Drishyam (Indian – Malayalam) Movie Review(2013)

Cast: Mohanlal, Siddique, Kalabhavan John, Meena, Ansiba, Esther, Asha Sharath, Kozhikode Narayanan Nair

Written and Directed by: Jeethu Joseph

Aashirvad Cinemas Production

George Kutty (Mohanlal) is a self-made man. An orphan who dropped out of school after Grade 4, George Kutty has just about worked in every field he has come across. When we meet him, he is the owner of a small cable TV company. Married to Rani (Meena) a sweet and typical housewife, with two daughters Anju (Ansiba) and Anu (Esther), George Kutty spends his days trying to make ends meet and save money for his future plans.

The plot revolves around a terrible situation that threatens to shake the very foundation of the family and the events that follow.

This family thriller had the audience trying to gain one-step ahead of the plot in vain. The interval was abuzz with people bouncing strategies and theories off each other and we could hardly wait for the second half to start.

The hero of the movie is not Mohanlal, but, the screen play itself. Jeethu Joseph has hit this one out of the park. A seemingly unassuming story line quickly involves the audience in the unfolding of events.

The introduction of Mohanlal didn’t have any fanfare. There was a sudden stir in the audience and silence fell like a damp cloth over a fire. Mohanlal did more than just justice to the role. A simple man pushed to extremes could not have been better executed.

That being said, industry buzz says that Jeethu approached veteran actor Mamooty first. Also, Jeethu decided to direct the film himself following a proposal from another director to change the script to suit a ‘younger actor’.  Well, we are glad Jeethu Joseph stood his ground with Drishyam, like Troy Duffy did with The Boondock Saints.

Siddique has delivered a solid performance. Asha Sharath, torn between the roles of an esteemed police officer and a mother, the role is a tall order, but she has given it her best shot. She pales in comparison to Siddique though. Kalabhavan John will also consider this film a feather in his cap. Rendering the role masterfully, he has us hating him in some parts while admiring his dogged determination in others. Esther was also praised by a lot of theatre goers and I over heard one little girl ask ‘Poor girl. Will she be ok pappa?’

The best part about Drishyam is the screen play is the cunningly placed decoys that send your mind veering in another direction while the plot stays simple and gives you a whooping climax.

When the movie ended the crowd erupted in wild cheers, the sign of a successful movie. All the way to the parking lot we heard people singing the movie’s praises and we discussed the film on the way home.

The Verdict: Not to be missed.

A good movie is one that goes home with the audience and stays for dinner. Drishyam is that and much more.

P.S: I downloaded the photos used in this post using Google Image Search. They do not belong to me.