Maya, a woman in her early forties living with dementia, witnesses the murder of her daughter Shraddha inside their own home. As investigating officer Rakesh Parmar digs into the case, Maya's broken memory makes her both the only witness and a leading suspect. Racing her own deteriorating mind, she must piece together what she really saw before the truth slips away for good.
Bhram takes a bold swing for Gujarati cinema, building a locked-room murder mystery around a narrator who cannot trust her own mind. Maya, a woman in her early forties living with dementia, witnesses the killing of her daughter Shraddha, and the investigation soon circles back on her as both the only witness and a prime suspect. Writer-director Pallav Parikh keeps the camera close and the world small, letting the tension come from fractured memory rather than spectacle.
The performances carry it. Sonali Lele Desai holds the center as Maya, moving between motherly warmth, childlike distraction and raw fear without tipping into caricature, while Abhinay Banker's investigating officer gives the film a sharp, watchable spine. Sreekumar Nair's cinematography earns its Hitchcock comparisons, and the editing keeps the second half tight enough to reward patient viewers. Critics such as Filmy Town praised the film as a genuine trailblazer, evidence that Gujarati filmmakers are finally reaching for out-of-the-box stories.
The film is not flawless. The first half drags, leaning too hard on a nervous background score that signals dread before the story has earned it, and the police procedure occasionally strains belief. The biggest divide is the ending, an ambiguous last-second twist that thrills some viewers and frustrates others who wanted its loose threads tied. Whether that open close reads as clever or unsatisfying depends on your appetite for uncertainty. Even so, Bhram is a confident, atmospheric thriller that trusts its audience to sit with doubt, and it marks a real step forward for the kind of stories Gujarati cinema is willing to tell.
Verdict
A brave, atmospheric closed-door thriller anchored by Sonali Lele Desai, though its slow build and ambiguous ending will not land for everyone.
What works
- Sonali Lele Desai's layered lead as the dementia patient
- Taut closed-door mystery construction
- Abhinay Banker and a strong supporting ensemble
- An ambitious, out-of-the-box premise for Gujarati cinema
What holds it back
- Slow, drawn-out first half
- Overused, nervy background score
- Divisive open ending leaves loose threads
- Uneven handling of dementia and police procedure
Cast & crew
Writers: Pallav Parikh
Music: Darshan Shah
Cast: Sonali Lele Desai (Maya), Mitra Gadhvi (Mehul), Abhinay Banker (Rakesh Parmar), Nishma Soni (Shraddha)
Producers: Cityshor Ahmedabad (production); Hard Raval (co-producer)
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Thriller Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Bhram worth watching?
A brave, atmospheric closed-door thriller anchored by Sonali Lele Desai, though its slow build and ambiguous ending will not land for everyone. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Bhram about?
Maya, a woman in her early forties living with dementia, witnesses the murder of her daughter Shraddha inside their own home. As investigating officer Rakesh Parmar digs into the case, Maya's broken memory makes her both the only witness and a leading suspect. Racing her own deteriorating mind, she must piece together what she really saw before the truth slips away for good.
What is the IMDb rating of Bhram?
Bhram (2025) holds an IMDb rating of 7.9 out of 10.