“Romancham” is a horror comedy in Malayalam cinema that combines comedy, satire, divinity, and supernatural beliefs. Written and directed by Jithu Madhavan, the film tells the story of seven bachelors in Bangalore in 2007, who attempt to build a life. During a séance, they conduct a terrifying event, questioning whether it’s just a part of their imagination or if the chaos they face is real. The film explores themes of satiety, divinity, and supernatural occurrences in a unique and captivating way.
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The Bachelors Being Themselves
“Romancham” is a story about Jibin Madhavan, who has been suffering from meningitis for a week and is partially waking up in the ICU of a Bangalore hospital. He is told that no visitors are allowed to meet him due to his condition. Jibin is desperate to meet his friends and is tricked into moving into another room by the on-duty nurse. The nurse is curious about his story and recalls his encounter with the unseen.
The story follows seven residents of a house on the outskirts of Bangalore, who are trying to make a decent life. Only Rivin and Karikuttan have full-time jobs, while the rest are struggling to make ends meet. Niroop, the father figure, assigns tasks to each member of the gang to help them survive. This division and distribution of tasks is not accepted by the rest of the gang, but they are forced to take up the tasks if they want to continue living in the house.
Niroop is tired of being the father figure in the house, nagging and scolding the grown-up men to carry out basic tasks at home. Most of the men live carelessly, with Niroop being the decision-maker and Rivin being financially responsible. The story highlights the challenges faced by these men in their quest for a better life.
Séance Activity
Jibin, a young boy, dislikes playing handball in the evenings and decides to join a group of men who are conducting a séance using an Ouija board. He brings a carrom board and creates an atmosphere for the séance, aiming to feel included and validated. The group agrees with Jibin’s idea to make the evening more fun.
Rivin, a religious individual, refuses to participate in the Ouija board activity, claiming it is anti-Christ and against anything mentioned as evil in his religious text. After keeping him out of the Ouija board activity, the men embark on a quest to find out if spirits would answer their questions. The men at home are jobless, and this activity would take their minds off their entire day of being at home and doing nothing. The group agreed to make the evening more fun for everyone involved.
‘Romancham’ Ending Explained –
In the story “Romancham,” the men store away religious symbols at home in Rivin’s room to prevent any spirit from coming down and answering their questions. Jibin, one of the boys, organizes a séance to make himself feel important in their home, even though Niroop is the only decision-maker. As the séance progresses, they start asking questions, leading to the name Anamika, which makes them believe that the spirit is a woman.
Anamika gives the right answers, which puts Jibin and Shijappan on the back foot and wonders if the spirit has descended into their homes. They bring their friend, an expert in the game, but things go south with him as well. Niroop, the sole decision-maker at home, decides to end the nuisance once and for all, which all the men oblige to.
Now that this one nuisance is gone, Jibin’s friend Sinu Solomon comes by to live with them for a while. Sinu is a simple boy who is close to Jibin, but as his stay begins, he starts exhibiting weird behaviours, including staring at a wall until he is physically shaken and speaking to someone in the middle of the night. Jibin and his friends notice his weird behaviour and maintain a distance from him. Sinu sleepwalks in the middle of the night, and he is followed by Jibin and Niroop when he points out the place where Anamika used to live. This one instance was enough for the rest of the group to convince Jibin to ask Sinu to leave their home for good.
With Sinu gone, Anamika’s spirit starts wrecking their home as many unnatural and unexpected things start happening again. Rivin starts forgetting the way back home, and Karikuttan loses his job at the petrol pump because he accidentally fills someone’s petrol tank with diesel. He also does not know what made him blank out and make a silly mistake that cost him his job. These incidents take a toll on everyone at home, and they are sure there has been something off about them since they started playing the Ouija board games they started playing.
Jibin ends up in the hospital due to the illness and shows signs of recovery. He informs the nurse that while going unconscious due to his fever, the last thing he saw was the spirit of a woman getting into his bag. The last scene of “Romancham” has Jibin asking his friends to get hold of the bag, and he is informed that Sinu is back in town to help Jibin with his recovery.
There is no surety that Anamika exists in the home for them to be triggered about, or even if she existed, her power would have been neutralized by Sinu’s presence at home. The men hardly went through any major incidents during the duration of Sinu’s stay at their homes. Part two will give the audience an idea of what led to all these incidents at their home in Bangalore and what role Sinu plays in the long run.
Theories
Anamika, a ghost, has been residing in their home for years, using the Ouija board to invite ghosts into their homes. This has led to numerous untoward incidents, affecting not only them but also the people around them. Sinu, who arrived, neutralized Anamika’s power, but he acted strangely. After Sinu’s departure, Anamika regained her power, leading to a repeat of the events.
The film’s second theory suggests that the untoward incidents were a psychological reaction to the fear of a spirit descending into their home. The men’s experiences may be a projection of their fear, and Sinu may be suffering from a psychological disorder since the kidnapping incident.
The first theory makes more sense as a satirical horror comedy, but the second theory is plausible as “Romancham” is based on true incidents involving a group of bachelors. If a second part is announced in the end credits of “Romancham,” it will be interesting to see how the story will progress from here.
In conclusion, the film “Romancham” explores various theories and interpretations of the supernatural, with the first theory being more plausible due to its satirical nature.
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Final Thoughts
“Romancham” is a fresh take on the comedy genre, incorporating elements not seen in previous films. The film’s haphazard direction and open-ended climax increase anticipation for the sequel. The new team, led by Jithu Madhavan, delivers top-notch performances, with new faces like Soubin Shahir and Arjun Ashokan. The comic timing is impeccable, and the film doesn’t feel stale or repetitive. The run in theatres was great, and it’s worth revisiting as it’s worth the time. The film’s success and the actors’ performances make it a worthwhile watch.
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