now. Her role as female aghori is commendable as she gets into the skin of the character. Ramesh Aravind never fails to surprise the audience as an actor. He grabs the opportunity presented to him with both hands. Despite a very limited cast, the movie makes for a decent one-time watch for the actor’s performances.

Director Shri Jai’s film thrills and chills the audience to an extent. Aided by KK Senthil Prasath’s good music, Radhika dances and fights her way into this horror film. Music elevates her performance. The film ends in a cliffhanger with a prelude to the sequel. This sequel trend takes away the thrill of a satisfying climax of a horror film.

The filming of Bhairadevi began in 2018. A lot has changed in the industry since then. While the film hasn’t caught up with the trends, it has stayed true to its genre. In the era of horror comedy, Bhairadevi presents a horror script in all its glory, albeit with a predictable storyline. If horror films are your jam, you can give this film a try.