Malayalam cinema has delivered some unforgettable thrillers in recent years, blending human drama with nail-biting suspense. Baby Girl, directed by Arun Varma and written by the acclaimed duo Bobby-Sanjay, tries to walk the same tightrope. With a cast led by Nivin Pauly, Lijomol Jose, Sangeeth Prathap, and Abhimanyu Shammi Thilakan, the film sets up a tense premise—a newborn vanishes from a hospital just days before Christmas. Unfortunately, despite its emotional core, the movie struggles to maintain its grip, leaving audiences more detached than invested.
Story
The film opens with urgency: a three-day-old infant disappears from a Thiruvananthapuram hospital, triggering a Code Pink alert. As panic spreads, police, media, and worried onlookers swarm the scene. The narrative introduces Sanal Mathew (Nivin Pauly), a hospital attendant who recalls spotting a suspicious figure that may hold the key to the case.
From there, the missing baby becomes less of a person and more of a narrative device, passed along through a string of coincidences—migrant workers, a guilt-ridden brother, an abusive spouse, and a hesitant young couple. While the plot moves quickly, the emotional weight often feels diluted by the sheer number of subplots and twists.
Performances
The standout here is unquestionably Lijomol Jose as Rithu, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage and haunted by repeated stillbirths. Her portrayal is raw, heartfelt, and refreshingly free from melodrama, giving the film its most genuine emotional moments.
Nivin Pauly, despite his proven talent, feels oddly detached as Sanal. His character fades in and out of the story, surfacing only when the plot demands it. Abhimanyu Shammi Thilakan, playing a determined police officer, struggles to bring depth, with a performance that comes off stiff and one-note.
Behind the Scenes
Director Arun Varma’s approach leans heavily into melodrama, at times resembling older TV serial aesthetics rather than the taut, grounded style of modern thrillers. This is surprising, given the director’s more engaging previous work in Garudan.
The editing by Shyjith Kumaran feels abrupt, breaking narrative rhythm, while Sam CS’s background score echoes familiar thriller tropes without adding freshness. Bobby-Sanjay’s script hints at the thematic ambition of their earlier hit Traffic, but lacks the same precision and emotional sharpness.
Final Verdict
At its heart, Baby Girl explores a compelling moral question: is motherhood defined solely by giving birth, or by the willingness to nurture and protect? Sadly, instead of allowing this theme to breathe through nuanced storytelling, the film buries it beneath coincidences, overblown drama, and scattered pacing.
With a runtime just over two hours, Baby Girl had all the ingredients for a tense, emotionally resonant thriller. What we get instead is a patchwork of moments—some moving, most forgettable. If you’re a fan of the cast, it may be worth a watch, but those looking for a tight, gripping thriller may leave disappointed.
