Two households. Two religions. Two economic classes. And one invisible thread of uncertainty binding them together.
In a quiet corner of Kerala, India, Samshayam unfolds the story of two families — divided by class and religion, but unexpectedly intertwined by a shared, invisible fracture: doubt.
Manojan and Vimala, a lower-middle-class Hindu couple, live a modest but content life with their infant child. But one day, Vimala begins to suspect that the baby might not be theirs. Her unease, at first seemingly irrational, begins to fester in the walls of their small home. Manojan, desperate to reassure his wife and protect their family, sets out to investigate. What begins as a personal, almost absurd suspicion soon spirals into a journey that threatens to unravel not only their lives but also the lives of complete strangers.
The ripple effect of their doubt unexpectedly reaches Harris and Faiza, an upper-middle-class Muslim couple living in a different world — socially, economically, and spiritually. Drawn into Manojan’s obsession, Harris and Faiza’s carefully constructed life begins to crack. Slowly, the two couples find themselves standing on the same emotional ground, confronting fears, biases, and unspoken truths they never imagined facing.
Samshayam is not just a drama about mistaken identity — it is a deeper exploration of how fragile our sense of reality becomes when seeded with uncertainty. In a society divided by religion, class, and silence, the film asks: What truly binds us? Blood? Faith? Or something more intangible — like vulnerability?
Blending unsettling intimacy with flashes of humor and tenderness, Samshayam moves beyond cultural specifics to reflect a universal human condition: the aching need to feel sure, to feel right, and to feel connected.
Runtime:
01:46:03
Information for the Audience:
*Samshayam* is a deeply personal exploration of how a single seed of doubt can alter the course of multiple lives - cutting across class, faith, and family. Set in the backdrop of Kerala’s layered social fabric, the film follows an upper-middle-class Muslim family whose peaceful life is disrupted by a quiet storm - a doubt that emerges from an unexpected place: a lower-class Hindu man’s suspicion.
This film is not about conflict between communities. Rather, it is about how a shared human emotion - doubt - can expose the fragility of trust, love, and identity, regardless of religion or social status. In *Samshayam*, two families, divided by culture and belief, become bound by the same emotional rupture. The film moves beyond the boundaries of faith, and instead examines what truly unites us: vulnerability, fear, and the universal need for clarity and belonging.
As a filmmaker, I wanted to peel away the layers of social privilege, silence, and ego that often mask truth. *Samshayam* is an honest attempt to hold a mirror to our times - where a single unanswered question can turn lives upside down, and where, in the end, what remains is not religion or wealth, but raw emotion.
Samshayam had its domestic theatrical release on May 16, 2025, in limited screens across Kerala, India. The film was selectively released to preserve its indie essence while building organic word-of-mouth among audiences and critics.
Two households. Two religions. Two economic classes. And one invisible thread of uncertainty binding them together.
In a quiet corner of Kerala, India, Samshayam unfolds the story of two families — divided by class and religion, but unexpectedly intertwined by a shared, invisible fracture: doubt.
Manojan and Vimala, a lower-middle-class Hindu couple, live a modest but content life with their infant child. But one day, Vimala begins to suspect that the baby might not be theirs. Her unease, at first seemingly irrational, begins to fester in the walls of their small home. Manojan, desperate to reassure his wife and protect their family, sets out to investigate. What begins as a personal, almost absurd suspicion soon spirals into a journey that threatens to unravel not only their lives but also the lives of complete strangers.
The ripple effect of their doubt unexpectedly reaches Harris and Faiza, an upper-middle-class Muslim couple living in a different world — socially, economically, and spiritually. Drawn into Manojan’s obsession, Harris and Faiza’s carefully constructed life begins to crack. Slowly, the two couples find themselves standing on the same emotional ground, confronting fears, biases, and unspoken truths they never imagined facing.
Samshayam is not just a drama about mistaken identity — it is a deeper exploration of how fragile our sense of reality becomes when seeded with uncertainty. In a society divided by religion, class, and silence, the film asks: What truly binds us? Blood? Faith? Or something more intangible — like vulnerability?
Blending unsettling intimacy with flashes of humor and tenderness, Samshayam moves beyond cultural specifics to reflect a universal human condition: the aching need to feel sure, to feel right, and to feel connected.
*Samshayam* is a deeply personal exploration of how a single seed of doubt can alter the course of multiple lives - cutting across class, faith, and family. Set in the backdrop of Kerala’s layered social fabric, the film follows an upper-middle-class Muslim family whose peaceful life is disrupted by a quiet storm - a doubt that emerges from an unexpected place: a lower-class Hindu man’s suspicion.
This film is not about conflict between communities. Rather, it is about how a shared human emotion - doubt - can expose the fragility of trust, love, and identity, regardless of religion or social status. In *Samshayam*, two families, divided by culture and belief, become bound by the same emotional rupture. The film moves beyond the boundaries of faith, and instead examines what truly unites us: vulnerability, fear, and the universal need for clarity and belonging.
As a filmmaker, I wanted to peel away the layers of social privilege, silence, and ego that often mask truth. *Samshayam* is an honest attempt to hold a mirror to our times - where a single unanswered question can turn lives upside down, and where, in the end, what remains is not religion or wealth, but raw emotion.
Rajesh Ravi
Writer & Director, *Samshayam*
Categories:
Subtitles:
Genre:
Country:
Language: