In many parts of Kerala today, the loudest presence is often absence. Grand houses stand locked or half-occupied, their rooms echoing with memories rather than voices. It is from this uneasy silence that Tony Davis’ directorial debut Bhoothayanam emerges. Released on YouTube in December 2025 by Bhavana Studios' channel, the short film has garnered over one lakh views, drawing viewers into a form of horror that feels uncomfortably close to home.
Set in an ageing village landscape, Bhoothayanam follows a family settled abroad that returns to Kerala after the death of the matriarch Mary (KPAC Leela). For years, Mary lived alone, holding on to the hope of being reunited with her granddaughter Riya (Vriddhi Vishal), a deaf child she rarely got to see. When the child finally arrives at the ancestral home, the film moves from tenderness to something more unsettling, raising questions about love, loneliness and what lingers when people are abandoned.
For director Tony, the film grew out of observation as much as imagination. “My journey as an assistant began with Rajesh Pillai sir. I assisted him on two films,” he says. Ten years later, he and writer Pratheek Thomas were struggling to crack a thriller script. The emotional breakthrough came after a widely discussed news article described Kumbanad as a ghost town. “That really triggered something in me,” Tony recalls. The image stayed with him, echoed in scenes across Kerala: sprawling houses with only one or two elderly occupants, their children long gone, often abroad.
Bhoothayanam observes this reality without commentary, allowing unease to quietly settle into its world. An early draft titled Ammachi centred on an elderly woman but failed to connect. Months later, one decision changed everything. Riya’s parents would return to Kerala with her after the death of her grandmother, Mary, and the child would be deaf. The script came together soon after, with Malayalam dialogues written by Pratheek’s wife, Tina Thomas. Authenticity was a priority from the start. Sign language specialist Vyshnevi Maya S was brought in during pre-production to ensure that the portrayal was respectful and accurate.
For Riya, Tony had only one choice in mind: Vriddhi Vishal, who made notable appearances in films like 2018: Everyone Is A Hero and Kaduva, and is also popular for her dance reels on Instagram. “I had been following her work since she was eight,” he says. “She had that ability to emote in a way that I was looking for. With a deaf character, emotions need to be conveyed through the eyes.”
For Mary, he thought of KPAC Leela from the beginning, particularly after seeing her in Jayaraj’s Roudram 2018 and later in Pookkaalam. “She has this innate maternal warmth,” he says. “The vulnerability, the helplessness, the care, she pulled it off beautifully.” He also notes her recent voice performance as Mlaathi chettathi in Eko.
Shot over five days with a crew of around 50, Tony recalls that the scale and commitment felt closer to a feature film than a short, something he credits entirely to his team. The film did not make it into any festivals, including the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), which he had particularly hoped for. “For short films, the competition is intense,” he says.
Rather than wait endlessly, the team looked for a platform that could give the film visibility. Bhavana Studios, led by Dileesh Pothan, Syam Pushkaran and Fahadh Faasil, turned out to be the right fit. The response surprised him. Beyond crossing one lakh views, the film sparked conversations about ageing parents, migration and homes turning into empty shells. “In this story, there are no villains,” Tony says. “It’s simply a reflection of the society we live in today.”
Originally titled The Forever Secret, the film found its Malayalam name late in post-production. Tony was insistent on having a Malayalam title rather than a literal translation, even while acknowledging how difficult it is to land a perfect one. It was Tony’s long-time collaborator and the film’s cinematographer, Uma Kumarapuram, who suggested Bhoothayanam. “It can mean a journey of a ghost, or a journey into the past,” says Tony.
The film’s ending withholds answers, offering fragments rather than closure. “Some people watched it as entertainment, others read deeper meanings into it,” he says. That range of responses, he feels, matters more than festival laurels. Encouraged by this connection, Tony and Pratheek have now begun developing Bhoothayanam into a full-fledged feature.