Horror comedies are a genre that requires a fine balance between thrills and laughs, but debutant Vaishakh Elans’ Hello Mummy mostly stumbles in its attempt to juggle these elements. While the film delivers a handful of genuinely funny moments and a promising premise, its overlong narrative, shallow emotional core, and lacklustre horror sequences make for an exhausting watch.
The story follows Stephy (Aishwarya Lekshmi) and her peculiar life, overshadowed by the spirit of her dead mother, who controls every aspect of her existence. When Boney (Sharaf U Dheen), a man-child running a pet shop, enters Stephy’s life, it sets off a chain of comedic events laced with a supernatural twist. The concept of a mother’s spirit being both a guardian and a tyrant within the family dynamic is intriguing on paper, but the execution leaves much to be desired.
What works best in Hello Mummy is its slapstick humour, even if it is inconsistent. While the jokes don’t land as often as they should, some moments evoke genuine laughter. The film finally picks up momentum during the first-night sequence, where Boney discovers the truth about Stephy’s mother. The subsequent scenes, where Boney struggles to adhere to the spirit’s absurd household rules, bring some much-needed levity.
Johny Antony and Jagadish, playing Boney and Stephy’s respective parents, are effective in their limited roles, delivering laughs in the loud, over-the-top style. Sharaf is ultimately the film’s main saving grace. His impeccable comic timing and flair for slapstick humour remind you of Dileep in his prime. He brings charm and energy to a film that otherwise lacks imagination.
Unfortunately, the positives are too few and far between. The film’s first act is lacklustre, with sluggish pacing and scattered humour that struggles to engage the audience. Aishwarya’s portrayal comes across as one-note and, at times, unintentionally hammy. The emotional connection between Stephy and her mother’s spirit, which should be the heart of the story, is underdeveloped. We never learn how the mother died, why her spirit is so powerful, or why the sinister occult group is after her.
These unanswered questions make the plot feel incomplete and leave little reason to care about the stakes. This year’s Bollywood blockbuster Stree 2 featured a mother’s spirit with a better emotional arc. Here, Stephy’s mother is reduced to an overbearing presence with no identity beyond her obsessive control over her daughter’s life. The film misses an opportunity to explore this dynamic with nuance, opting instead for contrived ideas.
While the comedy occasionally works, the horror is a complete letdown. The scares, if any, are predictable and generic. The third act, which introduces a ludicrous exorcism sequence involving the occult group, derails any potential the story had. The antagonist, Ashabha (a mundane Sunny Hinduja), and the hooded occultists feel like caricatures, and their motives remain frustratingly vague. Bindu Panicker’s narration of the occult group’s history falls flat, lacking the gravitas and intrigue that similar sequences, such as KPAC Lalitha’s chilling monologues in Manichithrathazhu, once delivered.
Technically, Hello Mummy is a neat effort. The sound design is effective in amplifying the supernatural moments, while the background score, though functional, does little to elevate the experience. The songs are forgettable and only serve to pad the already bloated runtime. Clocking in at 135 minutes, the film overstays its welcome.
With tighter editing and a more focused script, Hello Mummy could have been a somewhat fun 90-minute entertainer. Instead, it drags on, with redundant sequences, especially with the scenes involving Aju Varghese, and an overblown climax that sacrifices coherence for spectacle. While the ending teases a sequel, the idea of revisiting this world feels more like a threat than a promise.
Film: Hello Mummy
Director: Vaishakh Elans
Cast: Sharaf U Dheen, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Jagadish, Johny Antony, Ganga Meera, Adhri Joe, Joemon Jyothir, Bindu Panicker, Aju Varghese
Rating: 2/5 stars