A film called DRISHYAM

It’s a lazy winter evening. The climate is incredibly lethargic thanks to a light drizzle in the morning. Rains in winter!  Now I know why the movie ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’ was titled so. All I want to do is go on hibernation. I share the plan with my wife who yawns and nods in agreement. And as if in response, I too yawn like a whale gulping shoals of fish. 

But good sense prevails and we decide to catch a movie instead. It had been a while since we saw a good film. Flooded by the likes of Krish 3s, Dhoom 3s, Rajkumars, and similar crap, my eyes thirst for sensible cinema. The last movie my wife and I saw was Shahid, almost 2 months ago.

 I would have watched Krish had Vivek Oberoi not given this iconic interview. 

With that smug look on his face, don't tell me that he doesn't deserve a public flogging.

After scanning bookmyshow.com, my wife and I zeroed in on Drishyam – a Malayalam film starring Mohanlal. Mohanlal is the guy who played the commissioner in Company. He is the one who says “ye jo kuch bhi ho reha he, ye therey khambany ki jaath he”. And also, “saanb ki dosthi jeb tek he teb tek he”. This guy in black;

And while people might make fun of his size or his poor Hindi, the fact remains that this guy can single-handedly kick the combined asses of Amitabh Bachchhan, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Aamir Khan, and any actor considered to be a good one, with his acting skills. And that isn’t an understatement. 

Anyway, the movie in question, Drishyam opened to rave reviews in Kerala earlier this month. And I would have probably missed watching it if it hadn’t been for the kind multiplexes of Ahmedabad who ensure to screen regional films on a regular basis.

The movie begins like any other feel good family drama associated with Malayalam cinema. Georgekutty (Mohanlal) is a cable TV owner in the small village of Rajakaat. He is passionate about cinema and spends most of his time holed up in his office watching all kinds of cinema. He has a beautiful wife (played by actress Meena) and two lovely daughters. How the elder daughter’s school trip threatens to destroy the peaceful life of Georgekutty’s family forms the crux of this nerve wracking thriller.

Some of the early scenes like when the stingy Georgekutty gets irritated on his daughters who keep failing to turn off the light bulb during the day, or how he rides a bicycle to work to reduce the petrol expenses are downright endearing.

And now the reason for this particular post. Drishyam is without doubt one of the best thriller films ever made in the history of Indian cinema. Rarely have I sat through a movie that is 3 hours long, without squirming in irritation. And rarer still are the times when I have remained on the edge of my seat watching thrillers, although Mumbai Police* – another gem from the Malayalam film industry comes quite close. 

The movie seems perfect. Right from the watertight script to the stunning locale to the brilliant actors to the smart direction by Jeethu Joseph, the movie stands tall.  It’s a movie where the screenplay had to be taut and once again the director delivers. Which brings me once again to the lead actor of the film – Mohanlal.

The past couple of years have seen a revolution in Malayalam cinema with new actors and newer directors with fresh and brilliant ideas taking the audience by storm. However, in hindsight, I feel that no other actor could have pulled off the role as convincingly as Mohanlal did. The man is simply amazing. Those of you who have seen him only in Company, haven’t even seen a fraction of his range as an actor. He surrenders to the character of Georgekutty. You feel his lust as he watches the video of ‘Aashik Banaya Apne’ song on cable. You feel his irritation as his family spends his hard earned money. You feel his desperation and his tension as he tries to save his family. The man once again proves that he doesn’t need a six pack to deliver hits.

I have always believed that the best cinema in India comes from Kerala followed by Tamil Nadu. And it is a pity that such brilliant stories and actors are bound by geographical and linguistic barriers. It is a pity that the major part of the country has never heard of Mohanlal, Mammootty, Thilakan, Murli, Prithviraj, Fahadh Fasil, Indrajeet and many more. And it is sadder that the rest of the world has not been introduced to the cinematic brilliance of Malayalam cinema. 

Perhaps I can do my bit to promote Malayalam cinema. Perhaps this post was a start. Perhaps I can convince my non- Mallu friends to maybe watch Drishyam for a change. I will translate the movie for free. Just try it out once before Jai Ho wipes it out of theaters as well as your memory. This is the poster by the way.

*Mumbai Police: This cop movie starring Prithviraj will surely knock your socks off with its bold and unconventional theme. Watch Prithviraj attempt something never done by an actor on screen before. Ah, the pleasure of watching brilliant cinema!