What Is the Story About?
Ibrahim, a widowed rubber farmer lives in a secluded place, with his younger brother and father. He is going through the motions since his wife and daughter’s death, which happened a year prior. This includes going to work, praying regularly, taking care of his father, neighbors, etc. One night, he gets a knock on his door, which he opens. From that point on, his stagnant life changes forever.
Performances?
Roshan Mathew’s performance as Ibrahim is brilliant. His portrayal of a man whose faith is tested on multiple occasions but still remaining true to himself as much as possible – may be a little too idealistic; then again, there are a few ideal men in the world still. The actor manages to pull off the subtle nuances showing his inner turmoil during each situation and portrays a relatable protagonist, who we can get behind. His expression when he attempts to say no to the police officer and fails is soul crushing. Mamukkoya also has a very memorable role in this movie as Hassan – his dialogues and the timing of his delivery alone makes the movie a must watch. Pretty much every actor shown on screen has a purpose and has executed their roles well – Shine Tom Chacko, Murali Gopi, Srindaa, to name a few.
However, the standout actor of Kuruthi (as you may have guessed from the title of this review) is Prithviraj. The actor’s subtle introduction followed by a deranged expression on his face already lets us know immediately that this is a completely different version of Prithviraj – someone we have never seen on screen before. Make no mistake; Prithviraj is the antagonist of this movie. However, every time he comes on screen, you can’t take your eyes off him; he is pure aggression and intimidation on screen.
Analysis
The screenwriter of Kuruthi is the unsung hero of this movie – Anish Pallyal. Sure, Kuruthi has brilliant acting performances, some brilliant cinematography and a few decent action sequences – but the brilliant script manages to keep all actors on top of their game. The only major issue we find in this movie is the overly, convoluted political side to this otherwise psychological thriller. The thing is, this movie can be made without that particular storyline, and can still be good, if not, better.
Another issue with this film is the message. Don’t get us wrong, this movie talks about one of the biggest issues that is happening all around India (and around the world) – the religious war. The film is clever enough to navigate around the words “Hindu” and “Muslim”, but that is essentially the topic of discussion (whenever they get a chance to discuss, we mean) – the Hindu-Muslim tensions in India (and the discrimination Muslims face outside of the country as well). Now, not surprisingly, a two hour movie is not enough to talk about all religion based issues – but this movie does try its best… and fails quite a bit. There is no pure talk between the “differing philosophies”, rather a few moments in between the thrilling moments which keep the talking points quite broad. This helps with the pacing of the film, not much with the message.
However, this doesn’t mean that there is an issue with each and every theme/ trope/ philosophical point in the movie – such as Ibrahim questioning his faith, Laiq’s brilliant question to Ibrahim at the end of the film, Suma’s question at the end of the film, etc. Ibrahim questioning his faith is synonymous to many of us, who are having trouble believing in anything. Laiq’s question “What difference did it make when you stabbed me in the gut, instead of letting me slit his throat?” is a very important question which Ibrahim (and all of us) were not prepared for. Usually when a deranged man runs after the protagonist and the protagonist kills him later, we are rewarded with a happily ever after moment. This question brings Ibrahim back to reality (and us too) and actually makes us think about what we let protagonists get away with in films. There is an important question that Suma asks at the very end of the film as well – “Will we ever be able to go back?” This bitter-sweet moment when she and the rest of them realize that their lives will never be the same again, hits us hard with this question.
Prithviraj is a class act. He puts up a masterclass of a performance that takes this “stuck-in-place” murder horror psychological thriller to another level. His nuanced performance of a deranged man who has fallen into the deep end of his radicalized expression of his faith as well as that of a man who is hell-bent on revenge for the senseless death of his father is what keeps this movie exciting. Every scene featuring Prithviraj is eye-catching, even when the actor does not say anything on screen. His expressions are Oscar worthy.
The film is set up well. If one goes through the first fifteen minutes again, they will understand everything that they missed out when the movie was just starting. Kuruthi’s early set-up is slow, but the quick paced pay-off is worth it. Laiq’s father’s murder and Rasool’s radicalization is shown to us subtly, while the reason for Suma’s sudden interest in cooking for Ibrahim and his family and going over to Ibrahim’s house for dinner is also explained.
Overall, Kuruthi is a brilliant psychological thriller which gets marred down with philosophical and political concepts – they could have worked, just needed more planning and better coordination. Prithviraj’s performance and Mamukkoya’s dialogue delivery in this movie makes it a memorable film.
Other Artists?
Naslen K. Gafoor and Sagar Surya’s performances as two young kids who are struggling with the radicalized views they were taught was worth noting. Murali Gopy’s short screen time as an S.I. is memorable as well. Srindaa performs extremely well as Suma, a woman stuck in two worlds, who eventually chooses her faith when the man she loves chooses his faith over her. However, among supporting actors – the best performance was by Mamukkoya. His role as Ibrahim’s father, Moosa, is epic, funny and heartwarming. He provides the very few laughs we get on screen and his no-nonsense attitude makes him a force to be reckoned with, on screen. The actor also has one of the best “scene exit dialogues” that I have seen in a while.
Music and Other Departments?
The film’s music was not as good as the OST from the trailer. The music was indeed decent, but not as brilliant as we thought it would be. Anish Pallyal, however, did an extremely good job with a brilliant script. The story and the written dialogue are integral parts for this film and it does show. The film director, Manu Warrier does a good job bringing the film to life, but the movie did have a couple of badly edited action sequences.
Highlights?
Prithviraj’s Acting
Mamukkaoya’s Dialogues And Delivery
Story
Character introductions
Plot Twists
Drawbacks?
Convoluted Philosophical Talks
Unrequired Political Side Story
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Kuruthi Malayalam Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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