Sufiyum Sujatayum’: A story told from the heart

Marked with terrific performances and visuals, this love story remains true to its genre

Since time immemorial, parental pressure and religion has kept lovers from uniting. Debutant director Naranipuzha Shanavas’s ‘Sufiyum Sujatayum’ follows the life of Sujata (Aditi Rao Hydari)-a speech impaired young woman and her love for a Sufi (Dev Mohan).

The film opens with Sujata (Aditi Rao Hydari) and her family-husband Rajeev (Jayasurya) and daughter- living in the middle-east. The following morning Rajeev receives a message. His wife’s former lover is dead and the burial is planned that evening. Rajeev does something not many men will do. He flies to India with Sujata so that she can pay her last respects to her Sufi. Rajeev hopes that it will bring a closure to a past that has been intruding into his present.

Shifting between the past and the present Shanavas stays true to the genre while resisting temptations to making it a melodrama. Neither is he keen on biting the bait of a communal line lying underneath.  

‘Sufiyum Sujatyum’ opens with promise, falters midway but finds its feet ultimately to usher in a dawn filled with love. While the narrative is told from Sujata’s perspective, the Sufi remains an enigma. What inner turmoil does he go through when in love? ‘Sufiyum Sujatayum’ could have reached its full potential if more focus had been given to the Sufi.

You can’t help remembering another Malayalam story- ‘Ennum Ninte Moideen’- where religion came in the way of love. ‘Ennum Ninte Moideen’ found its rightful place solely due to its brilliant writing and pathos filled scenes executed perfectly by Prithviraj and Parvathy.

Yet, Shanavas’s maiden film deserves praise on several counts. There are aspects in his screenplay and staging that indicate he is a talent to look out for. The town where the story is placed is in harmony with Hindus and Muslims living together. Sujata often visits Aboob-Sufi’s mentor- and her father (Siddique) is fine with it until she falls in love. 

Small details make many scenes real. The burial scene is shot in a methodical manner. When Rajeevan tosses a handful of soil in the grave, he is burying a past. For a moment he almost slips into the grave but is pulled back by someone. A simple touch added there. 

Siddique’s emotional outburst in a scene left me with goose bumps. The veteran was spot on as Sujata’s father.  Kalaranjini complements Siddique well. You can’t help smiling at this naïve woman. In one scene she brings a cap that she stitched for her grand-daughter and gives it to Rajeev. When he remarks that it was a bigger size, she has an answer-‘a safety pin will correct that.’

Shanavas sprinkles humour during tense moments-the cab driver when  intercepted by the police for speaking on his mobile, blabbers about his wife being suddenly pregnant instead of ‘pregnant wife had to be suddenly rushed to hospital.’ The driver made me smile in another scene where Rajeev calls him up to check for his lost passport. The driver says that the passport was not in his car, but before calling off, he shares news of his wife’s delivery.  Who comes up with situations that mirror life?

Aditi Rao Hydari brings in the vulnerability of a woman hindered by speech yet fearless in love. Looking beautiful with barely there make up, Hydari lights up every frame. Remarkable is the scene where she breaks down following a close family member’s death.   
Dev Mohan is earnest in his role and impresses on debut. As the Sufi, he carries a warm glow. Manikandan Pattambi whose character turns the course of the story is a spontaneous performer. The graveyard scenes involving a search for something lost keeps the adrenalin going with a dread-‘What if? 

When curtains fall, it is Rajeev who lingers long. Jayasurya’s subtle body language conveys well Rajeev’s relationship with Sujata. Though frustrated with his wife’s past and bristling with anger inside, Rajeev’s love for Sujata surpasses everything. Jayasurya is fantastic. 

M.Jayachandran’s music is soulful melody. The song, ‘Alhamdulillah’ is divine while the lyrics of Hindi song ‘Kya Karoon’ beautiful. DOP Anu Moothedath’s frames are spectacular from the word go-every frame   created with care- and some are surreal.

‘Sufiyum Sujatayum’ is not about love only but in understanding the one you love.

‘Kappela’ excels as a small-town tale with a big heart

Appearances can be deceptive.
Actor turned director Muhammed Musthafa debut film, ‘Kappela’ cautions viewers on this point with a simple story set in Poovarmala in Waynad. 

Jessy (Anna Ben) lives in Poovarmala in the Waynaad ranges with her orthodox parents and younger sister. Theirs is a simple life-father is a farmer, mother undertakes tailoring orders and Jessy assists her mother in stitching.  

An accidental call to a wrong number changes Jessy’s life. Vishnu (Roshan Mathew) an auto driver from Mallapuram takes the wrong call and pursues Jessy over phone.  It doesn’t take long for Jessy to fall in love with Vishnu and his voice over conversations they share. 

Benny (Sudhi Koppa), a young man from the neighbourhood is in love with Jessy. He approaches her parents for her hand in marriage. As their wedding is fixed, Jessy decides to meet Vishnu. She leaves for Kozhikode alone one early morning. Vishnu agrees to meet her at the bus stop. Jessy and Vishnu have not been able to share their pictures since Jessy uses an old phone. She cannot afford a smart phone. They are acquainted with each other by their voices only.  

Do the lovers meet as planned?

‘Kappela’s writing and screenplay with well sketched characters is its biggest strength. The narration is simple, the mood and tone rooted in reality, conversations real as the story glides smoothly like a well oiled machine lending a fly on the wall experience and you soon invest in Jesssy’s life.  

The casting is pitch perfect as the lead actors Anna Ben, Roshan Mathew and Sreenath Bhasi are fantastic with their portrayal.  Unsophisticated, simple and living on the high ranges of Waynaad, Jessy’s big dream is to see the sea. What’s beautiful about Malayalam cinema is the natural look the actresses sport. Anna Ben is growing as an actor with each film. This is her third film. Her Jessie easily finds  way into our hearts. Ben neat play of emotions of the small town young woman-vulnerability and gullible-is commendable.  

Vishnu wearing a red pottu  on his forehead always is the perfect picture of that friendly  guy in the neighbourhood whom people seek in times of distress.  That was quite a challenge to depict and Mathew is brilliant, never going overboard with his expressions. 

A stark contrast to Vishnu is Roy (Sreenath Bhasi).  This unemployed BBA graduate is job hunting and has no qualms about removing his lover Annie’s ring so that he can pawn it for his requirements. With his cocky mannerisms and tough attitude, Roy is not someone you will warm up to soon. He enters the lives of Jessy and Vishnu at Kozhikode. Bhasi has been experimenting with varied roles and proves his versatility again. Sudhi Koppi plays Benny the nice guy whom you wouldn't wish to hurt. 

Actor turned director Musthafa

Director Mushthafa has acted in several films in supporting roles. He received special mention by the national jury for playing the lead in 'Ain. Musthafa plays a small role in Kappela. 

Little details make the scenes real and relatable-an old woman asks the bus conductor to let her know when her stop arrives while the passenger in the seat behind Jessie tells her lower down the shutter in the rains. That Jessie’s parents are orthodox comes through the scenes and not through loud dialogues.

Without resorting to loud melodrama and screaming out a social message, the danger is there for all to see. It’s most poignant when a disillusioned Jessy asks Roy- like a child-, ‘Will you show me the beach?’ 
 

Cinematographer Jhimsi Khalid’s visuals are spectacular. The opening scene is beautiful, as two friends under an umbrella braving the rains reach a bus-stop. Poovaram the small town on the mountains is caught at its rustic best. And, the kappela (chapel) which Jessy frequents is just a basic shrine of Mother Mary perched on a mountain and devoid of decorations yet seems to hold an enigmatic power over the little town below. That closing shot was beautiful.