Anurag Kashyap, Movie Bucket, Pale Blue Dot Films and Cast N Co Entertainments’ Footage (dubbed from the Malayalam film of the same name; A) is a found-footage film. It is a thriller.
Two YouTubers (Vishak Nair and Gayathri Ashok) make content for YouTube. They live together and like to post innovative videos on YouTube. They specialise in shooting haunted houses in deep dark forests. They sometimes also film their neighbours. One such neighbour is a character played by Manju Warrier.
Shabna Muhammed and Saiju Sreedharan have written a story which is very different from the regular film stories. For one, the characters don’t have names. Secondly, the story is narrated through the footage of the cameras of the YouTube couple. It is not clear what Manju Warrier’s character does or why she is beating the two YouTubers black and blue. The action sequence between Manju Warrier’s character and the two YouTubers is grotesque. The screenplay is sketchy and will not be liked by the majority of the viewers because it is very different. Dialogues are minimal.
Manju Warrier does well. Vishak Nair and Gayathri Ashok play the YouTubers naturally.
Saiju Sreedharan’s direction is good but not many will be able to appreciate his narration and style. Background music (by As We Keep Searching) is effective. Shinoz’s cinematography is fantastic. Sound design in the night sequences is very impactful. Action scenes (Irfan Ameer) are crude. Appunni Sajan’s art direction is of a fine standard. Saiju Sreedharan’s editing is sharp. Dubbing is alright.
On the whole, Footage is for the festival circuit. At the box-office, it will meet with a disastrous fate.
Released on 7-3-’25 at Metro Inox (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Cinepolis India. Publicity & opening: very weak. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor everywhere.
