Often, a film’s title resonates profoundly in its closing moments, leaving audiences marveling at its cleverness. Director Jeethu Joseph’s Mirage aims for such an effect, yet it leaves viewers pondering why its own titular warning wasn’t heeded. The film’s concluding act is a relentless succession of misleading “mirages,” each purporting to be the ultimate revelation, only for the screenwriters to introduce yet another twist, overwhelming the narrative.
After navigating a series of these narrative illusions, the audience is left breathless, striving to grasp the true climax while questioning every character’s motives. Ultimately, screenwriters Jeethu and Srinivasan Abrol appear to be chasing their own “mirage”—the elusive perfect thriller climax that defies all predictions. However, their reliance on red herrings, overly complicated subplots, and vaguely connected incidents, all in pursuit of this goal, ironically becomes the film’s biggest weakness.
Mirage (Malayalam)
The story centers on the mysterious train accident death of Kiran (Hakkim Shajahan). His fiancée, Abhirami (Aparna Balamurali), immediately suspects foul play when a businessman’s henchman and a high-ranking police officer appear at her door, aggressively searching for a hard disk believed to contain explosive information Kiran possessed. She teams up with Ashwin (Asif Ali), an eager online reporter, to chase this elusive hard drive and uncover the truth.
While the film swiftly dives into its central mystery, bypassing much setup, its overly dramatic delivery and awkward dialogue—particularly from the supposed villains—quickly hint at its narrative shortcomings. A character seemingly close to the protagonist is so transparently suspicious that their “big reveal” halfway through the film becomes almost comical. Perhaps this was a deliberate, clumsy attempt to misdirect before the truly “earth-shattering” twists arrive.
The narrative only manages to pique interest during isolated moments, particularly in Abhirami’s interaction with Kiran’s mother. For the most part, the film repeats a monotonous cycle: protagonists pursue a clue, are chased by various factions, and then endure yet another “reveal.” The pedestrian staging of these scenes further diminishes any potential shock, leaving key moments feeling flat and unimpactful.
Ultimately, Mirage is undermined by its disjointed, implausible screenplay and an insatiable desire to cram in one “shocking” twist after another. This constant pursuit of misdirection strips the film of any real suspense or emotional resonance, leaving it with little lasting impact.
Mirage is now showing in cinemas.