I recently watched Mohiniyattam, the sequel to the 2024 film Bharatanatyam. Firstly, I want to thank director Krishnadas Murali for pulling off such a genre-blending film with ease and immense attention to detail. Credit also goes to Thomas Thiruvalla and Saiju Kurup for bringing this project to life.
While it is a sequel, it works perfectly as a standalone film because the major events of the first part are covered via an effective black-and-white opening sequence. The script is the real star here; dark comedy thrillers are incredibly hard to execute without collapsing into unintentional comedy or unnecessary gloom, but the writers walk that tightrope with surprising confidence. There are moments where you’ll find yourself laughing and tensed at the same time.
Technically, the cinematography is clean, and the music provides a significant boost to specific sequences rather than just being a repetitive playlist. In terms of acting, Baby Jean is literally killing it. I also enjoyed Vinay Forrt’s short but entertaining role, which was quite impulsive. The meta-references, such as the Suriya scene and the “Superstar” title card, worked really well.
Though the second half feels slightly draggy in parts, Mohiniyattam is a must-watch for dark comedy fans who love Drishyam and appreciate detail-oriented filmmaking.