‘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.