Sookshmadarshini, which was released in theatres on November 22, 2024, became a theatrical hit and made its way to OTT a couple of weeks back. Even now, the film continues to spark discussions on Reddit’s cinema boards, with every detail of MC Jithin’s light-hearted mystery thriller - starring Nazriya Nazim and Basil Joseph - being scrutinised. Whether it’s a loophole or a stroke of writing brilliance, the film has kept the fans busy with the debates. One scene, in particular, has dominated conversations: the voice-note sequence, which has fans debating whether it was technically possible or if the director took some cinematic liberties. ‘Sookshmadarshini’ Movie Review: A Highly Engaging Mystery Thriller With Superb Performances From Nazriya Nazim and Basil Joseph.

(SPOILERS AHEAD) To provide some context, Sookshmadarshini follows protagonist Priya as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of her crooked neighbour Manuel’s mother. When Manuel’s sister Diana, who is settled in New Zealand, returns to Kerala upon learning of her mother’s disappearance, Priya manages to get Diana’s phone number under a pretext. Later, Priya messages Diana to ask if her mother has returned. While ‘Diana’ replies via text, she concludes the conversation with a voice note, saying she is busy and will connect later.

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It is eventually revealed that Manuel was using Diana’s phone to text Priya, and the voice note serves to authenticate his deception, making Priya believe she is communicating with the real Diana. However, fans have been left puzzled about how this scene was executed. Questions have arisen about how Manuel obtained Diana’s voice for the note (given that she was already killed by her family) and why there was no ‘forwarded’ icon on the voice note if it was an old recording. ‘Sookshmadarshini’ Explained: From Manuel’s ‘Monitor Lizard’ Party to Diana’s Voice-Note, Decoding 15 Burning Questions From Nazriya Nazim-Basil Joseph’s Suspense Thriller.

Basil Joseph Solves 'Voice Note' Mystery

Basil Joseph, who plays Manuel, has finally decided to put the mystery to rest. While promoting his new film, Ponman, the actor-director addressed the supposed ‘loophole’ in a video podcast, and his explanation has since gone viral. Interestingly, his PonMan co-star, Deepak Parambol, who is also seen in the below clip with him, had played Nazirya's husband in Sookshmadarshini‘PonMan’ Movie Review: An Absorbing Tale of Gold, Greed, and Gumption Led by Basil Joseph’s Stellar Performance.

Sookshmadarshini "mistake or not" explained by basil himself

byu/myaAyavi inMalayalamMovies

To those who don't understand Malayalam, here's what Basil was saying in the above video clip, "It’s not a mistake. It’s a generic voice note—Diana had sent it to someone else, and when I had her phone in my possession, I forwarded it to Nazriya. Now, you may ask why there’s no ‘forwarded’ icon on that message. If I forward my own voice note to someone else, it appears as a simple voice note. However, if someone else had sent a voice note to me and I forwarded it to a third person, then it would have the ‘forwarded’ icon."

There you have it—the answer to the mystery that has been bothering many. You can either test this theory yourself or take Basil’s statement as proof. Alternatively, you could download a voice note from an earlier message and send it as a fresh note to another person, which would also work. By the way, if you’re interested in rewatching Sookshmadarshini, the film is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2025 05:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).