Varathan is a good watch.

An intriguing thriller that follows you even after curtains fall

By Mythily Ramachandran

Malayalam director Amal Neerad holds a mirror to a society ridden by male chauvinism and voyeurism in ‘Varathan.’
Backed by excellent performances, stunning visuals and music complementing the narrative, ‘Varathan’ becomes an intriguing thriller that stalk you home.

The story opens in Dubai. Abin and Priya, a young married couple very much in love go through a disappointment phase-with two unfortunate happenings- in their lives.

When Priya suggests that they return to Kerala, Abin agrees. So they arrive at her father’s ancestral property amidst the hills of Idukki. 

Their joy and solitude is soon threatened and Priya realizes that her childhood home of happy memories is unsafe for her as a woman.
In fact you get an inkling of the attitude of the local villagers the moment they enter the small town and stop at a roadside store for tea. The discomfiting stares of the men sitting outside, is something any woman will connect to. Priya points out to Abin the old man among them known for his roving eye.

The fear of being watched creeps into Priya’s mind-when in the midst of her baking she turns around to face a stranger peering through the window; the shadow of a man looking into their bedroom door; that notion of being observed Priya’s feels while undressing in her bathroom. 

Neerad gradually builds it along with cinematographer Little Swayamp-the camera close at heels of Priya and taking in her activities like the stalkers outside. Adding to it is Sushin Shyam’s background music ushering in the traumatic feeling and giving a shiver to your body.

Women have that inborn instinct to understand when the glances and gazes are just not right and like Priya they often find it hard to convince others around of the threat. 

Priya is irritated with Abin for being naïve about the intentions of Josy (Sharafudden)-a school mate who had a crush for her. Josy still lusts for her. Giving him company are his two friends and from the field that Priya’s family has let out to them-a convenient vantage point-they intrude into her life. What seemed like a worm crawling on the skin grows into a monster to unstable Priya’s and Abin’s lives.   

And, when Priya packs bags telling Abin that she does not feel safe in under him, Abin’s manliness is questioned. She remembers her father who provided the safety umbrella for his family. Abin breaking down in the courtyard, that was a brilliant performance from Fahd Faasil, one of the many the versatile actor delivers. 

Turning cinematic and giving Abin an opportunity to be the man Priya wanted, ‘Varathan’ soon becomes the story of the hero. Fahad Faasil fans are in for a treat. Abin’s lone battle with a group of men with guns and knives is well choreographed as he intelligently strikes at them using resources at hand. 

The film’s strong points lie in the onscreen chemistry between Fahad and Aishwarya Lekshmi-Lekshmi holding her own pretty well opposite Faasil. Writers Suhas and Sharfu’s characters are so real-as a woman you see their likes around.  Abin’s character graph-how he evolves from a suave Corporate worker in love with his wife to resort to violence when his woman is threatened. Abin who would not even hurt a cockroach does not hesitate to squash a cockroach in the last scene.

It’s a jaw dropping role from actor  Sharafuddeen. He is terrific and not the Sharafudeen of ‘Premam’ ‘Pretham’ and ‘Aadhi.’

Priya’s traumatic scene has been shot neatly-without exaggerating, we learn of her mishap through scenes that follow. Lekshmi brings out Priya’s anguish and anger perfectly. 

‘Varathan’ lays bare the hypocrisy of men. Some claim to be moral police on one hand and worry about our so called culture losing way to modern clothes and behavior, it’s these very men who are a threat to women. But when it concerns their own sisters and daughters, they can be monsters.
‘Varathan’ is a good watch.

Pranav Mohan Lal’s ‘Aadhi’ a gripping thriller

Director  Jeethu Joseph takes viewers on a roller coaster ride as he follows the life of Aadhi- an aspiring musician falsely implicated in a murder    

Directed and scripted by Jeethu Joseph (of ‘Drishyam’ fame), ‘Aadhi’ brings Pranav Mohan Lal back into cinema.
Lal Jr.  made his beginning as a child actor in 2002 with ‘Onnaman.’ With his second film, ‘Punarjani’ he won the Kerala State award for Best Child Artiste.
‘Aadhi’ marks his debut in the lead role- a film that he will look back with fondness. Lal Jr. with his performance proves his acting genes.

‘Aadhi’s plot is simple though not new.
Aditya Mohan, (Pranav Mohan Lal) the only child of his parents, (played by Siddique and Lena) is an aspiring music composer looking for that big break into films.
At the suggestion of a friend, he gets an opportunity to perform inside an elite club of Bangalore- a place frequented by Tamil and Telugu music directors. Aadhi as he is fondly called hopes to impress one of them. There he bumps into Anjana, (Aditi Ravi) an old school mate and it’s the regular catching up with her.

An unwarranted incident at the hotel overturns his life there. Aadhi finds himself falsely implicated in a murder-Arjun Reddy, son of Reddy, a notorious business magnate meets his end from the roof of the hotel.

With Reddy (Jagapathi Babu) out to avenge his son’s death  Aadhi goes on the run. 
Does Aadhi prove his innocence and escape from Reddy’s clutches?

Joseph’s neat writing rolls out a screenplay that is slickly executed and keeps viewers fixed on the screen.
Pranav Mohan Lal’s  Aadhi is the boy next door without the trappings of a super hero image.
Aadhi shares a close and informal equation with his parents- mother Rosy (Lena) is a Christian who eloped with Mohan, his father ( Siddique) a Hindu.
Unlike Mohan, Rosy believes in Aadhi’s choice of career and supports him.  When Mohan expresses his anxiety to Aadhi, telling him that he has no knowledge about the cinema industry he probably spoke for many parents out there.  Yet he gives Aadhi two years to pursue his ambition. Moments shared between Aadhi and his parents are beautifully portrayed by Lena and Siddique-the two natural  performers make their characters real.      

With Reddy’s goons on his heels, Aadhi finds shelter in a stranger’s home. Sharath (Sharafuddin), a Malayali, living in Bangalore sees a common enemy in Narayana Reddy. He is all out to help Aadhi.

Aadhi’s parkour training comes to his rescue while on the run. Giving an adrenalin rush are well choreographed action scenes as Aadhi races through alleys, leaps over walls and jumps across roof-tops. You watch mesmerized. Mohan Lal surprises with a cameo appearance. That’s an amusing scene actually.

Joseph’s supporting characters have are well created. Sharafuddin’s  Sharath is someone you trust wholly. His elder sister, Jaya is all bark with no bite-the sharp tongued chechi, who slowly warms up to Aadhi. Joseph’s little details are visible. Consider the scene where Jaya walks into the room, to find Aadhi tending to her bedridden mother. Anusree, the versatile actress, beautifully conveys Jaya’s gratitude through her eyes.

Jagapathi Babu easily slides into the villain’s shoes-it’s not a new role for him, but here it’s less loud and subdued.
 Siju Wilson  and Meghanathan (as Mani Anna who helps Aadhi) lend ample support.

Satheesh Kurup’s cinematography complements Joseph’s story and as curtain fall, the splendid climax is captured brilliantly.