Language : Malayalam
Director : Ratheena
Writers : Harshad(screenplay), Sharfu(screenplay), Suhas(screenplay)
Cast : Mammootty, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Vasudev Sajeesh Marar, Appunni Sasi, Kottayam Ramesh
Genre : Crime | Drama | Thriller
Streaming on Sony Liv.
“To escape from the curse, king Parikshit had constructed an impregnable palace, raised high in the sky, supported by a single pillar. There was a deep moat surrounding this pillar, which was guarded by many anti-serpent charms. The wily Takshaka assumed the form of a tiny worm, and burrowed into a fruit, which was being taken to the palace by a group of sages. When the king took the fruit offered by the sages, Takshaka assumed his original form and killed the king with his bite.”
“I have this feeling that the caterpillar will become a butterfly someday.”
“Even if some people are replaced by robots, these customs won’t change much.
They would just keep on fancy dressing around.”
The director slowly invites the audience’s attention to the daily life of Kuttan and his son Kichu inside a confined flat. Mammooty’s Kuttan always seems to be wrapped in a veil of insecurity where the spectator deals with his fears and plights and slowly prepares for an unexpected event that could happen at any moment. Puzhu manages to engage as speaks the connotations of the filmmaker’s mind intrepidly.
At first, it is difficult to assign a particular genre for this movie which feels puzzling with missing pieces and without extensive flashbacks and strong melodrama usually seen in such movies, Puzhu evolves to be a crafty attempt.
The film points to the reality of caste politics that remains unchanged in human minds since time immemorial, through the intricacies of a small plot. There is a dialogue which perfectly denotes this “Smoking can easily be halted. However, there are certain other habits that can’t be stopped.” and makes the content more effective than it would have been. Theater becomes a vital medium that douses the narration and the movie stands on its foot more vigorously to convey the subject in mind. That is the power of the film.
Haggling through the mindscapes of characters, Puzhu shows how the caste system works in today’s so-called progressive society, where they may not directly insult you by calling you caste names rather they spill the same scorns with withering sarcasm keeping you at a distance of an untouchable, still unwilling to move away from the rotten thoughts shouldered since decades that thrive on tormenting fellow human beings.
Without any shakiness of a debutant, Ratheena remarkably acts like an experienced director with a vision which is lacking in today’s pretentious filmmakers. Puzhu must be applauded for bringing characters like Kuttapan who was brought alive by Appunni Sasi.
Despite the climax being a bit loud and cinematic on the other hand, Puzhu meddles with relevant subtexts and politics subtly insinuated into the plot. If you’re looking for that exceptional Mammootty in the core who sheds his tantrums of stardom and recompenses as an actor we always wish to see, this one’s for you.
Beware of hypes and theories created by the announcement of this film as we request a viewer to avoid all such preconceptions.
Well…While listing this year’s recommendations, Puzhu will not be forgotten.
Verdict: 5/7 stars
Excellent.
