Mirage Movie Review: Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali’s film is an exhausting watch filled with lazy twists

Mirage is a crime thriller film starring Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali in the lead roles. Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the movie was released in theaters on September 19, 2025.

Now, the crime thriller is available for streaming on SonyLIV. If you're planning to watch it online this week, here's the Pinkvilla review.

The Plot

Mirage follows the story of Abhirami, a young woman working at a financial consultancy, who grows worried after her fiancé Kiran goes missing for a few days. Soon, she learns that he has passed away.

After his death, Abhirami becomes the target of several people, as it is believed she possesses a hard disk hidden by Kiran that contains vital information.

With the help of Ashwin Kumar, an online investigative journalist, Abhirami must unravel the mystery behind her fiancé's death, unearthing several buried secrets in a cat-and-mouse chase that blurs the lines between truth and illusion.

The Good

Mirage is mildly entertaining, largely due to the impressive performances by Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali. The actors, who have shared the screen multiple times before, display great chemistry, bringing a charismatic quality to their collaboration.

However, even chemistry and solid performances can only go so far when the writing feels rundown and lazy. That said, the ensemble of supporting actors contributes meaningfully to the screenplay, offering some relief in an otherwise underwhelming watch.

On the technical front, Vishnu Shyam delivers a commendable soundtrack for the crime thriller, crafting a brilliant series of scores. Cinematographer Satheesh Kurup also elevates the film's visuals, adding style and atmosphere to the scenes and compensating, albeit partially, for the scattered writing.

The Bad

From a writing and directing perspective, Mirage is a trainwreck. The film jumps from one twist to another in an effort to shock viewers, but ends up failing miserably in execution.

The screenplay and story are as hollow as they come, lacking spontaneity and novelty in narration. It's particularly disappointing considering director Jeethu Joseph's track record with gems like Memories and Drishyam. Here, he leaves audiences craving substance and clarity.

While the premise shows some promise, the excessive reliance on twists at every single juncture feels like an amateur attempt at crafting a compelling narrative.

As with many Jeethu Joseph films, this one too begins with a slow-burning first half that manages to land a few punches. However, the second half becomes more of a chore as the plot twists elicit yawns instead of intrigue.

Adding to the film's woes is its sluggish pacing and lazy editing. A tighter edit and shorter runtime could have made this a far more watchable experience.

The Performances

Mirage offers little room for its actors to fully showcase their talent. Despite that, Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali give their best, delivering some engaging moments and continuing their solid on-screen chemistry seen previously in Kishkindha Kaandam.

Hakim Shahjahan and Hannah Reji Koshy also make notable contributions, managing to leave a mark with their respective roles.

Watch the trailer of Mirage:

The Verdict

Mirage is a lazy attempt at a crime thriller, missing the mark in both storytelling and execution. If you're a fan of Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali and want to see them under Jeethu Joseph's direction, it may still be worth a watch. Otherwise, this thriller doesn't quite live up to its promise.

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