Two families - one Hindu & one Muslim - that have suffered tragic personal losses in a natural calamity are trying to find common cause reconciling to their current predicament while struggling with painful memories. They choose to remain in their homes amidst idyllic surroundings even as they are left at the fringes and almost forgotten by the larger community that has moved on - literally & figuratively. The serene coexistence of these these two families is shaken to the core when the ripples from the simmering communal discontent from beyond seeps into their backyard.
What follows is a first rate thriller that is so much more than just a thriller. This is yet another masterclass from the hallowed pantheons of Malayalam cinema that continues to raise the bar for quality content on almost a weekly basis.
The real hero here is writer Anish Pallyal who deserves rich kudos for crafting this nail-biter with a richly layered narrative that delves into timely themes on faith, doubt, fear, trust, prejudice and most importantly, the all-consuming hatred for the "others". With his limited set of characters, he is successful in providing a stark commentary on how the contemporary society continues to remain fraught with frighteningly fragile fault-lines. The narrative also explores the effects of doubts that continue to fester in minds despite the deep faith nurtured over decades as it constantly confronts the protagonist with difficult existential questions.
The performances from the ensemble cast consisting of Prithviraj, Roshan Mathew, Srindaa, Mammukoya, Murali Gopy, Shine Tom Chacko and others are uniformly top notch. The score from Jakes Bejoy along with cinematography by Abinandhan Ramanujam amplify the tension indoors as well as outdoors.
Director Manu Warrier deserves kudos for managing this tight rope walk of communicating the contents without being preachy even while maintaining a tight leash for presenting a taut thriller.
A MUST WATCH !
RATING - 4.5/5
PS - Streaming on Amzon Prime
