A mystery told across timelines
Unlike Pendulumwhich was originally conceived for an OTT release and eventually made its way to theatres, Bouma was developed with the theatrical experience in mind. The film follows a struggling singer who returns to a mysterious estate, as a police investigation into missing women unfolds across two timelines, the present and the late 1990s. A story thread shared by Dony S Kadammanitta served as the starting point for the film, though the project eventually evolved into something quite different. “When we first began, it was a relatively small story without much dark elements. As we developed it, we gradually introduced darker layers and gave the narrative more depth,” Rejin recalls. As the story expanded, so did the scale of the production.
Bouma was also initially conceived around a single timeline, with its non-linear structure emerging as the screenplay developed. “I naturally gravitate towards non-linear narration in my screenplays. I find it engaging because it allows me to explore complex subjects while keeping the storytelling accessible to the audience,” he reflects. That balance also informs how he approaches the mystery, ensuring that revelations emerge naturally from the narrative rather than through heavy-handed exposition. “Whenever we introduce a new piece of information, we make sure it doesn’t feel like an orientation class. It has to emerge organically from the story and fit into the fictional world,” he explains.
Rejin describes Bouma as a “gothic mystery thriller”, while clarifying that it is not a conventional horror film built around jump scares. “Some viewers seem to have mistaken it for a horror film after watching the trailer. While there are a few horror elements, the film is not designed to scare people, nor does it belong entirely to that genre,” he clarifies.