The Malayalam horror-thriller, Dies Irae, which stars Pranav Mohanlal and is directed by Rahul Sadasivan, one of the most highly anticipated releases for the Halloween weekend. Dies Irae, with its supernatural premise, terrifying visuals, and lead actor in a new genre, will certainly challenge the boundaries of horror films in regional Indian cinema this year.

What Works

• Overall, Pranav Mohanlal gives a genuinely fresh and convincing performance in a genre he has not yet explored. That being said, when he does, it works. As already mentioned.
• The atmosphere and visuals of this film are strong and dip you into the horror via the setting, mood, and dread-building sequences rather than relying purely on jump-scares.
• Rahul Sadasivan as a director uses his experience in horror to deliver a tightly-paced thriller, although I will be interested to see how he adapts his skills in this field to future films of different genres.
• The film’s Halloween release gives it an extra edge and a fascinating catch.

⚠️ What Could Be Better

• Overall, the first half is excellent, but the second half might feel too familiar and predictable due to the lack of bargain punch for horror aficionados – its structure is based more on the tropes and the theme rather than pure shock.
• A couple of sequences are too much of a is slow burn for comfort for the audiences to whom they happened hunt for continuous rides – the emotional set-up here simply has to have precedence over the loud spectacle.
• Finally, the cultural and regional horror vocabulary might make it narrower than expected, and in the absence of good subtitles or dubbing, non-Malayalam viewers tuning in might feel left out.

Final Verdict

With this in mind, Dies Irae makes for a strong entry into the canon of Indian horror cinema. The film is unembarrassed, well-mounted, and headed by an enthusiastic central performance that exceeds most regional films. If I am translating standard, familiar horror, it is a standard that should satisfy all the fans of suspense. It may not revolutionize the wheel, but it is setting a precedent in Malayalam’s supernatural film.
Rating: 3.9 / 5

Box Office Collection Report

(All figures are estimated projections based on trade buzz and early collection reports.)