Rorschach Plot Synopsis When it comes to good movies, India’s Malayalam cinema can be credited for releasing high-quality projects. The industry has now made a name for itself globally and is lauded for presenting content that is gripping the masses, with language no bar. Known for his larger-than-life appearances in films, actor Mammootty has had an amazing five-decade-long run in the industry. Over the years, through his work, Mammootty is attempting to make bold choices when it comes to his choice of scripts and the 2022 hit release Rorschach is one such project. The movie has been released pan-India as well as in multiple countries across the globe. With a run-time of 150 minutes, the Neo-noir psychological thriller tells the story of Luke Antony, an NRI who has reported that his pregnant wife has gone missing. The movie ends on a confusing note and just like the projective psychological Rorschach test, the movie attacks the psyche of viewers and leads them to make their own assumptions about the story. Here is one probable explanation for the ending of Mammootty’s Rorschach but you can feel free to make your own assumptions about this one! And do let us know in the comments too, we’d love to hear your theories!
What is the Rorschach Test? A projective psychological test called the Rorschach test was created by Hermann Rorschach in 1921. With the help of this test, the contrasting perceptions of subjects are analysed using a psychological evaluation. Psychologists use this test to examine a person’s personality, characteristics, and emotional functioning. Through the medium of this test, psychologists are able to detect underlying mental health disorders. The Rorschach test uses 10 official inkblot images and has the administrator present these images to their subject in multiple phases in order to deduce their cognitive and behavioural personality. The aim of the 2022 movie Rorschach can be juxtaposed with that of the test where different individuals that watch the psychological thriller interpret it according to their own psyche. Who are the characters? Luke Antony – An NRI who has recently returned to Kerala from Dubai Sofia Antony – Luke’s pregnant wife who is allegedly missing Balan – A villager who helps Luke buy a house during his quest to find Sofia Seetha Balan – Balan’s wife who is the proud mother of Dileep Dileep Balan – Balan’s rich son who died in an accident, he used to work in Dubai Sujatha – Dileep’s widow, she runs his cashew factory Anil Balan – Balan’s younger son who loves Dileep Shashankan – Balan’s son-in-law Ammu – The sex worker who sees Luke in a positive light Satheeshan – Ammu and Sujatha’s friend who is suspicious of Luke Ashraf – A cop who works behind the scenes to find Luke’s true motive
What really happened to Luke’s wife, Sofia? Why did Luke return to India? The movie begins with Luke Antony, an NRI from Dubai registering a police complaint at a station in Kerala. Luke tells the cops that his pregnant wife Sofia had gone missing after his car was met with an accident. Since there were no physical remains of Sofia, the police conclude that Sofia was a victim of an animal attack. Luke however is adamant that Sofia is still alive and plans to stay back in the town to find her. Through the narrative of the movie, it is revealed that a pregnant Sofia and Luke’s house in Dubai was burgled by two thieves. Luke manages to kill/knock out one of the thieves but the other thief attacks Sofia before fleeing away. Once she is taken to the hospital, the doctors inform Luke that Sofia did not make it out alive. However, it is also revealed that Luke was made to suffer ‘white room torture’, a type of psychological torture technique aimed at complete sensory deprivation and isolation. Why this happens is not explained but it is possible that Luke was getting out of control in his quest to find Sofia’s murderer. After somehow making it out alive from the torture room, Luke makes it his mission to “end” the man that killed his wife. This brings him to Kerala, India where he meets Balan, who helps him find a place to live in.
Is Dileep still alive? Is Luke seeing ghosts? While the true motives of Balan are still unbeknownst to the viewers, it is soon revealed that Balan was only willing to sell off his dead son, Dileep to Luke in order to flee away with the money. Dileep used to work in Dubai and he was able to make big money there. After returning, Dileep started building a house for himself and his wife, Sujatha. Not only that but Dileep had also managed to make a reputation for himself in the village that is still flourishing in the form of his legacy. However, Balan claims that the semi-built house as well as the property was haunted after Dileep had died in an accident. Luke buys the house without any questions. After receiving the money from Luke, Balan attempts to flee from the village but is apprehended by his son Anil and son-in-law, Shashankan. Anil kills Balan trying to take the money away from him. Shashankan keeps the money safe in a barn outside his house. However, after Luke’s visit to Shashankan’s house, the barn is lit up in flames. Anil and Shashankan believe that the money from Luke is destroyed in the process too. Balan’s family is suspicious of Luke and vice versa. Luke starts living in the village and starts hallucinating, seeing his dead wife. In order to divert his mind, he invites the village sex worker – Ammu to visit him. Ammu’s friend Satheeshan does not like her involvement with Luke. On the other hand, it becomes more evident that Luke is seeing the ghost of Dileep, who was the thief who murdered his wife in Dubai.
Why does Luke marry Sujatha? What is Satheeshan after? Luke’s real motive is avenging his dead wife. In his hallucinations, his dead wife Sofia asks him to move on but Luke is further determined to “end” Dileep. Luke takes it all a step ahead when he steals Dileep’s skull from the grave he was buried in. In an attempt to call Dileep to confront him, Luke tries his best to instigate the dead man’s ghost. He gives the money from Shashankan’s barn to Ammu and asks her to leave the village to go back to her family. Satheeshan is not happy about this and is now adamant about teaching Luke a lesson. He also notices how Luke has diverted his attention to Sujatha. Since Sujatha is Dileep’s widow, Luke offers to marry her. Sujatha’s mother convinces her to give in with the promise that she will be able to run late Dileep’s factory. Luke wants to instigate Dileep’s ghost and makes a show of himself sleeping with Sujatha. He has apparent run-ins with Dileep’s ghost who beats Luke up for manipulating Sujatha. Seetha (Dileep’s mother) is furious with Sujatha because she has now remarried which is further tarnishing Dileep’s legacy.
Why does Seetha kill Ashraf? What does Luke do with Sujatha? As it turns out, Luke’s motive was to tarnish the image of Dileep and end him by ruining his legacy. His mother, Seetha, on the other hand is extremely proud of the fact that her son still is well respected in the entire village. When the police officer Ashraf finds evidence about Dileep’s wrongdoings in Dubai, he confronts Seetha. Afraid that her late son’s legacy will now be tarnished, Seetha poisons Ashraf’s drink. Shashankan and Anil help bury the police officer in their backyard. Sujatha is now starting to grow frustrated with Luke and leaves him to go back to her house. Luke’s aim is also to tarnish Dileep’s image in the heart of Sujatha. Satheeshan finds evidence about Dileep’s wrongdoings collected by Ashraf and shows it to Sujatha. Now, as she no longer holds any affection for Dileep, Luke has no business with her. Sujatha and Satheeshan burn down Luke’s factory. Infuriated by Luke’s actions, Seetha sends goons to kill Luke. He still overpowers them and lets them know that Dileep’s legacy has now been successfully tarnished promising that there was nothing holding him back on earth.
Is Luke alive? What happened to Seetha and Anil? Anil tries to tackle Luke but as the latter overpowers the former, Seetha flees from Luke’s house. Luke has a deja-vu moment as he notices Seetha running away in the same way Dileep did after he killed Sofia. Surprisingly, Shashankan rats his mother-in-law out and informs the cops about Ashraf’s murder. The cops arrest Seetha and it all evidence about Dileep is revealed to the village. Dileep’s reputation is soured instantly which means that his legacy has come to an end after all. Seetha is imprisoned while it is believed that Anil is missing. Luke’s mission is now complete as the village is now condemning Dileep by shaming his family and his legacy.
Why does Luke surrender? Whose ghost does he see in the jail cell? Luke eventually drives to the police station and surrenders for “ending him”. He alleges that he killed Anil but it is assumed that he is talking about putting an end to Dileep. At the same time, one of the female cops announces that Seetha had died by suicide in her solitary confinement. Luke is confined in his jail cell while the ghost of a still-pregnant Sofia sits beside him. The movie ends with Luke saying “Welcome Back” to a ghost and it is likely that it is Dileep who Luke is seeing since he has had run-ins with him in the past.
What happens at the end of Rorschach? From the way the first movie came to an end, there is a high probability that there is more left in Luke’s story. It seems completely implausible that Luke managed to escape solitary confinement. One possible outcome is that all this had been Luke’s imagination and that he is still in the white room in Dubai. It is also not known when Luke was in confinement so it can also be possible that the white room torture actually takes place after he has surrendered. Another theory suggests that Luke is finally able to bring Dileep’s ghost down on his knees now after Seetha’s death and Sujatha’s lack of love for him. Helpless that he has no one to latch on to, Dileep’s ghost actually wants to be set free. It is likely that if there will be a Part 2, it will most likely revolve around Luke finally avenging his wife’s death by punishing Dileep meanwhile setting Sophia free as well. Read More: Rorschach Movie Review
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