For filmmaker Rejin S Babu, the anticipation surrounding the release of Bouma on November 12 comes with a fair share of nervousness. His sophomore directorial venture arrives in a month crowded with releases, but he believes the film’s biggest strength lies in its subject and the way it is narrated. Following the Vijay Babu-starrer Pendulum, a mystery thriller that explored dreams, memory, deja vu and the nature of reality, Rejin is once again drawn to an unconventional premise. “When we say unconventional, we mean something fresh and unfamiliar, something audiences haven’t seen before. That is what sets Bouma apart and forms its USP,” he says.
That inclination towards unconventional storytelling, he says, can be traced back to his childhood fascination with Manichitrathazhu and was further shaped by his reading of Haruki Murakami, particularly Kafka on the Shore. “I was drawn to the surrealism and magical realism in that novel. Those elements gradually became part of how I approach writing and developing characters,” he reflects.
A mystery told across timelines
Unlike Pendulum, which was originally conceived for an OTT release and eventually made its way to theatres, Bouma was developed with the theatrical experience in mind. The film follows a struggling singer who returns to a mysterious estate, as a police investigation into missing women unfolds across two timelines, the present and the late 1990s. A story thread shared by Dony S Kadammanitta served as the starting point for the film, though the project eventually evolved into something quite different. “When we first began, it was a relatively small story without much dark elements. As we developed it, we gradually introduced darker layers and gave the narrative more depth,” Rejin recalls. As the story expanded, so did the scale of the production.
Bouma was also initially conceived around a single timeline, with its non-linear structure emerging as the screenplay developed. “I naturally gravitate towards non-linear narration in my screenplays. I find it engaging because it allows me to explore complex subjects while keeping the storytelling accessible to the audience,” he reflects. That balance also informs how he approaches the mystery, ensuring that revelations emerge naturally from the narrative rather than through heavy-handed exposition. “Whenever we introduce a new piece of information, we make sure it doesn't feel like an orientation class. It has to emerge organically from the story and fit into the fictional world,” he explains.
Rejin describes Bouma as a “gothic mystery thriller”, while clarifying that it is not a conventional horror film built around jump scares. “Some viewers seem to have mistaken it for a horror film after watching the trailer. While there are a few horror elements, the film is not designed to scare people, nor does it belong entirely to that genre,” he clarifies.
The landscape of Bouma
The film's intriguing title, which means earth, is closely tied to the terrain surrounding Rose Villa, the estate bungalow at the heart of the story. “That terrain, that very land, is almost a character in itself. The title Bouma comes from the word for earth, and carries a sense of being grounded and rooted. That meaning is central to the film,” he explains.
Ashley Bungalow in Kuttikkanam, extensively featured in Amal Neerad’s period drama Iyobinte Pusthakam, stands in for Rose Villa and was chosen despite the considerable costs involved. Despite the considerable rental costs, the team spent around 30 to 40 days shooting there. Rejin recalls that Sookshmadarshini cinematographer Sharan Velayudhan’s ability to capture both the landscape and its characters played a key role in finalising the location. “Sharan has a way of framing the terrain and the characters that makes the most of the location. We wanted to give his visuals a setting that would do justice to his approach and make a significant difference to the film’s look and feel,” he explains.
Although Bouma unfolds across two timelines, recreating the period was not particularly challenging, as most of the film was shot within the same villa, Rejin points out. “It wasn't a major challenge because we were shooting most of the film in the same location. We mainly had to pay attention to the framing to establish the different timelines,” he explains. The costume and art departments also played a key role in recreating the look and feel of the period.
Finding the right collaborators
The villa's atmosphere also helped draw Christo Xavier to the project. Rejin recalls the Bramayugam composer visiting the sets and being drawn to the subject by the misty surroundings. “The ambience of the place helped Christo connect with the subject. He immediately assured me that he would come on board,” Rejin recalls. Christo also brought his regular collaborators, sound designer Jayadevan Chakkadath and final-mix engineer MR Rajakrishnan, into the team, while Kishkindha Kaandam editor Sooraj ES handled the cuts.
The ensemble cast, which includes Dileesh Pothan, Vineeth, Sagar Surya, Aditi Balan, Revathy Sharma and Lena, among others, came together as the screenplay took shape. Rejin admits that he had not finalised the casting during the writing stage, with the process continuing even after filming began. “When I started writing, I didn't have particular actors in mind for every character. The film came together quite quickly, and we didn't have the time for an extended pre-production process,” he says.
Building on the lessons of Pendulum
Looking back at Pendulum, Rejin credits actor-producer Vijay Babu with helping him understand the demands of directing. “He would ask me directly how I planned to approach the next scene, how it would unfold, what the opening and closing frames would be, and where the cuts would fall,” Rejin remembers. That close engagement, Rejin says, pushed him to be better prepared for Bouma, from shot divisions and lighting discussions to continuity and camera angles.
While he hopes to make a lighter film someday, drawing inspiration from the naturalism of Girish AD’s films, Rejin acknowledges that he finds it difficult to keep mystery out of his writing. As his second film’s release approaches, he remains nervous but confident about what the film offers. “One thing I can confidently say about Bouma is that you will never feel your time has been wasted. It keeps you engaged from beginning to end, and you will carry a certain feeling with you even after leaving the theatre. It is the kind of film that stays with you and haunts you for a while,” he concludes.