3BHK

Vampire Owl: This is the first movie we are watching on a flight.

Vampire Bat: I do like the choices of movies which they have in Emirates.

Vampire Owl: Do you remember the last time we travelled on an Emirates flight?

Vampire Bat: Yes, the Airbus A380, the largest of them all.

Vampire Owl: This time, they were running a Boeing on the route instead.

Vampire Bat: Well, some vampires can fly. So, it is not really a problem.

Vampire Owl: They cannot watch movies when flying, can they?

Vampire Bat: If you can hold your mobile phone and fly, yes.

Vampire Owl: That would most probably cause an accident too.

Vampire Bat: You know that there is enough magic in our world to have a glided flight, right? As long as we do not cross over to the science-guided human world which has been drained of its magic with too many destructive weapons and wars.

[Gets some French fries and three cups of Yorkshire tea].

What is the movie about? :: Vasudevan (R Sarathkumar), his wife Shanthi (Devayani), their son Prabhu Vasudevan (Siddharth) and daughter Aarthi (Meetha Raghunathan) had moved into a rented house near St. Thomas Mount of Chennai, and from here, their dreams could begin to develop into a stage of determination focusing on buying a house as rent kept rising even for their small house as the city continued to develop and spread. The largest city in Tamil Nadu had become so huge that it was a long way ahead of the second largest city of Coimbatore and showed no signs of developing among the top five cities of India. People were continuing to flow into the city, and if the family had to move out of the rented home they were done, which led to a need for a home to change from dream to reality soon. The situation was the same for most of the big cities of India, but as the most significant town city on the east coast of India, and with people also from neighbouring states working in Chennai, the rise was only going to be quicker as time progressed.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The family begins to plan for the same, and they understand they have to save quite a big amount of money per month, along with selling Shanthi’s jewelry to reach their goal, as they prefer to have a home inside the city itself rather than on the outskirts which would still require them to spend a lot of time and money to travel inside for a better future with a sustainable job. Vasudevan begins to work overtime to meet the demands which feel a little bit out of the equation while Shanthi sells snacks to make sure that the savings are maintained at the required level. Prabhu struggles in his studies, and Vasudevan is forced to spend a certain amount of money for his tuition per month which reduces the savings. With the help of this tuition and also with the support of his crush, Aishwarya (Chaithra J Achar), his scores somewhat improve increasing the hopes of the parents in him contributing to the final savings after joining an engineering college and getting a job as soon as he passes out. But unexpected expenses come on the way and Prabhu scores low, while the cost of the house increases. Can the family somehow buy the house they wish to have in the end?

The defence of 3BHK :: It can be seen that the movie realistically portrays the struggles of common middle-class family trying to buy their dream house by respectfully and honestly raise money, making it easy for many viewers to connect with the characters. It feels like more or less that problem faced by the common man who struggle to live in a city. There is not much of those unnecessary commercial elements and the melodrama is also kept at minimum with the focus clearly on family emotions and everyday problems which make one feel that a responsible generation will connection this more than those dumb movies which have its young protagonists under the influence of drugs and alcohol, taking risks despite warning by authorities or living irresponsibly in schools and colleges while beating up their own friends in campus – but we know that those movies will score more at the box-office, and the best examples are among the top grossing movies in Malayalam movie industry whose audience used to have better standards. The movie here feels genuine and believable from the beginning to the end and for honest and reliable people, will bring tears to the eyes. The visuals and music remain interesting too.

Positives and negatives :: The emotional side might be the strongest for the movie as sacrifices are given importance – not like those movies about fake friendships powered by drugs and alcohol, for this one is about family and how it remains important in a life of chaos and hopelessness in a busy city. Those among the new generation or those just past that; those who have not had any hardships in life would not prefer this kind of movies, but it would be strange if someone never had any struggle, if not financially, then with academics or when trying to do the best for the family. The movie can also be considering slow moving and sometimes a little too emotional, but this is that kind of a movie which tries to stay on in the memories and with realistic situations and never letting go of faith belief and hope, it works well. Still, we see that there are too many hardships which the family has to face out of nowhere, and some of them seems to be in order to make the situation more and more difficult as time progresses, as hope is the thing with feathers and it waits for none, while flying away with those beautifully feathered wings. The length might still be a problem for some and so would be the repetition of problems, and romance could have been expanded.

The performers of the soul :: The movie has Siddharth in a role which connects to most of us who go through a struggle in one way or the other; forget the financial struggle, the job itself is a crisis as getting one would require a lot of the same, with these the freshers not given job for quite a long time, but when we get a little bit older, people keep searching for the stylish new-generation youth who can go viral so that the company itself will get some boost – note that many colleges are now preferring such girls who can do well online rather than teach, and those with PhD and NET are left behind. Well, Siddharth shows the struggle to get a job, stay in one without being too exploited and keeping himself there so that the home can be bought – then there is the romance which he has to choose or avoid as his family might need him to go through his personal way in a specific way too. R Sarathkumar as the fatherly figure reminds us of many elders who have sacrificed for their children and family and it is a really touching performance from him too. Devayani plays the motherly figure with affection as much as a loving wife while Meetha Raghunath feels like such a talent. Chaithra remains lovely, and with a performance to remember for her too.

How it finishes :: 3BHK is that kind of a movie which every common man who remains close to the family can relate to, with love and compassion. It is also that kind of a film which anyone from that generation of job seekers who had to struggle as a fresher when they passed out and now stare at the void when the viral freshers are preferred over them in a world where looks matter more than degrees, knowledge and wisdom. It is a sincere and emotionally driven family drama that captures the aspirations, sacrifices and anxieties of the huge Indian middle class, and it is done with effectiveness without relying on those commercial ingredients. These financial struggles, family conflicts, disappointments and the little moments of happiness which becomes the bliss of solitude for the common viewer feel genuine, and we connect with the characters, live with them and never misses out on the empathy. Having heart at the right place and all the honesty matters, but the new generation might still not like it, and those who do not want deep family dramas told in realistic manner can grow dislikes especially as the movie often slows down and repeats a few things in the long process lasting near two and half hours.

Release date: 4th July 2025
Running time: 141 minutes
Directed by: Sri Ganesh
Starring: Siddharth, R Sarathkumar, Devayani, Meetha Raghunath, Chaithra J. Achar, Yogi Babu, Subbu Panchu, Vivek Prasanna, Thalaivasal Vijay, Aarti Desai

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Black

Vampire Owl: I am sure that this movie is about darkness.

Vampire Bat: There is no darkness that we do not know.

Vampire Owl: I feel that this would be pitch black.

Vampire Bat: This could actually be about the colour.

Vampire Owl: Nobody focuses on a colour like black.

Vampire Bat: Black is our national colour, so focus is already there.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that this movie would have unlimited dark horror?

Vampire Bat: The biggest of horrors are not dark or black, but much more.

Vampire Owl: You are talking about different colours of horrors in a witch’s cauldron.

Vampire Bat: Those are just potions and elixirs that cause stomach upset horror.

[Gets a egg puffs and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: In 1964, one a rainy night, three people drive on the road, two eloping lovers and their friend who are trying to stay away from the city while they get married on the very next day. The friend who also had love for the same girl comes back after leaving, and finds both of them murdered, and is surprised at the name of the one who committed the murder. Back to the present, Vasanth (Jiiva) and Aaranya (Priya Bhavani Shankar) are a couple who recently do not have a good time together due to their busy schedules at work and some occasional fights. There is also a fight at a pub which leads to Vasanth beating up a man who retaliates by breaking the glass of their car. To make things better, he proposes a vacation, but Aaranya suggests a weekend trip to their new apartment in a peaceful coastal area. Being the first residents in the villas, they are alone for that night except for the one security who is there for duty. There is a mysterious statue of an angel which has been there since 1964, with different relocation attempts failing one after the other, and it was something that was present during the earlier murder of the couple in that year.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The couple buys some supplies from a nearby supermarket and decides to settle in for a calm and peaceful night. They are surprised to find that the security of the villas has gone missing, and there is also a strange painting delivered to the location which is only known to their best friends. As the supermoon rises in the night, the power goes off and some strange sounds are heard. With no one to switch on the available power backup, they go to the parking area and manage to get it done. Aaranya feels that someone else was there in the parking area, but ends up finding nobody. A friend shows up and tells them that they made a call asking him to come over, which both of them denies. Vasanth and Aaranya, who have made no such call, are baffled but bid him goodbye saying that they have no problems. As he goes back to his car and finds the call on his mobile phone, he is confused, but has no option but to drive away from the area.

And what more is to follow in this world of chaos with something strange all around? :: Later, they find out that there are lights in the opposite villa, even though they were told that they were the only occupants in the group of villas. They find out that the opposite villa is exactly the same mirror image of their villa, but not just with the structure, but having identical furniture, drinks, and even the newly arrived painting. The painting which was once broken, appears okay when they return home, and the same also happens with the curtains which had caught fire. They try to escape in their car, only to find themselves reappearing in the same area after crossing a dark area. Panicked, Aaranya calls emergency services for help, but gets disconnected after telling them a bit. They find themselves in the opposite villa, shocking them about their own existence. Suddenly, an intruder comes in and attacks Vasanth, and it is another version of him, whom they both somehow manages to drive away. They have no idea what is happening and wonder how they can survive the night – can they?

The defence of Black :: The movie nicely explores parallel timelines or alternate realities, complex loops and identity confusion unlike what is usually seen around. Fans of the movie from which it is adapted – Coherence, will surely find it engaging, as they see the world of that movie of Hollywood beautifully recreated with the necessary changes to suit our world. Also, there will be a lot of people who have not watched that particular movie, which will make this experience feel to be fresh and very much new. That dark set of so much similar-looking houses provide us with the feeling of other science-fiction movies like Vivarium from where escape for so much more than just impossible. The environment is just perfect for the movie, and even though not a horror movie, there is terror right in here. Jiiva shines in the movie with multiple identities, while Priya Bhavani Shankar who was also seen in Demonte Colony 2 remains too good here. It has something to keep us engaged and on the edge of the seats at all times, as the mystery thickens and fear is generated from the hopeless situations faced by the protagonists. There is also a lot left to the imagination, which would work for the people who wish for more than what meets the eye. After all, we are the Avengers and Justice League multiverse – parallel worlds fans in heart.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not seem to solve all its complications, as some confusions do seem to remain – ambiguity stays on without holding back. Multiple versions of characters with overlapping timelines being brought to limited expositions make it a hard thing to follow for casual viewers. The moments at the generator are as ambiguous as the ending, and the attempt to escape in the car also provides that strange feeling. There are also so many characters which remain underdeveloped and one wonders if they exist just to be around. The questions about which version of which characters come at which moment, and who all are matched with each other, keeps people wondering, and explanations are just basic, with visuals not giving that many deep ideas. For people who are not serious with science fiction, too much of time is wasted thinking about what is happening around here. The connections do not feel to be perfect, and sometimes, the movie seems to be a little bit stretched beyond need too.

How it finishes :: Black, despite said to be the adaptation of an English movie, feels like having undergone a transformation to reach this situation which seems to be well-suited for this environment. There seems to be a lot of variation from that tale too, and most of us have not really watched that particular movie either. This version also has quality written all over it, as there is a fine presentation of the idea, even though we cannot deny the existence of some confusion in between, as the blending of time travel, alternative realities and science fiction are not that easy to work with, especially with some strange phenomenon coming in out of nowhere – even the audience would not be ready for the same. But we know that the effort is so good, and this divergence has been the need of our times. Without such thoughts, would movies like Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and Minnal Murali be around in Malayalam movie industry? Our movie’s twisted realities remind us of the earlier Pechi which was dealing with another genre, but brought the complexities of multiple realities as if hallucinating in an uncertain world. This one here is surely worth your time.

Release date: 11th October 2024
Running time: 117 minutes
Directed by: K G Balasubramani
Starring: Jiiva, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Vivek Prasanna, Yog Japee, Sindhoori, Shah Ra, Swayam Siddha, Raja Rudrakodi, Bharath Sivarajan, Mahimai Raj,Dharma Raj, G V Krishna, Pop Suresh

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.