Saagar Kote
Netflix’s ‘Baramulla’ unfolds in the snowy and mysterious Baramulla region of Kashmir, delving into a case of missing children, troubling secrets, and personal tragedy. Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, the film centers on DSP Ridwaan Sayyed (Manav Kaul), a police officer tasked with investigating the baffling disappearances of children in the valley. As the kids inexplicably vanish without leaving behind any clues and with no ransom demands, the community descends into chaos and fear while desperately seeking answers. The challenging mystery forces the cops to confront dangerous individuals and chaotic situations.
Ridwaan’s investigation uncovers disturbing truths, and the stakes escalate dramatically when unexpected supernatural occurrences endanger his own family. As the investigation continues in the horror-mystery drama film, the mystery only seems to deepen. The narrative examines ideas of trauma, family, and justice, while also exploring the politics of Kashmir. These movies, similar to ‘Baramulla,’ capture the essence, themes, and ideas of the Manav Kaul-starrer in a meaningful way.
8. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
‘Gone Baby Gone’ centers on the kidnapping of a young girl, which private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) are hired to solve. They must confront numerous obstacles and unexpected turns in their race to uncover the truth before the situation worsens. As the two deal with the difficulties of the case, dangerous secrets lurk in the background. Based on the eponymous novel by Dennis Lehane, the crime thriller drama, directed by Ben Affleck, delves into themes of family, love, and secrets. Like ‘Baramulla,’ it explores the trauma and efforts of family members trying to rescue an abducted child, while also looking at the intervention of cops in sensitive cases. The idea of childhood innocence also finds representation in both stories.
7. The Others (2001)
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, ‘The Others’ or ‘Los otros’ centers on Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman) and her children, Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), who move into a secluded mansion following the Second World War. Grace soon becomes convinced the house is haunted after experiencing strange events. Compounding their difficulties, both children suffer from an allergy to sunlight, making their lives significantly challenging. The family must fight to survive as they are overwhelmed by these unforeseen circumstances. The Spanish-American horror drama film, akin to ‘Baramulla,’ deals with familial tragedy, the idea of the vulnerability of childhood, and supernatural occurrences in claustrophobic spaces.
6. The Black Phone (2021)
‘The Black Phone’ explores themes of childhood, courage, and the unknown in a chilling and unsettling manner. Directed by Scott Derrickson, it follows Finney Blake (Mason Thames), a young boy abducted by a man known only as The Grabber (Ethan Hawke), who targets vulnerable children. As the kidnapper locks up the teenager in an isolated basement, he struggles to escape. When all hope seems lost, the kidnapped child receives inexplicable calls from a past victim on a disconnected phone in the scary basement. On the lines of ‘Baramulla,’ the mystery-horror film, based on the eponymous short story by Joe Hill, primarily focuses on the tragedies associated with the disappearance of children. The criminal psyche is meaningfully examined in both stories, which also explore the ideas of loss and trauma through families.
5. Article 370 (2024)
‘Article 370’ deals with the political unrest in Kashmir in 2016 and the events that followed. In the aftermath of violence in the region, the Prime Minister’s Office of the Indian Government hires a Kashmiri NIA agent named Zooni Haksar (Yami Gautam) to investigate leads and find more about the terror threats. However, the government discreetly hopes to scrap the special position given to Kashmir by “Article 370” of the Indian Constitution. As the agent dives deeper into the mysteries of Kashmir, the political establishment faces its own challenges in the court of public opinion.
Helmed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, the Indian Hindi-language political action thriller film navigates sensitive sociopolitical realities. Resembling ‘Baramulla,’ the movie is a commentary on Kashmir as a region. Both stories explore the history, culture, and power politics in the area, while also featuring complex characters. The visual choices and similarities in the stories also connect them on a spiritual level.
4. Prisoners (2013)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, ‘Prisoners’ is a mystery-drama-thriller that tells the story of Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), who finds himself in a difficult spot as he must find his daughter Anna Dover (Erin Gerasimovich) and her friend, who went missing without leaving any traces. His desperate search and obsession with the case bring him into contact with police detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is also working to solve the issue. As the two men approach the issue from different perspectives, the mystery gets more dangerous. The film complements ‘Baramulla’ as it centers on a family’s fight to recover a kidnapped child, while simultaneously exploring the personal troubles and inner struggles of the main characters. Although the atmospheric and visual elements of the narratives differ, they share a strong connection due to the commentaries on the innocence and vulnerability of childhood.
3. The Kashmir Files (2022)
‘The Kashmir Files’ is the story of a college student named Krishna Pandit (Darshan Kumar), who goes on a tumultuous journey of finding the truth about the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir in the 1990s. What starts as an investigation into the lives of his family members in the past becomes a darker tale of violence and deception. As Krishna approaches the truth, he finds his Pandit identity and liberal ideology clashing, leading to inner turmoil. Akin to ‘Baramulla,’ the Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Vivek Agnihotri features Kashmir as the central theme. Both films explore the political complexities of Kashmir, while also examining the issues of identity and culture.
2. The Vanished (2020)
‘The Vanished’ is a psychological thriller film that chronicles the trials and tribulations of Paul Michaelson (Thomas Jane) and Wendy Michaelson (Anne Heche), a couple whose life is plunged into chaos due to the sudden and inexplicable vanishing of their daughter, Taylor, during a family expedition. The parents find themselves in a troubling scenario, as the cops are unable to find any clues about the girl’s disappearance. With the odds stacked against them, the two decide to save their daughter at any cost. The trauma of parents, the elements of evil and danger, and the focus on the disappearance of a child establish a connection between the film directed by Peter Facinelli and the world of ‘Baramulla.’
1. Weapons (2025)
Directed by Zach Cregger, ‘Weapons’ follows the inexplicable disappearance of children from Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner) classroom at school. Every child vanishes mysteriously at 2:17 am, leaving no trace or explanation. This strange and inexplicable event sends the community into shock, forcing Gandy and other adults on a risky journey to find the truth and save the children from a dark fate. The mystery horror drama film, akin to ‘Baramulla’, is a commentary on the trauma associated with the vanishing of children. The examination of the social effects of cruelty against kids is a common occurrence in both movies. The visual elements and the psychological aspects of the narratives establish a spiritual connection.
Read More: Movies Like Weapons
