What Is the Story About?
Unni, a film editor, discovers a Kenyan tribal song that his grandmother instantly recollects. Intrigued, he and his girlfriend Anupama share a video of his grandmother singing it, which quickly goes viral as many others across India recognise it too. This widespread fascination prompts Unni and Anupama to embark on a documentary journey across Kerala, interviewing a diverse range of individuals, each offering their own interpretations and stories about the song.
Performances?
The film, while gathering opinions from people of various walks of life, features only two actors in full-length roles. Ashik Safiya Aboobakker, as Unni, a film person with a cheeky sense of humour and sarcasm, delivers a spontaneous performance that sustains the mood of the story with ease. Gauthami Lekshmi Gopan, in the role of Anupama, has a stronger screen presence and brings an unrehearsed quality to her portrayal.
Analysis
Pattth, the critically acclaimed Malayalam film that is a hit at the festivals, is now streaming on Manorama MAX. It is a simple yet profound story that explores the universal bond created through a folk song, one that has been adapted, modified and embraced by different ethnic groups, countries and cultures, often without awareness of its origins or literal meaning.
At its heart, as the title suggests, Pattth traces the journey of a song through time, showcasing how it has united people across generations. The film opens with a scene where two groups dispute their claim over the song. Later, Unni, a film editor, is taken aback when he hears his mother sing a version of a Kenyan song, recalling she heard it in her childhood, and shares it on social media.
As the song gains popularity online, Unni and Anupama set out to create a documentary, connecting with those who recognise the tune and recording their responses. Some interpret it as a Christian song, others see it as a hymn dedicated to Ganesha, while a few believe it is written in Urdu, Italian or Arabic. Despite the differing stories, the song remains the same across cultures.
The filming process, however, is not without its difficulties, as the couple struggles to elicit authentic reactions. At one point, a man becomes hostile when Unni jokes about the song being about a woman longing for her lover. Unni also sarcastically questions a woman’s discussion of potential links to mango nectar and fields, asking, ‘What about the seeds?’
Alongside humorous responses from around the world, the film also highlights the couple’s collaborative efforts, issues in creating the documentary. Pattth subtly suggests that understanding a song is not necessary to own it; instead, it becomes a way of life, bridging human connections beyond barriers.
In film terms, Pattth could be labelled an art film centred on an abstract concept, but it stands out as a compelling and innovative meta-experiment. It weaves the story of a song into the larger narrative of the film itself. As the couple approaches the conclusion of their documentary and as an older woman describes it as a ‘song of hunger,’ the story remains open-ended, with no definitive answers. Perhaps that is precisely the point.
It is not easy to make films centred on a single idea, even indies, as they cannot be stretched beyond a certain point. Such films need to have a clear direction while still appearing seamless. Pattth manages this effectively, although it is not designed for mass appeal. The storytelling style is original and not mainstream.
As a concept, Pattth is quite compelling—the pursuit of the origins of a song that has universal appeal yet retains a local soul. Watch it if you’re open to offbeat cinema with a unique premise.
Music and Other Departments?
Milan VS, the composer, intriguingly adopts a minimalistic approach with the score, using it to bind the threads of the story together without interfering with the film’s flow. Conceptually, Jithin Issac Thomas’ film strikes a chord, although the screenplay could have been more imaginative rather than relying on the couple’s conversations as a gap filler between responses.
Visually, the film, with cinematography by Subhash Kumaraswamy, could have made a stronger impact if it had more innovative ideas to drive the concept, though the shaky, grainy camera effect is impressive nonetheless. The editing, by Anandhu Sheji Ajith, is neat and effectively pieces many segments of the film into a coherent whole. The sound design also contributes to its authenticity.
Highlights?
Unique concept
Decent performances
Crisp runtime
Drawbacks?
Monotony in narration
Loses steam midway, gets too abstract
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, but more as an idea than a film
Will You Recommend It?
Only if you have the taste to endure art/parallel cinema
Pattth Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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