Chevittorma movie review: “When a snake realises its time is up, it crawls into a hole, refuses food, and awaits death. Then it will slowly pass on,” Chandran (Kabeer) tells George (George Kora), the son of Varkey (Dileesh Pothan). In a way, this line encapsulates director Leo Thaddeus’ Chevittorma (The Soul Whisperer), which recently premiered at the 31st Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.Although this dialogue might initially seem like a simple allegory for Varkey’s current situation, it takes on deeper significance in Chevittorma when we notice that Theresia (Pauly Valsan) describes his farm as the “Garden of Eden.” He thinks he is the God who created it, but as the film progresses, we see he may actually be the serpent in the Garden — the embodiment of deception and evil.SCREEN Exclusive | ‘The story of many Govinds from Uyare’: Director Manu Ashokan dissects his web series EyesThe only thing that makes Varkey a special snake is that he has the luxury of receiving forgiveness for his sins, thus dying peacefully with the belief that he has earned a spot in heaven. But that also makes one wonder: if sins are so easily pardoned by God, then are reckoning and karma mere myths, or are the privileged and elite immune to everything?Of sins and egosIn a hilly terrain in Keralam, Theresia is known among locals for helping those on their deathbed die peacefully by whispering prayers to them in their final days. At the ancestral home of Varkey, a powerful landlord whose health is rapidly deteriorating from an illness, she faces an unprecedented issue. Not only is the unrepentant man not ready to admit his sins and seek forgiveness, but he also isn’t even willing to let go yet. As Theresia tries to heal the wound in the family, she realises that it’s deeper than it appears, plagued by old tensions and unresolved emotional scars that may be generations old.Chevittorma can be described as an atmospheric drama. Although there’s evident tension between various characters, writer-director Leo Thaddeus doesn’t go for loud and explosive portrayals. Instead, much like the environment the story is set against, the conflicts occur in an understated manner, sometimes even without direct confrontation.The movie shows the far-reaching repercussions of [patriarchy’s favourite] aggressive parenting and the childhood trauma that follows it. Chevittorma shows that the scars such behaviour inflicts can last a lifetime, even prompting people to mete out the same treatment to the next generation, believing it’s the norm.Story continues below this adVarkey is saddened that George and his wife Harini (Haritha Parokod) never visited him in almost a decade. Yet, he isn’t ready to own up to his past mistakes or acknowledge how abusive he was to his son. The old man’s father was also much like him.Meanwhile, George still holds a grudge against Varkey for ignoring his wife (George’s mother) when she was on her deathbed. He remains indifferent to Varkey, even in front of his little son, which Harini fears might shape him as well, potentially making him yet another emotionally broken guy in the family. In this way, Chevittorma can be described as a story of men unwilling to let go of their egos.Bethlehem Kudumba Unit effect | Arvind Swamy-Sridevi’s shelved film Anna to be revived after decadesAs Theresia tries to bridge the gap between everyone, an episode from her past knocks on her door, making one wonder whether her arrival at Varkey’s house was as random as it initially seemed.Story continues below this adChevittorma is a brilliant example of how to create well-fleshed-out characters, offering them strong arcs and exploring their various facets with finesse.While movies such as Aalkkoottathil Thaniye (1984), Pappan Priyappetta Pappan (1986), and Swantham Lekhakan (2009) also revolved around a group of people waiting around a deathbed for someone to pass on, they mostly explored the stories of those around the “soon-to-be-dead.” In contrast, Leo Thaddeus’ film focuses on the person on the deathbed and his emotional and psychological journey.As much as Chevittorma is about Varkey, it is also about Theresia. There’s a chilling scene in the movie where she warmly teaches her neighbour’s girl the prayers she usually whispers in the ears of those ready to depart. She asks the child to repeat them out loud to learn them by heart. Then, Theresia closes her eyes and tries to die slowly, listening to the child’s prayers.ICYMI | Made for Rs 25 cr, Nivin Pauly-Mamitha Baiju’s Bethlehem Kudumba Unit earns 13x its budgetStory continues below this adHowever, she gradually realises that her efforts have always been to guide souls peacefully to their end, ensuring they earn forgiveness for their sins — something she also needs to offer Varkey, especially since it provides her with closure.Dileesh Pothan, Pauly Valsan deliver masterclass in restrained actingDileesh Pothan and Pauly Valsan engage in a healthy face-off of restrained acting, pushing each other’s limits to the extreme. Although Dileesh recently played a bed-ridden character in Oru Durooha Saahacharyathil (2026), he does not employ a single trick from that performance here.He brilliantly conveys Varkey’s emotions — which he tries to hide on his face — through even his breathing pattern, highlighting his command of the role. Since Varkey is in bed throughout the movie, it isn’t easy to keep his gestures consistent. However, Dileesh achieves this perfectly, making it feel as though he has Varkey’s entire autobiography mapped out in his mind as backstory. Chevittorma isn’t packed with music and embraces ambient noise and silence in a superb way. (Credit: BIFF)Pauly Valsan’s performances in well-fleshed-out characters are a sight to behold, and Chevittorma is a perfect example. The many moments that show her enjoying the little things in life, adding depth to her character, are too beautiful.Story continues below this adBrilliant technical craftSwaroop Sobha Sankar’s cinematography is splendid. His use of sunlight, letting it fall on only select parts of the frame and playing with shadows, adds rich texture to the movie. Even when he could opt for character-focused shots, Swaroop goes the extra mile to include the surroundings as well, beautifully illustrating the characters’ positioning in their environment. He does not keep his frames tight, leaving ample space around them and building on the atmospheric essence of Chevittorma.Carlo Francisco Manatad’s editing is also highly fascinating, as he often refrains from immediately ending a shot after the subjects in focus leave the frame. He waits a second or two, making one feel that the world and the people around them move on with their activities even in their absence, implying they aren’t the nucleus of anything.Chevittorma isn’t packed with music and embraces ambient noise and silence in a superb way. As a result, when Iranian composer Milad Movahedi’s music slowly trickles through the visuals at certain moments, its understated nature, using only limited instruments, amplifies the mood and emotions in a brilliant manner.Chevittorma movie cast: Dileesh Pothan, Pauly Valsan, Jeo Baby, George Kora, Haritha ParokodChevittorma movie director: Leo ThaddeusChevittorma movie rating: 3.5 stars