பயம் ஒரு பயணம்

An abandoned bungalow, a revenge-seeking young girl who faced a brutal death, an insight into her yesteryear happy life and a protagonist who frantically runs for his life — Bayam Oru Payanam has every done-to-death formula which we witness in a usual horror film. Nevertheless, the story idea offers enough scope to keep viewers hooked, if backed by strong writing. Ram (Bharath), a passionate photographer who earlier worked as the reporter of a daily, is a workaholic, who is also a devoted family man. He sets out to Munnar for an assignment in his SUV, while his wife (Meenakshi) and daughter are put up at a guest house a few kilometres away. During his journey in the night through a deserted area (with curvy roads and dense trees), he meets Kavariman (Singam Puli), who helps him find a home to stay. Though the security of the home (Yogi Babu) initially refuses to give them accommodation, the duo manages to convince him. A few minutes after entering the house, just when Ram begins to feel comfortable there, he finds something, which could be a crucial evidence to prove his innocence against an alleged mistake that cost him his job as a reporter. However, an unknown force prevents him from using it for his benefit. The evil spirit starts unleashing its power on him in full form, making him run away from the place. But little does he know that the worst is yet to come. Worried about his family, Ram rushes towards the guest house where his family is but enroute, he encounters a number of dead people! A petrified Ram gets to know the story of the displeased spirit and also why he is being desperately hunted. Meanwhile, the spirit is in no mood to forgive him and targets his family, too. Bharath is apt as a nervous family man. Vishakha Singh as a simple and caring girl, the only hope of her parents, is convincing in her role. John Vijay makes a brief appearance as the head of a moral policing gang, while Urvashi appears as a worried mother in a few scenes. As the end titles rolls down and everyone starts leaving the hall, we are in for a surprise, as a crucial character in the film turns up as a ghost, followed by the announcement of a sequel, titled Bhayam 2. One wonders whether the makers really have plans for such an attempt — if at all it materialises, it would be appreciable if it has a few spooky moments, engaging story line, novel narration or edge-of-the-seat sequences, as this one is devoid of all these qualities. Despite starting out in hopeful fashion, the film ends up as a futile attempt.