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Romancham (2023) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Romancham (2023) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 132 mins · Malayalam
Echo score 82
Directed by
Jithu Madhavan
Starring
Soubin Shahir, Chemban Vinod Jose, Assim Jamal, Sreejith Babu, Sajin Gopu, Jolly Chirayath

Set in 2007, at Bengaluru, A game of Ouija board goes hilariously wrong when seven bachelors unexpectedly invite a spirit and try to make the best out of the situation.

Horror Comedy Cast, crew & box office
On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (7)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Romancham
  7. 7 Every angle

7 main characters · contains spoilers

Romancham Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Romancham (2023), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Jibin (Soubin Shahir)

    Jibin is the ringleader of the group’s séances, driven by a need to entertain and impress his friends. His fear of the unknown escalates into a feverish illness, illustrating how pressure to perform can distort judgment and jeopardize health.

    • 🎭
    • 🧠

  • Rivin (Anantharaman Ajay)

    Rivin is the more cautious roommate who refuses to participate in the séance due to religious beliefs, providing a counterbalance to the pranksters. His forgetfulness and disorientation in the story reflect the mounting tension within the group.

    • 🗺️
    • 🙏
    • 👥

  • Niroop (Sajin Gopu)

    Niroop is one of the working roommates, contributing to the group’s dynamic and the search for stability amidst their chaotic experiments. He experiences the same eerie disturbances that plague the house as the séances intensify.

    • 💼
    • 🏠
    • 😨

  • Shijappan (Abin Bino)

    Shijappan is a fellow participant who helps sustain the séance hoax, calm and playful but ultimately complicit in the unraveling of their living situation.

    • 🎲
    • 🧩
    • 👥

  • Karikuttan (Afzal P H)

    Karikuttan holds a job at a petrol pump, but his absent-mindedness causes him to lose employment and threaten the group’s stability as the haunting effects intensify.

    • ⛽
    • 💼
    • 🚦

  • Soman (Jagadeesh Kumar)

    Soman is the entrepreneur-in-training of the group, trying various ventures as the group navigates the consequences of their actions and the mounting fear around the house.

    • 🏗️
    • 🧪
    • 🕳️

  • Sinu (Arjun Ashokan)

    Sinu moves in briefly, bringing additional tension as he begins to exhibit strange behavior and seems to be connected to Anamika’s disturbances.

    • 🕷️
    • 🌀
    • 💤

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:47

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Setting

Where and When Does Romancham Take Place?

The setting of Romancham (2023): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

2007

Set in 2007, the story captures urban India's pre-smartphone era when word-of-mouth and simple technology drive social life. The period’s ordinary routines—jobs, schooling, and casual gatherings—become the stage for a prank that spirals out of control. The limited digital connectivity amplifies the isolation and fear as strange events unfold.

Location

Bangalore

The action unfolds in a Bangalore neighborhood, centered on a rented house where seven roommates live and scheme. The city’s busy streets and communal living style provide a lively backdrop for their mischief with a Ouija-board séance. A hospital ICU in Bangalore becomes a pivotal space as Jibin’s illness escalates the stakes and reveals the consequences of their supernatural experiments.

  • 🌆 Cityscape
  • 🏙️ Urban setting

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:47

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3 major themes

Romancham Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Romancham (2023) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Supernatural

    A supposed ghost named Anamika is conjured as a playful pastime, but the spirit quickly proves to be more than a hoax. The line between belief and deception blurs as the group’s séances gain credibility and draw others in.

  • Friendship

    A close circle of roommates bonds through shared schemes and adventures, highlighting loyalty and peer pressure. Their camaraderie sustains them through highs and lows, even as fear and chaos test their trust.

  • Deception

    Jibin and Shijappan’s initial cheating to keep the séance convincing evolves into a culture of lies. The consequences of masking truth reveal how easily deception can spiral beyond control, affecting work, home, and health.

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:47

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Character & theme questions

Romancham Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Romancham (2023): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie set?

Romancham takes place in Bangalore, specifically in a rented house where seven roommates live. The urban cityscape and communal living style of Bangalore provide the backdrop for the story, with key scenes also occurring in a hospital ICU as events escalate.

  • bangalore setting
  • house location
  • india movie setting
Q2

What year is the movie set in?

The film is set in 2007, depicting urban India before the smartphone era. This pre-digital time period influences how the characters communicate and experience isolation as supernatural events unfold.

  • 2007
  • bangalore 2007
  • time period
  • pre-smartphone era
Q3

What are the main themes of the movie?

The movie explores three core themes: the supernatural (a spirit called Anamika summoned via Ouija board), friendship (the bonds and peer pressure among roommates), and deception (how lies spiral out of control when the group tries to maintain their hoax).

  • themes
  • supernatural
  • deception
  • friendship
  • anita
Q4

What does the Ouija board symbolize in the story?

The Ouija board starts as a harmless prank among friends but transforms into something that blurs the line between belief and deception. As the spirit's presence becomes undeniable, the board becomes a catalyst for the group's unraveling trust and escalating consequences.

  • ouija board
  • supernatural
  • prank
  • spirit summoning
Q5

Who is Jibin in the movie?

Jibin is the ringleader of the group who initiates the Ouija board séances to entertain his friends. His need to impress others drives him to continue the hoax, even as fear and illness take their toll on him.

  • jibin
  • main character
  • leader
  • ringleader
Q6

Who is Rivin and what role does he play?

Rivin is the cautious roommate who refuses to participate in the séance due to his religious beliefs. He serves as a counterbalance to the pranksters and experiences forgetfulness and disorientation as tension builds in the house.

  • rivin
  • cautious
  • religious beliefs
  • roommate
Q7

Who is Sinu in the story?

Sinu is a character who moves into the house briefly and becomes central to the supernatural disturbances. He begins exhibiting strange behavior that appears connected to Anamika's presence.

  • sinu
  • new character
  • strange behavior
  • connection
Q8

What is the tone and atmosphere of the film?

The film balances comedy and horror, starting with humor from the bachelor flat setting but shifting to tense, frightening atmosphere as the supernatural events intensify. The tone becomes increasingly bleak with consequences affecting the characters' health, jobs, and living situation.

  • tone
  • atmosphere
  • horror comedy
  • bleak ending
Q9

Who is Anamika in the movie?

Anamika is the supernatural spirit that the roommates accidentally summon through their Ouija board game. Initially believed to be a hoax, she becomes increasingly real and threatening as the story progresses.

  • anamika
  • spirit
  • ghost
  • supernatural entity
Q10

What is the dynamic among the seven roommates?

The seven roommates share a close bond built through shared schemes and adventures. Their camaraderie is tested as fear and chaos from the supernatural events escalate, revealing both loyalty and the pressure of peer influence.

  • seven roommates
  • group dynamic
  • friendship
  • bachelor flat

Movie threads

More Movies Like Romancham, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Romancham tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Paranormal Comedy of Errors Movies like Romancham

What starts as a lighthearted prank spirals into genuine supernatural terror. If you enjoyed Romancham's mix of bachelor life humor with supernatural scares, you'll like these movies. This thread gathers films where a fun prank or game backfires, summoning a spirit and escalating into genuine horror. Find similar stories of friendship tested by paranormal panic and unintended consequences.

  • paranormal panic
  • prank gone wrong
  • bachelor life
  • anxious
  • uncanny
  • nerve wracking
  • Tone: tense, humorous, ominous
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically follow a 'prank gone wrong' structure. A group, often young people in a shared living situation, decides to dabble in the occult for fun. Their initial skepticism and humor are shattered when a real paranormal presence makes itself known, forcing them to confront a threat they cannot easily dismiss or escape.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared blend of comedic setup and horror payoff. They feature strong group dynamics, a relatable 'what have we done?' moment, and a tonal shift from lighthearted to tense and ominous as the supernatural element becomes undeniable and dangerous.

Romancham movie poster

Romancham

2023
Monster in the Closet movie poster

Monster in the Closet

1986
Witchboard 2: The Devil’s Doorway movie poster

Witchboard 2: The Devil’s Doorway

1993
Trip movie poster

Trip

2021
House of the Long Shadows movie poster

House of the Long Shadows

1983
Go Goa Gone movie poster

Go Goa Gone

2013
All My Friends Hate Me movie poster

All My Friends Hate Me

2022
Ouija movie poster

Ouija

2014

Slow-Burn Supernatural Unease Films Similar to Romancham

A steady, logical progression of paranormal events that builds unbearable tension. For viewers who liked the steady, methodical build of tension in Romancham, this thread collects movies with a similar pacing. These films feature a logical escalation of paranormal activity, creating a pervasive sense of dread rather than relying on jump scares. Discover more stories where supernatural horror invades ordinary life with relentless, mounting pressure.

  • slow burn
  • anxious
  • ominous
  • mounting dread
  • nerve wracking
  • paranormal
  • Tone: tense, bleak, ominous
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a catalyst event that introduces a supernatural element into a mundane setting. This is followed by a sequence of increasingly disturbing and inexplicable events that methodically strip away the characters' sense of safety and control. The pacing is deliberate, focusing on the psychological impact and the slow, inevitable descent into a bleak situation.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their controlled, steady pacing and focus on building atmospheric dread. They prioritize a sense of looming, inescapable threat over fast-paced action, creating a viewing experience defined by sustained anxiety and a foreboding atmosphere that culminates in a significant, often negative, outcome.

Sinister movie poster

Sinister

2012
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark movie poster

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

1973
Superstition movie poster

Superstition

1982
Terror movie poster

Terror

1978
The Creeping movie poster

The Creeping

2023
Ghostkeeper movie poster

Ghostkeeper

1981
Satan’s Slaves movie poster

Satan’s Slaves

2017
Dark August movie poster

Dark August

1976

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Every angle

Romancham (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Romancham in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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