A man who loses his belief in God meets the spirit of a young woman unable to remember what happened to her.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.8/10
IMDb: 7.8/10
Letterboxd: 3.43/5
TMDB: 7.7/10
Director
Akhil Sathyan
Production
Fire Fly Films
Cast
Nivin Pauly, Riya Shibu, Preity Mukhundhan, Aju Varghese, Janardhanan, Madhu Warrier, Raghunath Paleri, Anand Ekarshi, Vineeth Radhakrishnan, Methil Devika, Dhruvan Sankar, Viji Viswanathan, Saumya Bhagyan Pillai, Jaya Kurup, Arun Ajikumar, Vijeesh Vijayan, Manikandan Pattambi, V. T. Vijilesh, Resmi Boban, Basil P Reji
Curator Review
Verdict
A gentle, feel-good supernatural comedy with a warm lead performance and easy crowd-pleasing charm, but it sounds predictable, soft-edged, and a bit stretched in the second half. The appeal is more comfort-watch than must-see.
Best for
fans of lighthearted ghost stories
viewers who like subtle humor and emotional warmth
audiences looking for a low-stakes theatrical watch
fans of the lead actor’s comeback roles
Skip if
you want sharp writing or big surprises
you dislike slow, meandering pacing
you need real horror or strong genre tension
you are sensitive to awkward age-gap dynamics
Overview
Sarvam Maya plays like a soft-spoken supernatural comfort film: part ghost story, part emotional reset, part star vehicle. The strongest response seems to come from the lead performance, which gives the film its charm and keeps the lighter material afloat even when the plot is easy to predict.
Worth noting
The reviews point to a movie that is more pleasant than inventive. Its humor lands often enough, the music and mood seem tuned for a relaxed theatrical experience, and the emotional beats are warm rather than heavy. It is not trying to reinvent the feel-good template, and that honesty is part of its appeal.
Bottom line
What holds it back is the familiar structure and a second half that apparently drifts. If you are in the mood for something gentle, sentimental, and mildly whimsical, it should do the job. If you want sharper comedy, stronger suspense, or a more disciplined script, this is likely to feel slight.
Top Letterboxd reviews
ANSAF (3★) · 405 likes
Like Aju Varghese said, Sarvam Maya is a cute film, and that pretty much sums it up. The plot is simple and predictable, but the performances and music keep you engaged throughout, even with a longer runtime.
And yes, Nivin is back in his comfort zone, and it feels great to see him there again. Watching nivin in a packed theatre was genuinely heartwarming. Every small movement, expression, and line delivery from him felt adorable and made him so addictive… more
Michael James (3.5★) · 308 likes
2026 resolution: Dear God, kindly bless me with one emotionally available sweet pookie ghost like Delulu in my life. Because, delulu is the only solulu 👻
Yes, it’s slow and predictable, but it’s also quietly warm and strangely comforting. Be it the ghosts, laughs or reflective philosophy, everything here is soft n gentle. All love to Nivin, Riya, Achu and Preity. Everything may be an illusion, but emotions are real. A good watch.
ash (2.5★) · 280 likes
Essentially the same movie as the new anthikadan wave with an older guy who re-learns one or two things on an empathic take on life from a much younger woman. This keeps working, thanks to the actors they choose each time. Also i appreciate their strategic release more than the writing of their movies as it always come at a point where everyone is fatigued with masala , commercial or crime movies.
The second half meanders a lot, obviously something… more
matthewws (3★) · 204 likes
I really missed seeing Nivin on the big screen. Enth rasam aan ingane olla roles pulli perform cheyunnath kaanan thanne. And finally, we have a Nivin movie that feels like a comeback, bringing back the old Nivin charm we've all missed. That comedy timing, mannerisms, energy, this time all packed into a feel good genre.
It's a usual feel good template where you can guess the scenes as they unfold, but the humor is so subtle that it never feels… more
Shop__Girl (3.5★) · 172 likes
“Nammak ishtamulla aale kaanumbo… adivayattil manju peiyunna pole oru sugham undaville.”
Kurach naal aayitt aa feeling illarnnu. But Nivin brought back alllll of the manj, man. Haishhh. Endh resaaan aa changayi-ye kaanaan.
I mean sure, I might simp over FaFa in nice pastel shirts and all. But Nivin in mundu, manja shirt, that chandana kuri, that chiri...hoooo, ende saaare. That has a whole separate fanbase in my heart. The gulu-gulu feels were exactly the same ones vintage Lalettan gives in… more