‘Unmadham’ movie review: Kunchacko Boban shines in ambitious meta-thriller

Shahi Kabir’s Unmadham, directed by editor-turned-filmmaker Kiran Das, tries to blend crime, psychology and the supernatural — but struggles to hold it all together.

The film stars Kunchacko Boban as Shelly, a police officer who dreams of becoming a screenwriter. His erratic behavior and long leaves frustrate his wife Soumya, played by Lijomol Jose. The story kicks off when Shelly finds an old case file with a superstition attached to it, and parts of the narrative unfold inside his mind.

With “meta” written all over it, Unmadham is both about a cop aspiring to join the film industry and a commentary on the flood of police procedurals based on real cases. The genre-mixing works in parts, especially when crime meets psychological and supernatural elements. But critics note it often feels convenient — with the scriptwriter angle giving license to slip into fantasy whenever the procedural gets stuck.