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malapkv · 3 years

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Munnariyippu-Do not regret – I did WARN you!

According to Tumblr, this is my 25th post. When I went back and counted I did not find so many, but Tumblr seems to think so, so be it.

I usually write about music or movies or women’s rights, those have been my themes. Before I expand consciously to other areas, here is a quarter- century post on films. And this time a Mamooty film.

During this 2021 lockdown, I have been watching the CBI investigation series of Mamooka.I got hooked to it, started googling on his thrillers...tried watching a few recent ones, and not liking the quality, decided to settle with those from the late 80s and early 90s. Was surprised by a film called Kanathaya Penkutty from 1985, a google suggestion- where Mamooty is not a cop but, well, far from itJ . While I was surprised by his choice of roles at that point in time, I got a suggestion of “ Munnariyippu”- a 2014 film. I had a smirk- 2014, was not a year I associated with quality thriller films....it had to be at least two decades earlier than that, I thought..

Until I decided to watch this murder mystery. Munnariyippu- In Malayalam it means Warning.

It is difficult to write a review on this film without spoilers, so if you have not watched this film, STOP. You MUST watch it before reading ahead, for if not, you are missing a film of global standards.

Those who have watched the film may read ahead. Those who did not -do not regret reading it prematurely. I did WARN you! J

Well first of all, the whole team behind this masterpiece-Take a bow. If I had watched in a cinema hall, I would have clapped non- stop for a few minutes.

The plot

The director takes the cake. Plotted so beautifully- keeping the audience interests in mind, making them impatient and weaving intricacies and layers into the storyline. The way the movie progresses, you keep guessing what could possibly be the revelation, you are busy spinning stories in the mind and watching the film with anxiety. The director has to be given full credit for creating this masterpiece of a cinema, with a minimalist approach and a clean screenplay.

And the choice of cast. I mean, who else except a master -creator can choose a mega star for Raghavan, imagine him in it and bring whatever he wanted on screen with so much perfection? Not just the protagonist, but the entire crew of actors- Aparna Gopinath-the intellectual, who would think that she was ever going to undergo what she finally underwent?

P for precision...precisely sculpted.

Raghavan

I wanted to write about Mamooka-but sorry it is Raghavan that comes to mind.

Raghavan is a “parama saadhu”. That is, he receives instructions, does whatever he is told and remains in the background. Very unassuming and obedient. Does not talk much except for his flow of philosophy- now and then. He does get angry at times and walks out of uncomfortable circumstances. But otherwise he is someone who can be shoved into an auto and be “taken for a ride”- I mean that body language when he gets into an auto with a stranger J

All this is true until the climax.

Only for us to realise that Raghavan is India’s answer to Hannibal Lecter.

While Hannibal the Cannibal ate body parts, drank blood and displayed gore, all that Raghavan did was smile!

Not a drop of blood. No yelling and no stunt scenes.

Just being himself -calm and poised, was enough to create the shivers.

Which is why he becomes scarier than Hannibal Lecter!

What a performance....Raghavan ...Sorry who was the actor again?

Dialogues

Competing with the actor is the dialogues.

Dialogues that could be interpreted with many shades and layers. You would watch the film once and interpret the dialogues relating them to your own life.

You would watch the film again and interpret them with reference to the homicides.

But fact remains you cannot just watch this once, for you now know that Raghavan has always been giving clues all along

The success of this film lies in the fact that an established commercial star was chosen for and had accepted this role. And despite seeing this star in many avatars, we could not guess until the end – his ROLE of a lifetime.

I heard this film did not excite the box-office. Because I am guessing that the plot was leaked and after that nobody wanted to watch it.

Whatever may be the case, the film is like the fourth lion in the Emblem. And the light that may be obstructed but can never be denied.

For this has to easily be one of the best films ever, of Indian Cinema-

And as I raise a toast for my 25th post, I also raise one for this film, the director Venu sir who I just happened to meet ( absolutely not knowing it was him) and therefore edited my end line to suit this serendipity! 😀

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