| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Detective Ujjwalan |
| Release Date | 23 May 2025 |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Genre | Mystery / Comedy Thriller |
| Director & Writers | Indraneel Gopalakrishnan & Rahul G |
| Lead Cast | Dhyan Sreenivasan, Siju Wilson, Rony David Raj |
| Music & Score | Rzee; Sibi Mathew Alex |
| Cinematography | Premkrishna Akkattu, Sraiyanti Harichandran |
| Runtime | 124 minutes |
Storyline
The film is set in a quiet village called Plaachikkaavu (or similar), a place known for peace and minimal crime, apart from trivial infractions like missing objects. Ujjwalan (Dhyan Sreenivasan) is a librarian who also acts like the village detective—handling minor grievances and helping locals with small mysteries. He has a fear of darkness (nyctophobia), which adds a personal vulnerability.
The peace is disrupted when a masked assailant kills a school principal at night. Evidence at the scene includes a slipper and a beedi, which point toward a local thief, Anthikkurudan. As more murders follow (one during a festival, others at night), a Special Investigation Team led by CI Shambhu Mahadev joins the case. Tensions build between Ujjwalan and Shambhu—rivalry, jealousy, and conflicting methods surface.
The mystery deepens as red herrings lead the investigation in different directions. Eventually, clues converge on a reporter, Jomon, who has a troubled past and has adopted the persona of the “Boogeyman.” The killer is unmasked after a plan to fake a murder, and the film wraps up with Ujjwalan overcoming his fear of darkness and the village returning to peace. There is a post-credit scene that hints at more to come.
What Works
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Tone & Setting: The village backdrop is well-done. It feels local, lived-in, and there is charm in the minor characters and the quiet atmosphere before chaos ensues. The contrast between calm village life and murders works fairly well.
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Lead Performances: The main actors, especially Dhyan, do well. His Ujjwalan is relatable, with imperfections (fear of darkness, amateur detective inclinations) which makes him more human. Siju Wilson as Shambhu adds a more serious counterpoint. Supporting actors provide light moments that ease tension.
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Humour Mixed with Mystery: Some of the quirky moments are enjoyable. The film doesn’t go full serious all the time, which helps pace in some stretches. The comedic side helps ease the tension and provides relief.
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Some Twists & Red Herrings: The film does attempt to mislead you, to give you false leads, which is necessary for a mystery thriller. There are revelations that do surprise, especially when the culprit’s motive is tied to past trauma.
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Production Values: The visuals are acceptable; cinematography captures dark nights and village interiors decently. The film uses its constraints fairly well; lighting works, and the scenes are coherent.
What Doesn't Work
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Pacing Issues & Uneven Flow: There are parts, especially the first half, that drag. The slow buildup, repetitive sequences, and occasional unnecessary subplots make it less gripping than it could have been.
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Tone Inconsistency: Because the film tries to balance humour, mystery, and horror-adjacent suspense, it sometimes fails to sustain one mood long enough to make it effective. The comedic or lighter parts, though fun, sometimes reduce urgency. Suspense gets diluted.
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Predictable Villain & Motive: While the mystery has twists, the ultimate backstory of the villain feels familiar. Motive is tied to past abuse and psychological possession of a “Boogeyman” identity, which is seen in several such thrillers. So the final reveal doesn’t pack a strong punch.
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Supporting Characters Not Fully Utilised: Many side characters appear more as colourful locals than as crucial players in the plot. Their presence adds flavour but often does not feed into the mystery deeply. Some threads feel like they could have been trimmed.
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Weak Climax & Some Plot Convenience: Certain plot resolutions rely on conveniences (e.g. certain clues falling into place too easily, timings coinciding), and the climax, though okay, doesn’t feel as tense or earned as it should.
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Technical Limitations: The sound design is unremarkable when building tension; editing sometimes slows the momentum or lingers in scenes longer than necessary. Lighting in some night sequences is effective, but in others, shadows and darkness are underused or unclear.
Overall Impressions
Detective Ujjwalan is a decent entry in the mystery-comedy thriller genre. It won’t completely reinvent the wheel, but it manages to provide a watchable, entertaining experience for viewers who enjoy light mysteries with local flavour and humour. It shines more when focusing on character moments and local colour than when pushing suspense.
It is not a perfect film—it struggles with pacing, tone, and originality—but it has enough charm, twists, and a likeable lead to keep you interested. If your expectations are moderate, you’ll find enough here to enjoy. If you want a tightly plotted, high-intensity thriller, this might fall short.
Final Verdict
Detective Ujjwalan is a watchable, somewhat entertaining thriller with flaws. It works best as a casual mystery rather than a deeply thrilling one.
Rating: ~ 2.5 out of 5