“Nayattu”, Mallus deliver yet another stunner!
One of the best Malayalam movies made in recent times.
Honestly I don’t know where to begin and it’s been well over three weeks that I have been trying to get this review out. The movie is so good on so many fronts that I am in a quandary as to what to write about first. What a package this has been and that too from the man, Martin Prakkat, who gave us the unforgettable “Charlie” and not forgetting Shahi Kabir who also wrote the incredible “Joseph”. This movie also showcases the versatility of Martin who can digress from one genre to the other with such ease. This is one of those rare movies where almost every shot seems priceless.
Martin literally doesn’t waste valuable screen space. Every shot has been timed and pictured so well I could go on writing so much almost about each shot of the film. The film opens with a tight rope competition and Kunchacko Boban is seen helping out someone in the opposite team guy to stretch and fix a muscle in his leg. For this, he is chided by the leader of the opposite team but what a nice way to begin the film with such a gesture. The competition itself pictured so well with the audience, the commentator, the chief guests and et all just ropes you in with the exciting action. What was in the offing after that just makes for an impatient waiting. And does the film deliver?
I’ll start with the incredible casting. Almost everyone in this film deserves mention and particularly the three main characters who form the principal elements of this film, Kunchacko Boban, Nimisha Sajayan who play CPO’s (Civil Police Officer) and Joju George their superior who plays the role of ASI (Assistant Sub Inspector of Police). Based on a real life incident where the Police themselves hunt for the Police the three become unfortunate victims of bureaucracy, misuse of power and lawlessness though they had acted instinctively out of pure conscience and goodwill when an untoward incident takes place in their lives. In the dramatic scenes that follow all conscience is abandoned by the people in power and only selfish safeguarding of position, name and fame at any costs, ensue. Like a friend of mine who is a Sub Inspector would say, “Life of a criminal is many a time easier than being a Policeman.” In the movie Policemen are made to bend the law to favor ministers, the DGP is yelled at by the wife of the Chief Minister and when he is asked to go on medical leave for 6 months, he complies promptly, no questions asked.
Martin has taken pains to make sure even characters who have minimal roles also make a presence. Joju’s daughter and wife, the mothers of Boban and Nimisha (who are united in a brief but very sad scene), and the one who even steals the show, Yama Gilgamesh who plays SP (Superintendent of Police) Anuradha. With her imperfect Malayalam accent (I just loved it!), smoking and drinking mannerisms she rivals and maybe even betters Asha Sarath’s performance in Drishyam. By the way the accent was her own creation as Yama is a Mallu.
The incredible attention to detail includes they way the Chief Minister (Jaffar Idukki in a very different role) holds his smartphone while speaking, the homes of the three principal characters, Joju’s daughter’s costume (traditional Pavada + Blouse) as she and her mother are leaving for the competition while the police raid takes place, the effeminate dance teacher, Boban’s and Joju’s senior at the station who is reeling under pressure and on an occasion doesn’t hesitate to use an expletive against Boban when the later had asked for leave only to later grant him that at the wedding reception …I just could go on and on and on…
One truly memorable scene that comes to mind is when a young couple is being interrogated at the police station. The lady policewoman is seen chiding the girl and then Joju steps in and after questioning the guy sternly he asks the girl “Molda perentha?” still with the stern tone but just that word, “Molda..” (meaning daughter) is what makes the question and the scene worth a million bucks. Did he use the word because he too has a daughter of similar age? Even more heart-tugging is the answer from the girl when she says in her hardly audible grief stricken voice, “Krishnapriya.” By then a number of things are already running in your head, how her parents would have chosen this name for her, how they would have raised her with all the love and now the family has to know she was in the police station with a guy and that too someone from a religion different from theirs. There are several similar scenes throughout the film. Boban drying his mother’s blouses on the clothes line speaks of his life, one of both caring and simplicity. The fact that he was still thinking of his ex is also indicated in the film.
Punctuated thoughout the film is Keba Jeremiah’s guitar notes adding melancholy and beauty to scenes particularly in the songs and scenes of the road trip. Every second of the scenes that include songs is flawless, the first being one at a marriage reception. The song is catchy too with that lovely chord and bass change in the “pallavi” line. Visually, the band on stage, the dancing audience, the guests and most importantly those glances between Nimisha and Boban were all done to perfection. Martin sprinkles some romance in the film in those glances. Oh yes there is romance deftly and subtly dropped in the little scenes. Watch carefully and you won’t miss them. And then there is humour too. Check out a bewildered Boban staring at the mono acting of his superior’s daughter in a scene that’ll put a smile across your face. Her dance a few shots earlier is another one.
Must mention a word about the incredible background audio too. Tamil movie director Thiagarajan Kumararaja should learn a lesson from this film. In most of his films he has a painfully intrusive soundtrack in the background leaving you wondering if you should watch the film or focus on the audio in the background. The way Tamil folks (Tovino Thomas’s starrer Mayanadhi is another good example) are pictured it looks like they can even make a good Tamil film. Actually they must do that.
Tamil folk singer Anthony Dasan is also making inroads into Malayalam cinema. He sings the title song of the film which is another good song and captured well on camera.
In the concluding scenes there is a shot of a blind woman casting her vote in the election, an indication of how blindly people are elected for such posts in power.
Mallus are coming up with so many good movies and “Nayattu” certainly fits into the one of the best Malayalam movies made in recent times. Highly, recommended if you haven’t watched it yet.
