Prithviraj and Nazriya are great company in ‘Koode’

By Mythily Ramachandran

Director Anjali Menon’s emotionally stirring family drama carries her signature- bold and beautiful

Family bonds are an intrinsic part of Anjali Menon’s films.
In ‘Koode’-an adaptation of Sachin Khundalkar’s Marathi film ‘Happy Journey’-Menon explores a less feted relationship in films-the sibling bond of a brother Joshua and his little sister, Jenny. 

Joshua-working in Dubai- arrives at his hometown in Ooty, for his sister Jenny’s funeral. We soon meet his family-father Aloshy, (director Renjith) a car mechanic and mother, (theatre artiste Maala Parvathy) a homemaker. Walking into Jenny’s roomwith Joshua we get to know Jenny through her creative work and drawings. Not to forget her companion, Brownie, the pet dog.And, it doesn’t take long to sense the aloofness of Joshua towards his parents. As we flit between the past and the present we understand the reason for his anger and a deep lodged pain. Joshua is a caring son and his resentment does not manifest aloud in actions or war of words, but sometimes he cannot help himself with his sarcastic jibes.

Having been compelled to leave home at fifteen to support the family with a job in Dubai, Joshua has missed out on several things-one of which is spending time with Jenny. Post her demise he gets an opportunity to know her better and unknown to the others around, the two bond over many things, while he discovers his real self and his love for Sophie, a crush from school days.

Menon’s writing is splendid-her characters are marked with a fervour. The casting has been perfect. Prithviraj and Nazriya share a great chemistry as Joshua and Jenny. Joshua- the little boy with a love for football and train models -and who adored his sister transforms into a man who bottles up all his feelings for the sake of the family. Zubin Nazeel Navas as young Joshua is brilliant on debut. Nazriya is back with a vengeance and her vivacity onscreen reminds you of her role from ‘Om Shanti Oshana.’ Prithviraj handles a wide spectrum of emotions with ease-Prithviraj is at his best in the scene when Joshua realises that Jenny is gone forever- that’s when the tragedy of losing her sinks in. 

Menon’s story is devoid of melodrama, yet the pain and sorrow is palpable. Her writing is powerful- her narration engaging. The characters are real and vulnerable. Apart from Jenny,they don’t waste words-still they leave a strong impact. Director Renjith is a wonderful surprise. His Aloshy wins everyone’s heart. With a mere glance here or a nod in another, Renjith’s act is a master class in performance. Maala Parvathy impresses as Joshua’s mother. Parvathy and Prithviraj play love birds once again.  Sophie-a victim of marital abuse finds her freedom through love again. Once again Parvathy reiterates the wonderful performer she is. Atul Kulkarni plays Joshua’s football coach, a sport Joshua enjoyed and rediscovers it later.

The narration is speckled with warm moments-young Joshua picking up a fallen nest and restoring it to its place. Jenny in all the family photos carries a framed picture of Joshua -a cute expression of her love for her brother.
There are moments that stay with you-when the adult Joshua finds his father working on his train model from childhood days, a long festering bruise gets its balm -the silence in their stares speaks out their hearts emotions. 

There is good humour too, especially with Jenny and her ways. My favourite is the condolence meeting in Jenny’s school where a boy in her memory decides to sing to the audience-‘Daddy Mummy vettililla’ -an inappropriate number.

Cinematographer Lil Swamp’s frames hover over the quaint town of Ooty- visually stunning. Celebrating the family and homecoming, Menon once again captures hearts with this endearing drama that talks about finding again life’s joys and living life in the now.