Paramasivan Fathima Movie Review – An Outdated Thriller with Few Sparks

Actor Vemal, known for his content-driven roles, headlines Paramasivan Fathima — a horror murder mystery that also stars Chaya Devi in a pivotal role. The film begins with a string of bizarre murders, all targeting bridegrooms in a quiet village. As the pattern emerges, a police officer is brought in to investigate these killings, only to uncover a chilling and unexpected truth.

The narrative slowly reveals how a once-happy couple — Paramasivan (Vemal) and Tamil Selvi (Chaya Devi) — who later converted to Christianity, become entangled in this web of mystery and vengeance. Their past, filled with love and betrayal, plays a crucial role in unraveling the suspense.

At several points, the film faintly echoes the tone and structure of Telugu cinema’s Mangalavaram, with a similar plotline, though the motive behind the murders here takes a different route. Unfortunately, despite the potential for an engaging thriller, the execution falls flat.

The biggest drawback of Paramasivan Fathima is its excessive runtime — clocking in at 148 minutes. The narrative feels stretched, and a tighter edit to around 120 minutes might have significantly improved the overall experience.

Director Esakki Karvannan attempts to highlight inter-religious dynamics and the sensitive subject of conversion, but the core story feels outdated and lacks emotional depth or narrative freshness. The screenplay works only in parts, and the thrills are far too few to keep the audience hooked.

Performance-wise, Vemal and Chaya Devi surprisingly have limited screen presence in the first half. Instead, Sashvitha, playing the other female lead, delivers a noteworthy performance, and the actor portraying her Muslim partner also does justice to his role. The song depicting the childhood romance stands out as a rare emotional high point.

On the technical front, the film is average. Cinematography shines in some sequences, but other aspects like background score, editing, and production design fail to elevate the storytelling.