What Is Romancham About?
The premise of Romancham in 354 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the bustling streets of 2007 Bengaluru, a cramped rented house becomes the unlikely stage for a group of seven bachelors whose lives are tangled together by circumstance and camaraderie. Jibin has just arrived from a small town, clutching dreams of a steady job, while Rivin balances a full‑time position with a quiet devotion that makes him the moral compass of the group. Niroop and Shijappan drift between odd jobs, constantly scheming ways to break the monotony, and Mukesh spends his days nursing a half‑finished degree. Karikuttan and Soman round out the household: one works at a petrol pump, the other hops from one tentative venture to another, each hoping the next break will finally land them on firmer ground. Their shared living space is a collage of mismatched furniture, lingering incense, and the perpetual hum of Bangalore’s traffic outside—a place where laughter often drowns out the uncertainty of the future.
One idle afternoon, the roommates stumble upon a quirky idea: a makeshift séance using a carrom board as a stand‑in for a Ouija board. The proposition ignites both excitement and apprehension. While Rivin hesitates, citing his religious convictions, the others—led by the daring Jibin and the quick‑witted Shijappan—propel the session into a game of playful mystery, coaxing their friends to join in. The tone oscillates between light‑hearted teasing and an undercurrent of curiosity, as the group teeters between skepticism and the thrill of possibly summoning something beyond their understanding. Their banter, punctuated by nervous chuckles and earnest whispers, sets the stage for a comedy that teeters on the edge of the uncanny.
What begins as a harmless diversion quickly hints at something stranger than a simple prank. The air in the house grows thick with anticipation, and the brothers‑in‑arms find themselves navigating a peculiar blend of hilarity and unease, each question they pose to the unseen force pulling them deeper into an odd, shared adventure. As the nights lengthen, the spirit of their impromptu game starts to weave itself into the fabric of their daily lives, testing their friendship, their patience, and their ability to keep the laughter alive amid the growing mystery.
What Happens in Romancham?
The complete story of Romancham, from the first scene to the last, in 686 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 8 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
2007: Jibin Soubin Shahir wakes up in the ICU of a Bangalore hospital, told that he has been suffering from meningitis for a week. He longs to tell his roommates something important, yet he is not allowed to see anyone. The nurse’s curiosity nudges him to share his story, and he begins to narrate the odd sequence of events that led to this moment.
Jibin is part of a tight-knit group living in a rented house: Rivin Anantharaman Ajay, Niroop Sajin Gopu, Shijappan Abin Bino, Mukesh Siju Sunny, Karikuttan Afzal P H, and Soman Jagadeesh Kumar. Rivin and Karikuttan hold down full-time jobs, while Soman dabbles in various ventures; the others are quietly searching for work. The dynamic among them is warm but tense, a recipe for adventures that begin as harmless amusements and quickly tilt toward something unsettling.
During a visit to a friend, Jibin spots a group performing a séance with a Ouija board, hoping to contact a ghost. The idea amuses him, and he decides to join in by using a carrom board as a makeshift Ouija board, coaxing the others to participate. Rivin, steeped in religious belief, declines to take part, but the rest are drawn into the ritual. As the glass starts to move, first slowly and then with growing confidence, Jibin and Shijappan try to keep the act going, merely to save face and entertain their friends. They christen the spirit “Anamika,” a name that somehow feels both familiar and ominous, and the group asks it a stream of questions, half in jest, half in curiosity.
What begins as a prank soon feels different. The glass moves with a mind of its own, answering questions that surprise even the skeptics. It even seems to predict events—like the death of a pet—leaving the group astonished and a little unnerved. Word spreads, and the séances become a regular kotow—an informal pastime that pulls more and more friends into the house, each eager to hear if Anamika has something to say. The atmosphere thickens with an almost electric energy as more people arrive, and the boundary between game and reality starts to blur.
But soon the mood shifts from playful to ominous. Strange and inexplicable things begin to happen in the house. Rivin finds himself disoriented, unable to find his way home after work, and the sense of creeping unease grows stronger. The group realizes they may have unleashed something they cannot control, and their attempts to manage the situation only seem to feed the growing unease. The séance sessions become a kind of dangerous obsession, a test of nerves as they watch ordinary objects move and respond in ways that feel almost supernatural.
A friend, Sinu Arjun Ashokan, moves in to stay with them for a while. Sinu begins to display weird behaviors, slipping into catatonia at times and speaking to someone in the middle of the night. The atmosphere in the house grows tenser as Anamika’s presence intensifies—unseen touches, strange sounds, and a sense that the home is being watched. The group’s fear intensifies, and the dangers of their earlier deception become increasingly clear: Rivin forgets his way home again, and Karikuttan’s steady job at the petrol pump ends when he accidentally fills a customer’s tank with diesel.
One by one, the friends lose their grip on normal life. The strangeness escalates into a near-panic as they try to escape the house, only to feel trapped by the fear and the inexplicable events that follow them wherever they go. Jibin’s health deteriorates, his fever rising until it becomes meningitis, a grim reminder of the toll their earlier game has taken on him.
In the darkest moment, Jibin confesses that the last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the image of a woman’s spirit entering his bag. The chilling reveal foreshadows something more than a haunting—it hints at consequences that may continue beyond this story. The film closes on a note that lingers: Sinu is seen walking into the hospital carrying that same bag, suggesting a possible sequel and leaving the door open for the next chapter in this unnerving tale.
Romancham Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
10 key events in the order they happen, from “Jibin wakes up in ICU with meningitis” to “Sinu arrives at the hospital with the same bag”. 10 events name a place, across 5 locations.
- 1
Jibin wakes up in ICU with meningitis
Jibin regains consciousness in the ICU of a Bangalore hospital, where doctors tell him he has meningitis that has been developing for a week. He is desperate to tell his roommates something important, but the nurses restrict his contact. Unable to speak freely yet, he begins narrating the events to the nurse as a way to share his truth.
When:2007 Where:ICU, Bangalore
- 2
Roommates and their strained routine
Jibin, Rivin, Niroop, Shijappan, Mukesh, Karikuttan, and Soman share a rented house. Only Rivin and Karikuttan have full-time jobs, while Soman dabbles in various ventures. The others are still hunting for employment, juggling hopes and uncertainties as they live together.
Where:Rented house
- 3
First séance using a carrom-board Ouija setup
During a visit to a friend, Jibin watches a group conduct a séance with a Ouija board. To join the mischief, he uses a carrom board as a makeshift Ouija and gets everyone to participate. Rivin objects on religious grounds, and the friends christen the supposed spirit Anamika.
Where:Friend's house
- 4
Anamika answers and the séances go viral
The séances become a common pastime as the glass mysteriously moves to answer questions, even without Jibin manipulating it. A friend asks about their cat, and the glass moves on its own with the correct answer, stunning everyone. Anamika begins answering questions about real-life events, including a death, which draws more people to their home seeking guidance.
Where:Rented house
- 5
Unsettling disturbances ensue; Rivin loses his way home
The house experiences strange and increasingly dangerous incidents as Anamika's presence grows stronger. Rivin finds himself unable to locate his way home after work, and the group realizes they may have unleashed something they cannot control. They decide to pause the séances, hoping to seal whatever has been awakened.
Where:Rented house
- 6
Sinu moves in and shows eerie symptoms
Sinu, a friend of Jibin, comes to live with them temporarily, and she begins exhibiting bizarre behavior, slipping into catatonic states and speaking to someone in the middle of the night. The house grows darker as Anamika's influence seems to intensify. The group grows wary of what they may have stirred.
Where:Rented house
- 7
Anamika's wrath escalates; jobs and memory suffer
Unnatural events escalate as Anamika's presence wreaks havoc around the house. Rivin repeatedly forgets the way back home, and Karikuttan loses his job at the petrol pump after misfilling a diesel into a customer's petrol tank. The group feels their minds slipping away as fear mounts.
Where:Rented house
- 8
The group turns desperate and tries to flee
Overwhelmed by fear and the escalating hauntings, all of them contemplate leaving the house for good. Jibin's fear fuels a high fever that eventually develops into meningitis, forcing hospitalization and further isolation. The accumulating terror leaves them with little choice but to face the unseen danger.
Where:Rented house / Hospital
- 9
Jibin recalls the last sight before losing consciousness
In the hospital, Jibin reveals the last image before he blacked out: the spirit of a woman getting into his bag. The eerie confession deepens the sense that the haunting lingers beyond physical contact. The mystery of Anamika's bag-bound presence becomes a central clue.
Where:Hospital
- 10
Sinu arrives at the hospital with the same bag
Sinu is later shown walking into the hospital carrying the same bag, a chilling link that hints at a possible sequel. The revelation ties the haunting's thread to the living world and leaves the fate of the group unresolved. Viewers are left with a spark of dread about what may come next.
Where:Hospital
Who Are the Main Characters in Romancham?
7 characters, among them Jibin (Soubin Shahir), Rivin (Anantharaman Ajay) and Niroop (Sajin Gopu): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- J(
Jibin (Soubin Shahir)
Played by 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.
- 🎭
- 🧠
- R(
Rivin (Anantharaman Ajay)
Played by 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.
- 🗺️
- 🙏
- 👥
- N(
Niroop (Sajin Gopu)
Played by 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.
- 💼
- 🏠
- 😨
- S(
Shijappan (Abin Bino)
Played by 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.
- 🎲
- 🧩
- 👥
- K(
Karikuttan (Afzal P H)
Played by 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.
- ⛽
- 💼
- 🚦
- S(
Soman (Jagadeesh Kumar)
Played by 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.
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- 🧪
- 🕳️
- S(
Sinu (Arjun Ashokan)
Played by 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.
- 🕷️
- 🌀
- 💤
Where and When Is Romancham Set?
Romancham is set in Bangalore (2007). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
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.
Where
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
What Are the Themes of Romancham?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Supernatural, Friendship and Deception.
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01
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.
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02
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.
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03
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.
What Kind of Film Is Romancham?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A steady-building horror comedy that starts with playful bachelor antics but quickly descends into a nerve-wracking and ominous atmosphere as a prank summons a spirit they cannot control.
- spooky
- anxious
- mysterious
- ominous
- nerve wracking
- uncanny
- ouija board
- supernatural horror
- bachelor life
- friendship
Content notes: supernatural horror, spirit possession, psychological distress, illness.
Quiz
How well do you remember Romancham? Test yourself on the story.
