Vadakkan

Storyline

Vadakkan is a Malayalam-language supernatural thriller that follows a modern-day paranormal investigator who arrives in a remote village in North Kerala to debunk stories of ancestral hauntings and ritual-based possessions. But as he delves deeper, he encounters inexplicable phenomena tied to the land’s forgotten folklore. The village itself seems to hold secrets that blur the line between myth and madness, forcing him to confront his own beliefs and sanity. Rooted in Kerala’s “Vadakkan Paattukal” traditions, the film explores the clash between modern rationality and ancient fear.

Tags

Tagline

"Fear travels north."

Motion Picture Rating (MPA)

U/A

Trivia

• The film’s title, “Vadakkan,” pays homage to the Vadakkan Paattukal medieval ballads of North Kerala.
• Many of the chants and rituals in the film are based on real folk practices, adapted with cinematic liberty.
• Lead actor Sharaf U Dheen underwent a 2-week isolation period in a forest lodge to prepare for his role.
• Director Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval reportedly consulted local theyyam performers and historians for authenticity.
• Some scenes were filmed in actual unlit ancestral homes, using only kerosene lamps for lighting.

Goofs

• A visible boom mic appears briefly during a night scene near the temple.
• The investigator uses a modern gadget that is shown having no battery, but still functions two scenes later.
• In one flashback, a character wears a digital watch despite the timeline being set in the 1800s.
• A cell phone signal is shown in an area previously established as out of network range.

Quotes

• “In the North, even silence carries a curse.” – Elder villager
• “Fear isn’t in the ghosts. It’s in the stories we choose to believe.” – Protagonist
• “You can’t investigate the forest. You have to survive it.” – Tribal healer
• “The spirits don’t follow science. They follow memory.” – Surabhi Lakshmi’s character
• “Every ritual begins with belief… and ends with blood.” – Voiceover during the climax

Crazy_credits

• The opening credits are shown in ancient Malayalam script, slowly transitioning into modern typography.
• The end credits roll over a looping theyyam performance, unsettling and symbolic.
• A post-credit scene hints at a second haunting in a different village, potentially teasing a shared folklore universe.

Connections

• The film draws inspiration from classics like:
• Tumbbad (for tone and folklore-driven narrative)
• The Wailing (for investigative horror)
• Ezra (Malayalam horror, but more spiritual than jump-scare)
• Mentions the legend of Thacholi Othenan, linking the storyline with North Malabar ballads.

Soundtracks

• Composer: Sankaran Venu, known for tribal folk fusions
• The soundtrack mixes ambient sounds with ritualistic percussion, including chenda, kombu, and edakka.
• Key tracks:
• “Ooralattam” – An intense ritual chant during a possession scene
• “Thiriyum Neram” – A melancholic theme capturing the protagonist’s descent into doubt
• “Vadakkan Varoo” – A haunting theyyam-inspired title theme
• No commercial romantic songs – music is integrated solely to enhance mood and tension.