MALAYANKUNJU

Ho trovato proprio audace e originale il modo in cui Malayankunju tratta l'argomento della discriminazione castale. Il primo tempo ci presenta Anikutta, il protagonista, un uomo spigoloso e profondamente razzista. La sceneggiatura è impeccabile, è come se fabbricasse Anikutta pezzo dopo pezzo davanti ai nostri occhi, senza però dimenticare il contesto in cui vive e che ci viene raccontato con lampi di conversazioni, voci fuori campo, personaggi ai margini delle inquadrature. È una storia minimalista, fatta di dettagli quotidiani. Nessuna tensione nella narrazione.

Il secondo tempo segna uno spettacolare cambio di registro. Il nostro per niente amabile eroe di punto in bianco deve lottare per la vita. Non conta più ciò che Anikutta è ma ciò che potrebbe diventare. Il protagonista perde la centralità nella sceneggiatura, che ora si focalizza sugli eventi, o meglio, sugli effetti degli eventi su Anikutta e sulle reazioni del personaggio. Una sorta di esperimento psicologico: prendiamo un razzista, collochiamolo in una situazione di pericolo, affidiamolo ad una sorta di angelo custode appartenente alla categoria sociale che lui odia (spoiler: la neonata del titolo, che col suo pianto lo guida verso la superficie), e vediamo se il corto circuito lo rinsavisce. Il processo di formazione è per forza di cose poco spontaneo, più indotto che interiorizzato. È una sceneggiatura meno sottile, rispetto al primo tempo, ma molto coinvolgente. E non manca di ironia. 

Il comparto tecnico è di prim'ordine. Non mi riferisco solo alla regia e alla fotografia: la scenografia nel secondo tempo è incredibilmente realistica, frutto di un lavoro pazzesco sia in fase di progettazione che di realizzazione. Fahadh Faasil si muove sul set del tutto ignaro della presenza delle telecamere, con una naturalezza quasi inquietante - non dimentichiamo che l'attore, che è anche produttore del film, ha sopportato notevoli disagi durante le riprese. Fahadh non disdegna di interpretare personaggi sgradevoli, niente lo spaventa, non si cura delle eventuali ripercussioni negative sulla sua carriera e procede come un treno verso traguardi sempre più scintillanti. Irrfan Khan mi manca ogni giorno, ma per fortuna c'è Fahadh Faasil a rischiarare il mondo. 

TRAMA

Anikutta ripara apparecchi elettrici ed elettronici in orari inconsueti. Litigioso e insofferente, vive con la madre, non parla con la sorella, non dimentica il passato. I vicini, appartenenti ad una comunità tribale, hanno una bimba il cui pianto disturba Anikutta quasi più dell'estrazione sociale dei genitori. Arrivano le piogge. Le autorità invitano gli abitanti del luogo a lasciare le case e rifugiarsi in strutture governative, ma Anikutta, che non tollera di condividere spazi angusti con persone di caste svantaggiate, rifiuta di muoversi.

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'There is more to this Fahadh Faasil-starrer than just being a survival drama, a rare genre in Malayalam cinema. (...) The well-paced first half effectively captures the life of people, who are used to the devastating effects of Nature’s fury. The timing of the landslip takes viewers by surprise and before they know it, they are with Anikutta, trapped in the debris. The behind-the-scenes video has already revealed that the entire sequence has been shot in a set built in a studio in Kochi. Watching the scenes on the big-screen is an overwhelming experience, thanks to some astonishing art work by the production design team led by Jothish Shankar and camera work by Mahesh [Narayanan], his first as a cinematographer. The lighting - rather the lack of it - and the surrounding voices and noises enhance the cinematic feel. (...) Fahadh is solid as always and brilliantly emotes the pain, anguish and redemption of Anikutta as he goes through a life-changing experience. (...) A story about rebirth and redemption, the film also gives us certain subtle insights that are well-incorporated into the tight script and storytelling - be it Mother Nature losing the forest cover or the need to condemn casteism. Malayankunju is a lesson on what it takes to survive in a mishap, depicted without melodrama'.

Athira M., 22.07.22

Recensione integrale 

Film Companion:

'Fahadh pitches this performance at a controlled note, despite having all the potential to go as berserk as possible. But this is a survival narrative where the disaster actually humbles the character, and the actor interprets the assignment beautifully. (...) The actor plays him with a lot of restraint, maintaining an aloofness that makes both the character and performance quite unpredictable. (...) Mahesh Narayanan's writing shines the brightest when it's set on the surface of the land. (...) This is a well-designed survival film that underplays much of its drama'.

Akilan Nagarajan, 22.07.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: *** 1/2

Punto di forza: l'approccio singolare, Malayankunju dimostra che è possibile lanciare un messaggio forte anche intrattenendo lo spettatore. Fahadh Faasil è esemplare. I set nel secondo tempo.   

Punto debole: la lunghezza del primo tempo in rapporto alla durata generale del film.

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Fahadh Faasil - Anil Kumar alias Anikutta

Regia: Sajimon Prabhakar

Sceneggiatura e fotografia: Mahesh Narayanan

Colonna sonora: A.R. Rahman. Un po' spenta.

Scenografia: Jothish Shankar ****

Montaggio: Arju Benn

Lingua: malayalam

Traduzione del titolo: la comunità Malayan è una comunità tribale stanziata in Kerala, kunju significa bambino/a.

Anno: 2022

Trailer

RASSEGNA STAMPA

* Mahesh Narayanan: Post-Covid, audience want films to function like a circus, Sajin Shrijith, Cinema Express, 27 luglio 2022 - Intervista concessa da Mahesh Narayanan, sceneggiatore e direttore della fotografia di Malayankunju:

'CE - These days, one rarely sees characters revealed through behaviour without relying on exposition. I found the restaurant scene - dropping a curry bowl and asking for a new one - interesting.

MN - That's something I saw happen in real life. (...) People with a strong upper caste spirit tend to do things like that. What I've done with Anikutta is a collective representation of such folks. An attempt was also made to analyse the reasons for his behaviour. I don't think Anikutta was that way from birth. I don't believe anyone is a certain way from their birth. It's their circumstances that prompt them to look at someone's colour or race in a certain way. More than a survival story, I see it as a very personal humanistic story. It reaches a point where Anikutta can't live without the infant and vice versa. Many things were deliberately left unsaid. As you may have noticed already, we didn't show what happened before the neighbours brought home their child. (...)

What factors compelled you to do a character study like Malayankunju?

I've been thinking of shaping a story from one man's perspective for a while. (...) I wanted to (...) write something that gives sufficient space for the characters, and I had the feeling that people can relate to it. (...) How does an individual react to the changes in nature? How do they transform after a calamity? I wanted to convey those things.

Was there a reason why you wanted Anikutta to be casteist and have his life impacted by a debilitating landslide? Did you imagine any other natural disaster before this?

I came across an old news piece about a dog that was with the disaster management team, and how it was barking non-stop for three days. When they realised why it was doing so, they decided to dig and found a child's lifeless body. I asked myself: What if that child lived? That's where it all started. I actually saw the ending of the story first and then wrote the rest later. In the beginning, Anikutta wasn't there; just the baby. And this whole idea about being affected by a baby's cries... I've always been fascinated by how a baby's sounds change over a month's time. As a father myself, I've felt its strong, jarring effect. And when Anikutta came into the picture, I thought of how a man's surroundings had affected his personality. 

I found it interesting that you employed static and graceful camera moves in spite of the character's chaotic state of mind.

I'm not a trained cinematographer. I believe in doing just what the story demands. I believe that when you are telling a personal story, the camera should stay close to the character so the audience can get a clear sense of what they are. (...)

How did you design the post-interval survival portions? Did you wait for the set to be built first before writing it?

First, we thought of what we could do within our limitations. We studied details of similar locations, the still-remaining debris and various ecological factors. Jothish Shankar (production designer) is very much rooted in those kinds of things. His work included taking measurements of each and everything and then creating miniatures to give Fahadh [Faasil] a sense of how things should progress. We also deliberately opted to not establish the geography in the beginning. There's only one instance where Anikutta walks through the trees. It's only in the climax that we show, through an overhead shot, how the entire location looks. Our limitations dictated such choices. And Jothish was great at making everything seem natural. Take the rocks, for example. He makes sure that no two rocks should look alike - basically studying the original specimen thoroughly and recreating everything exactly as it is. It would've been difficult to shoot this film in a real location because the earth behaves differently every day. It was a huge challenge.

How did you light the set?

The main challenge there was that Fahadh had to give us the light we needed. So we brought a flashlight made in Ukraine, which has varying temperatures. It's basically a cinema lamp used for weddings there. This light had to bounce and illuminate him. What's also challenging is that Fahadh had to do all the makeup and costume changes by himself. Once he gets in, no one else could go in. (...)

By the way, that accident of Fahadh must've caused a major panic on sets...

It happened on the first day of shooting the survival sequences - when Fahadh's bed fell down, as you saw in the film. He was placed at a considerably scary height. Fahadh even insisted on multiple takes, and I said I couldn't. Also, he used to have multiple cuts on his legs every day on account of the roughness of the water-resistant fibre coating. Whenever Nazriya [Nazim, attrice e moglie di Fahadh] called, I used to worry that she would ask us to stop shooting. (Laughs)

One of the interesting visuals is that of Fahadh curled up in a foetal position, the underground space resembling a womb. He also carried a toy when he crawled out of there.

That's exactly how we imagined it too. As for the toy, it was an improvisation. It was not there at first. It was Jothish's idea, which Fahadh loved. Once he started performing with it, he said it was a clever choice because he would've felt stuck otherwise. A lot of things evolved like that on set'.

* Art director Jothish Shankar on creating the massive set for Fahadh Faasil’s survival thriller, ‘Malayankunju’, Athira M., The Hindu, 29 luglio 2022:

'Art director Jothish Shankar admits that when he came on board Malayankunju (...) he had no clue what he was getting into. His team had to construct a set that resembled the mud, debris and rubble where the lead character, played by Fahadh Faasil, is trapped after a landslip. “None of us knew how it would be beneath the soil, in the aftermath of a landslip. So we had marathon discussions and brain-storming sessions that went on for months. It was not easy,” avers Jothish. (...) He is relieved that the art work is being discussed and appreciated by critics and the audience. “That happened probably because the behind-the-scenes video was released prior to the movie. It was a conscious decision to do so because otherwise viewers would not have realised that it was a set that we made from scratch. There have been occasions in the past when our hard work went unnoticed because people thought the locations were ‘real’,” say Jothish, recipient of the Kerala State film award for best art direction for Kumbalangi Nights and Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 in 2019.

Behind the scenes

The set was constructed on a “160 ft long and 80 ft wide” studio floor in Kochi. “We had to imagine what all elements would probably be buried under the earth. We made a miniature version with a cross-section of the soil beneath before proceeding to the actual set. We could have taken the easy way out by using some rocks, water and other elements. But we wanted the audience to feel that the person is actually trapped underground,” he says. It took one-and-half months for 100-odd people to complete the construction. The set had four portions. One was a lift to shoot the sequence where the character falls down during the landslip. Then they made three tanks, each 40 feet deep. “Inside these tanks were the well that caves in, underground water pipes, the portion where a new-born is stuck, rocks, roots of plants, carcass of animals and birds, and different things on the surface that came crashing down during the landslip, which included a jeep,” he explains. The shoot lasted 24 days. The crew waded through or stood in mud and slush for the shoot. Rocks, stones and roots were made with sponge to ensure a safe working environment. There were days when they had to stop the shoot after two or three hours because it was exhausting for the actor and the crew. “We would come up from the tank to take a break and go in again. Fahadh had bruises all over from moving inside the tank.”

Preparations involved

A lot of research went into the process, Jothish adds. “I browsed through videos and photographs of landslip-hit areas and had some 25,000 photographs with me to understand the aftermath of landslips. There were days when things didn’t go as per our plan and I would ask myself why I said yes to the project because I was not sure if the idea would succeed. (...) However, after a point, I was hell-bent on executing it. I could pull it off only because of teamwork,” he asserts. Amidst all this, the safety of the crew had to be given priority, especially when they had to move through dirty water. “Since it was not possible to stand straight in that space, some crew members had to be seated in a harness.” Jothish is all praise for Mahesh [Narayanan], who is also the cinematographer of the movie. “It is his first project as a cinematographer and it was his confidence that kept us going. He managed to find the right camera and lens to shoot within so many limitations,” he says. The team also constructed include Fahadh’s cluttered workspace, the house of the new-born next door and the area hit by the landslip, which is shown towards the climax. “The landslip-affected area was created at Erattupetta. It used to be a rubber plantation,” he says.

An alumnus of Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikkara, where he studied sculpture, Jothish worked as a sculptor before he decided to jump into cinema. “There are no artists in my family. Neither did I know anyone in the film industry. But I wanted to try my luck here,” he says. (...) His first independent work was Adaminte Makan Abu (2011). He has done over 60 films. (...) Jothish stresses that he takes up a project only if he is convinced about executing it, irrespective of the challenges involved. “For example, the dilapidated house in Kumbalangi Nights where the four brothers live was built from scratch. We allowed the moss to grow on the walls to make it look real. (...) Before signing off, Jothish says: “My approach to art direction is that it should blend with the subject. It can be a realistic setting or something that I create. The quality of the space plays a huge role in the success of a movie”.'

19(1)(A)

Un filo sottilissimo lega i due personaggi principali di 19(1)(a), la ragazza senza nome e lo scrittore Gauri. Si incontrano solo una volta, per qualche minuto, scambiando un paio di battute generiche. Lui sparisce, lei dimentica. Un tragico evento rinsalda il legame con modalità inaspettate. Un legame maestro/allieva. Inconsapevolmente, Gauri contribuisce al processo di formazione della ragazza. Il film è la rappresentazione pratica di una dichiarazione dello scrittore: la mia vita non conta, contano le mie parole. 

19(1)(a) ha un tono riflessivo, raccolto. Procede con lentezza. Segue la protagonista da vicino, nel suo quotidiano. La sceneggiatura è scarna, forse troppo esile per un lungometraggio. Per buona parte, reitera il soggetto. La pellicola trasmette un messaggio importante - la reale minaccia, in India, alla libertà di espressione -, e lo fa senza proclami, raccontandoci la presa di coscienza di una ragazza comune che è prigioniera di una routine non voluta, e che gradualmente si allontana dalla tiepida sicurezza del suo ambiente per esplorare idee nuove e quindi una nuova versione di sé.

È un film particolare, non per tutti, introspettivo. Le relazioni personali sono appena accennate, nel senso che Indhu V.S., regista/sceneggiatrice al suo debutto, ci offre brevi squarci improvvisi che vanno in profondità, e poi passa oltre. I dialoghi sono centellinati, e danno l'impressione di molto non detto. Gli occhi della protagonista osservano il mondo, e noi spettatori in quegli sguardi ne scorgiamo un riflesso. Nithya Menen ha interiorizzato a dovere il suo personaggio, e non sbaglia una virgola. Vijay Sethupathi è convincente in un ruolo dimesso, non istrionico, eppure carismatico. 

TRAMA

Lo scrittore Gauri Shankar affida il suo ultimo manoscritto alla copisteria di quartiere, contando di ritirare le copie prima dell'orario di chiusura del negozio. Ma Gauri non torna. Per qualche oscura ragione, la proprietaria della copisteria non riesce a separarsi dal manoscritto. Le parole dello scrittore diventano per lei una guida insostituibile.

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'A valiant directorial debut anchored by a poignant Nithya Menen and a charming Vijay Sethupathi. Director Indhu V.S. delivers an engaging coming-of-age story with an important political subtext in her debut Malayalam movie, that explores the freedom of speech and expression. (...) 19(1)(a) is slice-of-life tale of people who choose to, or are forced to, be quiet and obedient about what is happening around them or in their own lives. It is about a person who has a lot to express, yet time and again chose to suppress her feelings, fearing the consequences of stepping out of her daily routine. It is also about those who cannot help but speak out against oppression, at a time when the same can have grave consequences. This tension is very effectively used to create an atmosphere of uneasy calm throughout the movie. (...) This is Nithya’s movie all the way and she holds it all together, even at its weakest points, with a brilliantly understated and internalised performance as a ‘quiet’ person learning how to speak out in her own quiet manner. (...) Indhu, who also wrote the script, keeps it simple for the most part, only faltering occasionally, and towards the end with a slightly-underwhelming reveal. Ironically, 19(1)(a) works best when it chooses to be quiet and leave things unsaid. What’s more important is the willingness to be brave with the stories you choose to tell and the politics you put forward. In that regard, Indhu has certainly arrived'.

Aswin V. N., 29.07.22

Recensione integrale

Film Companion:

'A deeply personal approach to tell a powerful story. (...) Indhu's cinematic ideas are also strong like the political stand she takes. Apart from the image, she uses sounds too to create deeply disturbing reactions. But it's also the performances of the two leads that make the film special. Nithya Menen doesn't need words to take us deep into her character's mind which is so full of conflicts that she can barely hear herself think, Vijay Sethupathi too gives us one of his finest performances in years. (...) A film about revolution can rarely feel as personal as this. (...) 19(1)(a) (...) understands that whispers can be more impactful than loud speeches'.

Vishal Menon, 30.07.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: ***

Punto di forza: il messaggio (e il coraggio), Nithya Menen e Vijay Sethupathi.

Punto debole: la sceneggiatura smunta (un cortometraggio sarebbe risultato perfetto).

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Nithya Menen - ragazza senza nome, proprietaria di una copisteria

* Vijay Sethupathi - Gauri Shankar, scrittore e attivista

* Indrajith Sukumaran - Anand, editore

* Athulya Ashadam - Fathima, amica della protagonista 

Sceneggiatura e regia: Indhu V.S.

Colonna sonora: Govind Vasantha

Fotografia: Manesh Madhavan

Montaggio: Manoj

Lingua: malayalam

Anno: 2022

Trailer

RASSEGNA STAMPA

* Indhu V.S: I see 19(1)(a) as a coming-of-age story, Sajin Shrijith, Cinema Express, 2 agosto 2022. Intervista concessa da Indhu V.S.:

'I liked the generally contemplative approach you took with the film.

I'm generally a quiet person. I feel that even if I have to contribute to any discussion, I prefer to do it minimally and with a lot of subtlety because I have a minimal approach to life and those around me. So, naturally, that is also reflected in how I wrote the screenplay. Of course, we can't write every movie like that, but when it came to my debut work, I guess it was simply a case of nature taking its course. A lot of things I do in real life have crept into it. (...)

You are right. One doesn't necessarily have to be loud to put across thoughts.

Indeed. It's enough to do it in a toned-down manner. Even though filmmaking is partly a materialistic endeavour, it is, after all, an art form where a group of people come together to create a moment. I believe that it needs a sensible approach. I've seen Nithya say in some places that ours was the best team with she had worked. I think it was because I managed to handpick people whose vibe matched ours. In fact, my director of photography (Manesh Madhavan) is quieter than me. (Laughs) He gets what I'm trying to communicate and acknowledges my directions with succinct replies. Most of our team members are like that.  

Was Nithya's character deliberately kept nameless? 

Not at all. It happened organically while writing the screenplay, which predominantly tracks that character's emotional journey. There was no place in the script where the character's name is brought up. After a point, I concluded that her name was irrelevant. 

Would you have taken a different storytelling approach had the focus been Vijay Sethupathi's character Gauri instead? A relatively louder one, perhaps?

Firstly, I would never imagine a movie with Gauri as the central character. It was not and never will be my intention. It's not my kind of storytelling. I'm more inclined to personally relatable stories. For me, the main characters of 19(1)(a) were this woman and a writer who visited her shop. And they remain strangers throughout the film - that was the only focus. When seeing the film in its totality, the political aspect for me was just an undercurrent. The emotional and subtle storytelling aspects mattered more. It was a solid decision not to focus on Gauri's side more. In most of the discussions about the film I have now, the political emphasis is relatively less. The film's politics are, of course, mine, but I see it more as a coming-of-age drama than anything else. (...)

Any reason why you made Gauri a Tamilian writer? 

It was simply to give the story a sense of universality - and what we are discussing is a universal topic. I didn't want it to have a confined quality. It should be accessible for people outside Kerala too.  

One of the most notable aspects of Gauri's personality is that he respects others' space regardless of his ideology; he doesn't impose his thoughts on those around him. 

Absolutely! When a big subject like freedom of thought is the topic, I was primarily interested in - and always drawn to - its importance when it comes to the personal space of two individuals in conversation. When we are addressing all the problems ailing the world but don't understand the importance of respecting the boundaries of people we know, then what's the point? It should start first with the smallest, simplest things. That's why it was a conscious decision to invest more in detailing Nithya's character than Gauri's. The onus was more on exploring an individual's politics than the other. That's the most immediately affecting one'.  

CURIOSITÀ

* L'articolo 19(1)(a) della Costituzione indiana garantisce la libertà di espressione.

* Indhu V.S. si è ispirata alla tragica vicenda di Gauri Lankesh, giornalista di Bangalore assassinata nel 2017 sulla soglia di casa. Gauri combatteva la destra estremista hindu e le discriminazioni castali e di genere. 

* Nithya Menen vanta una corposa filmografia nelle industrie cinematografiche malayalam, telugu, tamil e kannada. Ad oggi, un solo titolo hindi: Mission Mangal.

JANA GANA MANA

L'ho apprezzato meglio alla seconda visione, forse perché alla prima mi sono sentita soverchiata da così tanto materiale. I dialoghi sono impositivi, non ti danno respiro, ti urlano in faccia un sacco di cose. Alla seconda visione, dopo aver ormai incassato e digerito, ho potuto soffermarmi con calma sui due aspetti principali che qualificano Jana Gana Mana. Innanzitutto la sceneggiatura astuta, che ti induce a simpatizzare per il protagonista, te lo sbriciola, in parallelo ti presenta un nuovo ambiguo personaggio e te lo trasforma in eroe. E poi l'interpretazione efficace dei due attori principali, già visti insieme nel sorprendente Driving licence. Suraj Venjaramoodu è solidissimo, conquista la tua fiducia, si guadagna il tuo rispetto, e quasi ti dispiace doverlo detestare. Prithviraj ha una presenza scenica pazzesca: pronuncia le battute con una convinzione tale che scappi via, per nasconderti dietro un albero e ammirarlo da lontano a distanza di sicurezza. 

Certo la trama è affollata di temi, compressi con un'urgenza che mi ha fatto temere per la salute del regista: ha forse un male incurabile e questo è il suo ultimo film? È incredibile come lo sceneggiatore sia riuscito ad incastrarli fra loro in un solo copione, quasi spuntando un'immaginaria lista. JGM è una sorta di promemoria dei mali che affliggono l'India (ho preso appunti durante la visione): stupri, squadrismo reazionario nelle università, moral policing, giustizialismo (giustizia istantanea, come il caffè), gestione scorretta delle notizie e processi mediatici, torture ed esecuzioni sommarie da parte della polizia, razzismo, discriminazioni castali, suicidi di studenti, corruzione, disonestà criminale della politica, manipolazione delle masse. Tutto in un'unica pellicola. 

Le battute affidate a Prithviraj sono un'incalzante sequela di denunce espresse con una sintesi fulminante. Il rischio è di scivolare frettolosamente sulla superficie senza approfondire nulla in maniera adeguata. Qualche argomento si poteva depennare, così come si poteva evitare il tono melodrammatico. I personaggi minori sono appena tratteggiati, la figura di Saba troppo angelicata. La regia alterna sequenze girate con mestiere (ad esempio l'esecuzione sommaria - quella vera) ad altre dilettantesche e/o artificiali (ad esempio il discorso del vicerettore in memoria di Saba, o le proteste degli studenti). In sostanza JGM è per certi aspetti un buon prodotto, per altri grossolano e semplicistico. Considerando il contenuto, il fatto che abbia incontrato il favore del pubblico però rincuora.

TRAMA

I media riportano la notizia dello stupro e dell'omicidio di Saba, giovane docente universitaria il cui corpo è stato dato alle fiamme. Insorge la protesta degli studenti, ma la polizia, affiancata da squadre affiliate al partito politico al potere, entra nel campus e picchia i ragazzi. Alcuni finiscono all'ospedale. L'investigatore incaricato del caso incontra i feriti e i familiari di Saba, guadagnandosi la loro fiducia. Spunta un testimone che racconta di aver visto quattro uomini appiccare il fuoco alla salma di Saba. Parte la caccia.

ASSOLUTAMENTE DA NON PERDERE

* Prithviraj in versione avvocato-bulldozer dalla voce tonante ha il suo perché.

LA BATTUTA MIGLIORE

* Prithviraj rivolto ai presenti in aula ma soprattutto a noi spettatori: Avete celebrato la loro morte non perché volevate giustizia, ma perché volevate che fossero uccisi. Non le manda a dire.

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'Gets its politics right, not so much the execution (...) In quite an interesting set-up, at the interval point, they get the audience to cheer for encounter killings - which is unfortunately quite popular in our society too - only to spend the next half showing why that whole idea is wrong. (...) The contemporary debates in the country, around the growth of far right politics, which survives on constant stirring of the communal pot and dissemination of hate propaganda, must certainly have been playing in the screenwriter's mind while writing the film. But despite its right intent and partly interesting structure, the making is quite uneven. Much of the treatment is loud and over-dramatic, especially the court scenes in the latter half. While it meanders pointlessly in the initial campus scenes, too much is said in quite a few rushed sequences towards the end. (...) Yet for all its cinematic flaws, the film does not hold anything back as far as the politics that it wants to speak. It raises uncomfortable debates on how those who raise questions are branded and targeted, how the media sets narratives at the behest of the establishment, how it plays into the inherent biases of the common people, and how the politics of identity is used to divide people for votes'.

S.R. Praveen, 28.04.22

Recensione integrale

Film Companion:

'Jana Gana Mana is a cleverly deceptive political film that doesn't trade entertainment with its importance. (...) Surprisingly, the film is fully able to hold its cards close to its chest because of its casting. What actors like Suraj [Venjaramoodu] and Prithviraj (...) have managed to do is keep their screen image wide enough to be able to accomodate any shade, which only makes the film even more engaging. (...) It's like a well-written editorial in The Hindu being brought to life for a Tik-Tok audience. In fact, the only portion that didn't do justice to the film's tight screenplay is the way it ends with a teaser of the second part. (...) As a lone standing film, JGM is a thoroughly engaging call to action against fascism told in the most entertaining manner'.

Vishal Menon, 28.04.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: ***

Punto di forza: il messaggio, l'astuzia nella narrazione, Suraj Venjaramoodu e Prithviraj.

Punto debole: la regia, il melodramma, l'affollamento di tematiche e denunce, la presentazione del sequel.

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Suraj Venjaramoodu - Sajjan Kumar, poliziotto

* Prithviraj - Aravind, avvocato

* G.M. Sundar - ministro degli interni

* Mamta Mohandas - Saba, docente universitaria

* Shammi Thilakan - avvocato, avversario di Aravind

Regia: Dijo Jose Antony

Sceneggiatura: Sharis Mohammed

Colonna sonora: Jakes Bejoy

Fotografia: Sudeep Elamon

Montaggio: Sreejith Sarang

Lingua: malayalam

Traduzione del titolo: the minds of all people. Jana Gana Mana è l'inno nazionale indiano.

Anno: 2022

Trailer

RASSEGNA STAMPA

* Obedience is not a quality of a good student: Sharis Mohammed, writer of Jana Gana Mana, Vishal Menon, Film Companion, 5 maggio 2022:

'Let me begin by asking you about the scene where Dijo Jose Antony (...) makes an appearance as a lecturer.

It is the only scene set in Kerala. More than the scene itself, it's the timing of the scene that is most important in the context of the film. I look at that scene as the last spark that lights the fire. Even generally, I believe that Kerala society does today what the rest of India does tomorrow. (...) Back in the 70s or 80s, students from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Kerala Students Union (KSU) used to influence even the State elections in Kerala. But now I feel that politics can be relegated to online activities rather than offline. (...) 

The structure of JGM is quite fascinating. (...) It even got the audience to celebrate the scene where Suraj's character shoots those convicts. (...)

For us, getting the audience to applaud that scene was our success criterion. That's when we knew the film has worked. We were anyway sure of the second half but if that had to work, it needed a scene like this. (...)

What about the point the film makes about biases? (...)

The second we align with an ideology, we stop thinking and take it as it is and think it is correct. (...) With JGM, I wanted people to take a pause and not get carried away by this information overload on social media. There is something beyond black and white. There are more than two sides to stories too. The debate is what's more important. No one today is willing to hear the other side speak.

You have staged this film outside Kerala. (...) What was the idea behind that?

I wanted a juncture or a common point between all four southern States. (...) People speak all four languages apart from Hindi and English. (...) We wanted that plurality to be conveyed strongly. (...)

Do you think a film with such a message would have been possible in another industry? (...)

I understand your question but I would have tried to make the same film there too. I feel the scene where Dijo appears underlines your question because that spark has to come from Kerala. But I want films like JGM to be made in all industries across all languages.

What do you have to say about the reading of the film where all its primary characters can be interpreted as from the privileged class or castes who are defending minorities? (...)

I don't myself know the caste of the characters I've written. (...) Even the casting decisions are all based on their performances and not the least because of their colour. But if caste and colour are so evident to a section, I can only submit that it hasn't crossed my mind.

Of the many things I really appreciate about the film is how you've chosen to add a shot where even the students who support the ruling party in that world get a chance to reform or question their establishment. Usually, a character with an opposite ideology does not get that dignity.

What I believe is that even the apolitical person has his or her own politics. If they decide to not vote, that too speaks of a kind of politics of dissent. Instead, the voter I find most problematic is one who never changes their opinion from when they are 18 years old till they are 80. They are just a number... a statistic. They are not asking questions. My movie urges everyone to ask questions and not believe in one belief system or ideology without challenging it.

Finally, what was the idea behind inserting a long preface for the second part? (...)

We needed to explain certain things about Aravind (...) because we have to justify his motivation to defend such a case so emotionally. (...) He has a past and we wanted that to be underlined so people are invested in his story. And when people come out asking for a second part, we know the characters have stuck'.

CURIOSITÀ

* Il regista si è ritagliato un cameo nel film: è lui il professore che incita gli studenti ad abbandonare l'aula e a protestare in piazza. Fra l'altro è l'unica scena ambientata in Kerala (la storia si svolge nel Karnataka).

* Riferimenti al cinema indiano: Shah Rukh Khan.

P A D A

Mai avrei pensato che un film di genere politico-sociale così spartano potesse essere coinvolgente. Pada demolisce parecchi luoghi comuni. Sì, un film di genere politico-sociale può trasmettere il suo messaggio, forte e chiaro, senza essere didascalico o pedante. Sì, un film spartano privo di set patinati, personaggi eroici, sequenze d'azione e colpi di scena può comunque avvincere lo spettatore, e quindi intrattenere. Ma Pada offre molto di più. Una rappresentazione talmente aderente alla realtà che sembra di essere presenti agli eventi. Una sceneggiatura incontaminata e una regia limpida. Una narrazione naturale che è vita. Personaggi concreti, anzi, persone. E interpretazioni oneste - Prakash Raj spicca per calma e autorevolezza. Non ci sono buoni, non ci sono cattivi. Ci sono vittime. C'è un'ingiustizia. C'è una contrapposizione fra due schieramenti. Ma tutti i personaggi sono lodevolmente ragionevoli e pacati. Mai minacciosi o arroganti.

Pada è un prodotto curato. In modo astuto denuncia un sopruso legalizzato con i toni avvincenti di un thriller misurato e ben fatto. Più che un film, una scuola di cinema. Anche se l'approccio documentaristico a tratti nuoce all'emotività.

TRAMA

Pada racconta un fatto realmente accaduto in Kerala nel 1996. Quattro attivisti membri del movimento Ayyankali Pada tennero in ostaggio un funzionario amministrativo per dieci ore nel suo ufficio. In cambio del rilascio, chiesero al governo statale di ritirare gli emendamenti limitativi apportati alla legge del 1975 che prevedeva la restituzione alle popolazioni tribali delle terre confiscate dopo il 1960.

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'The script lands straight into the hostage situation without wasting much time for the set up. Inside, it is a relentless shift between various tense situations, giving no respite to the audience. (...) Kamal is sure of the material he is working with, be it in the political sense or the technical sense. The background research to get right the little details from that day is also evident. The fictional elements or the cinematic liberties that he takes do not take away anything from the core issue that the film raises. But what he achieves with the material has much to do with the seamless coming together of Vishnu Vijay’s music, Shan Mohammed’s editing and Sameer Tahir’s cinematography. One drawback may be the presence of too many actors who do not have a standout role, especially that of Shine Tom Chacko. (...) Pada is a sympathetic portrayal of the justified anger of the oppressed'. 

S.R. Praveen, 12.03.22

Recensione integrale

Film Companion:

'With its docu-drama treatment, the day of this protest comes alive through the minutest of details without it ever feeling dry or impersonal. This is achieved by making the film's central characters feel human and relatable, unlike the unapproachable activists/revolutionaries similar films would paint them to be. (...) It's the specificity of its writing that keeps it engaging, even when some scenes could have played like empty exposition. (...) With this deftness in treatment and a set of great performances in totality, Pada tells the story of a movement without sounding like pamphleteering'.

Vishal Menon, 15.03.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: *** 1/2

Punto di forza: regia, sceneggiatura, interpretazioni.

Punto debole: un po' asettico. Le battute suddivise equamente fra i quattro militanti sembrano frutto di un calcolo matematico - va bene la democrazia, ma possibile che nessuno di loro possa pronunciare un intero breve discorso tutto da solo? Sprecare Shine Tom Chacko mi indigna. 

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Kunchacko Boban - Rakesh

* Joju George - Aravindan

* Vinayakan - Balu

* Dileesh Pothan - Kutty

* Prakash Raj - Chief Secretary

* Arjun Radhakrishnan - collector

* Shine Tom Chacko - addetto alla sicurezza

Sceneggiatura e regia: Kamal K.M.

Colonna sonora: Vishnu Vijay

Fotografia: Sameer Thahir

Montaggio: Shan Mohammed

Lingua: malayalam

Traduzione del titolo: army

Anno: 2022

Trailer

RASSEGNA STAMPA

* An interview with ‘Pada’ filmmaker Kamal K.M., Dipankar Sarkar, Vague Visages, 11 maggio 2022:

'Can you discuss your process of writing and the extensive research that brings a raw immediacy to your screenplay? (...)

The premise of the film is based on a real event. Here, I had started my writing process during the research. I could not not write the script depending on my imagination. The research helped me to create the drama during the process of writing. So, the writing and research process were happening simultaneously. I met the real life individuals who were the principal characters of my film, and I took details from each of their personal experiences and added to the overall structure of the script. So, everybody’s perspective and memories were contributing to the script in that sense. (...) Pada is also an actual event depicted as a live reality to the audience. (...)

Could you talk about the treatment of your film?

The mise-en-scène of the film arises from my personal experience on this event that had happened in 1996 in Kerala. At that time, I was a student of journalism and curiosity left an impression on my mind. The film begins and ends with a television interview along with the documentation of the event that has happened in the history of journalism in Kerala. So, it is a kind of journalistic tribute to the incident, covering all kinds of perspectives on the theme of displacement of Adivasis in Kerala. When I was writing the screenplay, I could see that the root of this story was going from the television’s point of view to one character and then to another and another. Through this progression, the story of the film was also moving forward. That is how I had designed the treatment of the film, which is also the crux of the mise-en-scène. (...)

In Pada, the shots are composed in such a way that it depicts the grim and tense mood of the film and admirably captures the mellowed moments with ease. So, what sort of visual design did you and your cinematographer, Sameer Thahir, plan before shooting?

I had conceived the visual design of the film along with my cinematographer Sameer Thahir and my direction team. We had envisioned the entire story to enact out [and] manifest as a thriller. There should be a certain kind of curiosity amongst the viewers about what is going to happen next in the film. I wanted to underline that live experience. I wanted to communicate a certain experience in the film without the dialogues from the actors. So, me and my team tried to create it as a live experience as if we were participating in the event, which was also the crux of the visual design of the film. For me, the film is about sensitivity, and it is due to the sensitivity that the protagonist questions the system. So, the sensitivity becomes part of the spirit of the visual design. Hence I thought of creating a certain kind of solidarity and bonding with the event that is being narrated on the screen.

The editing of the film does not slacken the pace and brings a subdued sense of drama within the scenes. Share the process. (...)

We wanted to end the film in a very stark way as well, like a documentary. That was a challenge because this kind of resolution is not in vogue with the mainstream format. So, Shan [Mohammed] - with his dexterity - put together the end sequence of the film, where the music had also helped in bringing out the dramatic momentum of the film. (...)

The climax of Pada incorporates real life footage of the incident as well as the atrocities meted out to the people of the marginalized community. So, under the prevalent atmosphere of intolerance within our nation, how important do you think that a film like Pada can make us politically aware?

At present, we can feel the air of intolerance in our society, as well as [in our] nation, when we talk about the political atmosphere and its impact on cinema. Since 2014, when the new central rule has started in India, there [has been] no help [given] to filmmakers from government organizations. (...) We have a cinema culture and heritage of our country. So, today I am making a film under such a level of intolerance, and I am aware of it. So, through my film, I push this level of intolerance to a point and create a kind of discussion around the film to help our society move forward in the process. When we understand how films add to the awareness of the society, then we do not have to be afraid as a filmmaker to experiment with any content or form. There are lots of viewers out there waiting for every new expression - and if they like it, they will be in solidarity with us. History has given us many such examples'. 

BHEESHMA PARVAM

Vorrei sottolineare la perfezione e la naturalezza con cui Mammootty pronuncia le battute in questo film. Una monumentale lezione di recitazione. Mammootty parla - ovviamente in malayalam, ovviamente non capisco nulla -, ed io rimango affascinata. Dal timbro, dal tono, dall'inflessione, dalla quieta sicurezza, dalla spontaneità. Sembrano parole sue, elaborate al momento e non in prestito da un copione scritto da altri. 

Mammootty è il faro luminoso di Bheeshma Parvam, ma non è onnipresente. La sceneggiatura e la regia concedono spazio e rilievo ad un nugolo di personaggi minori, interpretati da un cast impeccabile (Shine Tom Chacko vola altissimo), le cui vicende si intrecciano fra loro creando una complessa rete di relazioni. E le relazioni sono molto articolate, rispetto ad una trama al contrario abbastanza semplice. In BP contano più le persone - e le dinamiche dei rapporti - delle loro azioni. Contano le conversazioni (condotte come se non ci fosse un pubblico in sala ad ascoltarle), le aspirazioni, gli errori. BP, nel raccontare la storia di una (brutta) famiglia, illustra una mentalità distorta. La tela familiare racchiude i personaggi in una sorta di prigione dorata, privandoli di qualsiasi forma di autonomia, anche e soprattutto morale. Nessuno discute i metodi criminosi adottati dalla famiglia, nemmeno i giovani. Nessuno desidera una vita al di fuori di essa. L'illegalità è la normalità. 

La sceneggiatura è a tratti davvero ottima, supportata da una regia professionale. La narrazione nel primo tempo è poco fluida, perché la trama è sostituita dalla presentazione dei numerosi personaggi, dalle loro interazioni, dalla rappresentazione di una serie di dettagli che ne costituiscono la quotidianità. Poi, gradualmente, la storia prende piede; la pellicola perde in raffinatezza e guadagna in ritmo. Ma verso la fine qualcosa si inceppa, la sceneggiatura si sfilaccia (per fortuna la regia e le interpretazioni compensano), l'esito è frettoloso.

Nel complesso BP è un buon esempio di film di intrattenimento scritto e realizzato con cura, coinvolgente malgrado la prevedibilità. Testimonia che è possibile offrire anche solo intrattenimento puro senza rinunciare alla qualità, che è possibile conficcare un eroe nella mente dello spettatore senza eccedere nel glorificarlo. BP è il soddisfacente risultato di un lavoro di gruppo eseguito con serietà e maestria. 

  

TRAMA

Michael ha lasciato la fidanzata e interrotto gli studi universitari per vendicare l'omicidio del fratello maggiore. Il padre lo nomina capoclan della potente famiglia. Siamo negli anni ottanta del secolo scorso. Michael è rispettato da alcuni, odiato da altri, temuto da tutti. Gestisce affari e relazioni con severità, seguendo un suo codice di giustizia. Questo genera un certo malcontento fra coloro che vorrebbero sfruttare il patrimonio e il potere della famiglia per scopi personali. Un fratello, due nipoti e due cognati commettono l'errore di coalizzarsi contro di lui.

ASSOLUTAMENTE DA NON PERDERE

* La sequenza della coreografia sul set: Peter, nipote di Michael e produttore di un film, mostra un passo di danza di sua invenzione allo sconcertato attore. Indimenticabile.

LA BATTUTA MIGLIORE

* Una signora anziana guarda deliziata Terminator, e, rivolta a Michael: Perché non compri uno di questi? Dieci secondi, lavoro finito.

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'Building an aura of power and dread around someone is often more about what the person does not do, than what he or she does, despite having all the ability to do it. In Bheeshma Parvam, the protagonist Michael (Mammootty), a local don, does not do much. He fights on his own only twice in the film, which are the few times he even gets outside of his home. Yet at no point do we get a sense that this is someone incapable of hitting back. (...) The script (...) ensures that the all-powerful don is just one of the elements of the film, with most other characters having an identity of their own. (...) All these characters still do not help paper over the fact that much of the basic story lacks any novelty. The simmering discontent within his home, and a man waiting to take revenge for Michael's actions in the past come together to haunt him; but knowing the pattern of such films, we certainly know how it will turn out. Until the last half an hour, Amal [Neerad] builds the film and Michael's character patiently in an unhurried pace that the audience can't be blamed for expecting it all to burst out like a dam towards the end. But this build-up kind of fizzles out towards the end, in what turns out to be a rather tame and hurried climax. Recreating 1980s nostalgia on screen has ceased to surprise us, but the production design here is worth lauding and justifies the setting during that period. Sushin Shyam’s background score adds quite a lot to the impact in some key sequences. In Bheeshma Parvam, Amal Neerad makes up for the lack of novelty in the story with style and some solid characters'.

S.R. Praveen, 03.03.22

Recensione integrale

Firstpost: ** 1/2

'At one level, Bheeshma Parvam feels like a generic tale of familial strife and a Godfather-like presiding deity. (...) What distinguishes it from the crowd of films aspiring to achieve that scale and richness is the potpourri of religious and ethnic communities in the narrative. This is both Bheeshma Parvam’s selling point and its Achilles heel. (...) Amal Neerad has a good concept but is unable to dig deep. (...)  Bheeshma Parvam places a spotlight on anti-Muslim sentiment among Malayali Christians, indicts the community for continuing to recognise caste although Christianity itself does not, and highlights the potential for Christian-Muslim amity in the midst of prejudice. (...) Amal Neerad and Devadath Shaji’s writing does not have the intellectual capacity to take the point any further than these basics though, and their representation of various communities ends up being simplistic and unintelligent. The beauty of most Malayalam cinema these days is that the representation of religious minorities is so rampant, and Muslims and Christians are normalised to such a degree that their presence in a film is no longer worthy of comment. In Bheeshma Parvam though, religious and ethnic identities are heavily emphasised through dialogue and symbols. And this is the sum total of the portrayals: there are only a handful of Hindus in the script and every single one of them is a vendetta-seeking villain; the Christians range from good (...) to outright evil; (...) meanwhile, the sole Tamilian in the story is involved in murder conspiracies, hits his wife and sleeps around; and all the Muslim characters are loyal, loving and loveable. Negative stereotyping in cinema tends to get noticed more than positive othering, but the latter too is dangerous since it indicates over-compensation for deep-seated prejudice pervading a society. We have seen this in north Indian cinema, with pre-1990s Hindi films dominated by saintly, all-sacrificing Muslims, giving way to subtle villainising in the following two decades and, in recent years, a steady stream of overt, unabashed Islamophobia on the Hindi screen. The all-good Muslims of Bheeshma Parvam indicate the writers’ failure or unwillingness to recognise that fair representation does not require misrepresentation. If you are not too keen to exercise your grey cells, however, there is enough happening between the several players in Bheeshma Parvam at a sufficiently engaging pace and enough interesting actors on screen at all times to make this a passable entertainer. Mammootty’s star presence looms large over the cast (...) yet The Big M does not monopolise this narrative. Far from it. Several members of this massive ensemble cast (...) get enough space to shine at different moments. (...) Bheeshma Parvam resides somewhere on the cusp between the Malayalam New New Wave that has taken India by storm during the pandemic and the conventional commercial cinema that continues to get an audience in Kerala. The film’s fight scenes are stylised, yet not repugnantly bloody and in-your-face. The leading man is lionised, but not to a nauseous extent. Women are given some space, but the action is entirely in the hands of men. It is a polished production, but not distractingly glossy. If I had to pick a category, I’d put Bheeshma Parvam in the not-bad-not-great slot. It’s okay'. 

Anna M.M. Vetticad, 03.03.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: *** 1/2

Punto di forza: sceneggiatura, Mammootty (in larga parte misurato), cast, regia.

Punto debole: soggetto non inedito; andamento intermittente della narrazione (primo tempo statico, secondo tempo affrettato verso la fine).

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Mammootty - Michael

* Shine Tom Chacko - Peter, nipote di Michael

* Soubin Shahir - Ajas

* Sreenath Bhasi - Ami, fratello di Ajas

Regia: Amal Neerad

Sceneggiatura: Amal Neerad, Devadath Shaji, Ravisankar

Colonna sonora: Sushin Shyam. La colonna sonora è interessante. Segnalo il brano Be Notorious, il più originale. Rathipushpam, visualizzato da Ramzan Muhammed, riprende le sonorità tipiche degli anni ottanta, ed è una chicca per gli amanti del genere. Parudeesa, interpretato da Sreenath Bhasi, dal ritmo latino, accolto con grande entusiasmo in India, non mi ha particolarmente colpito (ma si lascia ascoltare). 

Fotografia: Anend C. Chandran

Montaggio: Vivek Harshan

Lingua: malayalam

Traduzione del titolo: The Book of Bheeshma; Bhishma è un personaggio del Mahābhārata.

Anno: 2022

Trailer

CURIOSITÀ

* Amal Neerad non è solo un regista, è anche il direttore della fotografia del magnifico Trance.

* Riferimenti all'Italia: Sonia Gandhi.

* Film che trattano lo stesso tema: Sarkar.

V E Y I L

Un certo tipo di cinema in lingua malayalam ti colpisce dritto al cuore. Al di là delle eventuali lacune nella sceneggiatura, della prolissità nella narrazione, delle reiterazioni di soggetto o formula, ti colpisce comunque dritto al cuore. È un cinema emotivo, sorretto da interpretazioni interiorizzate e da registi appassionati. Non sempre esaltante, mai freddo. Racconta vicende personali, conflitti familiari, esperienze anche dolorose, dilemmi morali. I personaggi sembrano spenti perché taciturni e introversi, riflessivi, spesso tormentati.

Veyil rientra a pieno titolo nella categoria. Siddhu, un giovane fragile e rabbioso, cerca la sua strada e sfiora il crimine, oscilla fra un disperato desiderio di essere accettato e impeti irrazionali di aggressività. La sceneggiatura è fitta ma un po' confusa. Il perno narrativo è l'aggrovigliato rapporto madre-figlio, da cui si dipanano a ventaglio le altre sottotrame - interessante l'esito della storia d'amore. Veyil si sforza di mostrare tutti gli aspetti in gioco. Siddhu, infelice e prigioniero di se stesso, non è conficcato artificialmente in uno scenario: il suo passato, il suo bagaglio personale, le sue relazioni affettive e il suo quadro psicologico sono delineati con cura. È completo nelle sue insicurezze e nella sua traiettoria di evoluzioni e involuzioni. La sua formazione passa in secondo piano rispetto alla caratterizzazione del personaggio: chi era? chi è? come lo è diventato?

Il cast è ottimo, in particolare Shane Nigam, attore la cui sensibilità ben si addice al vulnerabile Siddhu. Sarath Menon, regista e sceneggiatore, è ispirato e complice. Pur con qualche esitazione e qualche incertezza di troppo nel ritmo, si percepisce l'impegno che ha profuso in questa sua comunque apprezzabile opera prima. 

TRAMA

Siddhu è uno studente ripetente e svogliato. La madre lo tratta con durezza e preferisce interagire con Karthi, il giudizioso figlio minore. Siddhu si addolcisce solo con Shruti, la ragazza che ama. A mano a mano che la trama si snoda, la storia e i personaggi si approfondiscono, e vengono al pettine molti nodi che indurranno Siddhu ad allontanarsi dal suo ambiente e a commettere errori. 

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'Certain elements of Veyil are well-executed, but a dullness creeps in in between. Veyil can be quite a strange title for a film when there is hardly a ray of light in the life of its protagonist. But then, it could also be a reference to the harsh rays that drain the life out of plants, leaving them dry, and the earth parched. (...) Sarath [Menon] uses the material in multiple ways, to look at the internal friction within the family, (...) and his slow descent into criminality. The latter is one of the things that the film gets right. Just like Siddharth [il protagonista], the audience too might find it hard to identify the exact point where he takes the turn to the dark side, although finding the reasons for the same can be easier. It also goes with the nature of the script, which is vague in parts, leaving quite a few things unsaid and labouring needlessly over the things that are somewhat clear. (...) The script, even while focussing on Siddharth, gives almost equal importance and character to those around. (...) One of the downers for the film is a certain dullness to the proceedings, which cannot be explained away just by the kind of theme it is dealing with. Ironically, some of the darkest events in the film, especially the key event involving Siddharth’s brother and a mentally challenged relative of theirs, appear as the brightest spots, due to their execution. Veyil has some well-written, well-executed passages, one cannot but wish for some level of trimming and a bit more of coherence'.

S.R. Praveen, 25.02.22

Recensione integrale

Film Companion:

'The film's dream-quality makes Veyil both a difficult and a special film to experience. (...) This style of writing adds a layer of melancholy and an honesty to the retelling of what's essentially a balance-sheet of good deeds versus regrets. (...) It essentially wants to be one thing - a story of brotherhood. (...) Veyil (...) develops into a tragic coming of age story where there are no miraculous escape from reality. (...) Veyil remains a poignant and painful journey about growing up and growing apart'.

Vishal Menon, 01.03.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: *** 1/2

Punto di forza: sceneggiatura introspettiva e articolata, atmosfera intima, Shane Nigam e il resto del cast.

Punto debole: a tratti la lentezza. Avrei preferito una durata minore.

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Shane Nigam - Siddhu

* Saed Imran - Karthi, fratello di Siddhu

* Merin Jose Pottackal - Merin, amico di Siddhu     

* Sreerekha - madre di Siddhu e Karthi

* Sona Olickal - Shruti, fidanzata di Siddhu

* Shine Tom Chacko - Jomy, parente di Shruti

Sceneggiatura e regia: Sarath Menon, al suo debutto

Colonna sonora: Pradeep Kumar, Jango, Pranavam Sasi. Freschissimo il brano The Hey Song.

Fotografia: Shaz Mohammed

Montaggio: Praveen Prabhakar

Lingua: malayalam

Traduzione del titolo: sunlight

Anno: 2022

Trailer

RASSEGNA STAMPA

* I am happy and satisfied with Shane Nigam's performance, Silpa Rajan, The Times of India, 13 luglio 2020:

'Films were always a fascinating experience for Sarath Menon, even during his Qatar days, where he was working as a sales manager. He was a member of the Doha Film Institute and a short film contest they conducted changed Menon’s life. He was so naive and hardly knew how to craft a script. But he put together what he knew and sent it to the contest. “Luckily my script was selected and they sent me to Uganda, at Mira Nair’s institute. I attended a workshop on screenwriting for a month and that’s how I started to take cinema seriously,” the debutant director said, describing his journey through the wonders of filmmaking. After arriving in Kerala, Sarath focused on his passion for movies and he has also been an assistant to Lijo Jose Pellissery in his movies ‘Angamaly Diaries’ and ‘Ee. Ma. Yau’. (...)

Speaking about the film, the filmmaker tells us that it is a family drama, which discusses a complex issue. “The movie takes the audience through two years in a person’s life. ‘Veyil’ talks about the politics of ‘point of view’ (perspectives). For instance, what I think is right, would be a much more personalized thought. What I believe is right might be wrong for someone else, and vice versa. We are trying to convey the same idea through the project. Shane Nigam is essaying the lead character Sidharth in the movie. The whole film travels through Shane’s character. For a person, his last year of academics and the coming year will be one of the crucial ones and the turning point of life. We will discuss this. Also, the movie will portray the bonds within a family, the relationship between siblings, the egos they have in between, and much more. ‘Veyil’ will also have some thrilling moments,” the director added explaining what the movie is about to offer. When asked about how was it directing Shane Nigam, one of the finest young talents in the industry, Sarath Menon said, “He has given his best. I am happy and satisfied with Shane Nigam’s performance.”

CURIOSITÀ

* Riferimenti al cinema indiano: Deepika Padukone, Om Shanti Om, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Taapsee Pannu.

* Riferimenti all'Italia: un personaggio si chiama Stella.

* Film che trattano lo stesso tema: Kumbalangi Nights.

NARADAN

L'intenzione è lodevolissima: Naradan mostra senza mezzi termini l'opportunismo criminale e la dubbia professionalità di cui si macchia una certa frangia dell'informazione televisiva. In India, ci vuole coraggio a dirigere - e interpretare - un film come Naradan, infischiandosene del rischio di venire pubblicamente triturati da quei baroni dei media con la coda di paglia. 

Premesso ciò, Naradan non convince fino in fondo, soprattutto perché privo di una sceneggiatura coerente. La prima parte è una cronaca realistica della deprimente quotidianità di un gruppo di giornalisti. La seconda, più patinata, anticipata da un breve passaggio a dir poco paradossale, è il nocciolo della storia: l'ascesa di Chandraprakash, spregevole e amorale conduttore di programmi di informazione - qui Naradan sfodera l'artiglieria pesante, nessuna misericordia nei confronti del protagonista. A seguire una terza parte, non necessaria e con set inspiegabilmente spartani, nella quale la pellicola vira verso il genere giudiziario, con un finale consolatorio ma posticcio. 

Le tre parti sono slegate fra loro, mal combinate, la narrazione non è fluida, la regia manca di lucidità e di visione generale. Naradan non è una satira, e non è abbastanza incisivo per un tradizionale film di denuncia, sembra si collochi nel mezzo, ma questa incertezza ne mina la serietà. Naradan si limita ad illustrarci il ristretto ambiente dei media, tratteggia in modo superficiale la sfera interiore del protagonista, e trascura il contesto sociale e politico che favorisce il suo successo in termini di ascolti. L'involuzione di Chandraprakash risulta implausibile, le motivazioni deboli. 

Tovino Thomas è indaffarato nel dar vita alle diverse sfumature di Chandraprakash, con esiti non sempre precisi. In alcuni punti la sua interpretazione andava affilata. La sceneggiatura dispersiva non gli è stata d'aiuto. Anna Ben è un magnifico regalo offerto dall'industria in lingua malayalam al cinema indiano, un'adorabile giovane attrice baciata da un talento fresco e spontaneo.

TRAMA

Chandraprakash è il fiore all'occhiello di News Malayalam, il più importante canale televisivo di informazione in Kerala. Ma il suo entusiasmo si sta appannando, e i canali concorrenti ne traggono vantaggio per rosicchiare ascolti. Durante un breve congedo, Chandraprakash viene inaspettatamente sostituito da un collega più giovane, e decide quindi di dimettersi. Una cordata di investitori intenzionati ad accaparrarsi una fetta dei sostanziosi introiti pubblicitari, coinvolge Chandraprakash nel progetto di una nuova rete. Nasce così Narada News. E nasce - rinasce - CP, versione aggiornata e priva di scrupoli di Chandraprakash.

RECENSIONI

The Hindu:

'In Naradan, Aashiq Abu hardly ever employs satire. The script by Unni R. is as direct as it can get, drawing on recent happenings from the political and media landscape in the State as well as outside, to tell the compelling story of the rise of an unethical media anchor. (...) It is much to Tovino Thomas’s credit that he is ready to take up characters that are not likeable. (...) Chandraprakash is even repulsive at many points. His hectoring style of anchoring, cutting off panelists midway and misinterpreting their words to serve his purpose, is reminiscent of many contemporary anchors. It is the transformation in Chandraprakash’s character which becomes one of the high points of the film. (...) Aashiq Abu uses Naradan to invert the power equations of the newsroom studio, to put on trial the style of journalism promoted by sections of the visual media in recent years. The script points at the inherent voyeurism, the moral judgements and the conservative mindsets of the self-anointed judges in newsrooms. Though many of the scenes are set around tiring news debates and voyeuristic reporting, it makes for engaging drama in the film. Some parts, especially that of a rapper confronting the anchor in a live video, seems to have been drawn from happenings in the national media, just like a part of the anchor’s character. A good part of the hour leading up to the climax has been structured as a court-room drama, with some solid performances from Indrans, as the judge who is not easily swayed, and from Anna Ben, as a lawyer. Although the arguments justifying media gags in some cases can be misused by some elements, as has happened in recent years, the court arguments also raise valid questions on what constitutes public interest journalism. The two rap songs add to the general idea and spirit of the film. Naradan is a stinging critique of the rot that has taken over at least a section of the visual media, which revolves almost completely around ratings'.

S.R. Praveen, 03.03.22

Recensione integrale

Film Companion:

'It reveals an unsanitized and unromantic look at a profession that was either portrayed as too glamorous or too caricaturish. (...) The effort here is to give us an authentic tour of the newsroom and what the pressures of TRPs [Television Rating Point] do to its foot soldiers. (...) Naradan oscillates between realism and satire. (...) Despite the relevance of the themes discussed here, (...) one can feel the cracks in the storyline. It's like the film we see is the result of an earlier draft without the necessary rewrites to make it cohere. (...) Even the consciously OTT performances of both Tovino [Thomas] and Sharaf [U Dheen] (...) does not fit with either the realistic or the satirical pitch. And that's what becomes even more confusing when it eventually abandons the newsroom for the courtroom. (...) Why do the courtroom scenes look and feel so basic? (...) With this confusion in tone and texture and with incomplete characters (...) Naradan is a bit all over the place even though one agrees and values everything it wants to say. (...) Naradan lacks the subtlety to work either as a complex drama about a man's descent into darkness specifically or to be an expose of the media business in general'.

Vishal Menon, 04.03.22

Recensione integrale

Cinema Hindi: ***

Punto di forza: il soggetto (****), le intenzioni, l'audacia.

Punto debole: sceneggiatura poco focalizzata, incompleta.

SCHEDA DEL FILM

Cast:

* Tovino Thomas - Chandraprakash, giornalista televisivo

* Sharaf U Dheen - Pradeep, giornalista televisivo

* Anna Ben - Shakira, avvocatessa

* Indrans - giudice

Regia: Aashiq Abu

Sceneggiatura: Unni R.

Colonna sonora: Sekhar Menon, Fejo, Manchild

Lingua: malayalam

Traduzione del titolo: Aashiq Abu spiega: 'There are layers to Naradan from the Puranas. Firstly that he was the first messenger and secondly he was some kind of a troublemaker who cooked something between the news he carried'.

Anno: 2022

Trailer

RASSEGNA STAMPA

* Director Aashiq Abu and actor Tovino Thomas talk about their film Naradan, Jitesh Pillaai, Filmfare, 10 marzo 2022:

'The word Naradan is generally used for a mischief-maker. Is that the film all about?

Aashiq: There are layers to Naradan from the Puranas. Firstly that he was the first messenger and secondly he was some kind of a troublemaker who cooked something between the news he carried. Yes, some negative and some positive connotations are there for this Naradan.

Tovino: As Aashiq said when we hear the word Naradan we get two pictures, one of a troublemaker and one of a messenger who delivers news. Definitely a messenger, but one who doesn’t follow ethics, so yes a troublemaker!

Have you modelled yourself on any newsperson?

Tovino: The first thing we decided was not to take direct inspiration or imitate anyone because our character is fictional, our premise is fictional and the media channel we are showing in this movie is also fictional. We have taken references to be in that template so that when people watch him they feel that they are watching a newsreader. It’s a story and a fictional character but you can find relatable incidents. Besides talking about what’s happening behind the newsroom, the pressures a media person has and how they deal with competition from the other channels, there is a lot more in the film. (...)

Aashiq when you set out to write Naradan a story against a media backdrop and how people manage their TRPs and pump up the volume, was there anything else you wanted to say through this movie?

Aashiq: Initially I was just curious about the life of a television journalist who conducted a prime time debate and was actually a performer. I wanted to know after performing for one hour what his life was like when he got back home. I started getting curious about this character. I spoke to Unni who was one of the leading journalists when Kerala started the Malayalam news telecast. He had left his job and joined cinema. So I thought he was the man to know exactly what was happening behind the camera and in newsrooms. That was actually the trigger point. Then I started following the stories which were with Unni R. It was a very fast process to model this character Chandraprakash. (...)

Often an actor reveals his vulnerability to the director. Is it easier for you, Tovino, to reveal your vulnerability to Aashiq than to other directors?

Tovino: We have worked together and I know his working style so it's easy for me to reveal my vulnerability to him. Also, I am someone who is not ashamed that I am vulnerable. I am not perfect and I have a lot of imperfections I am working on. Initially, when one line of Naradan was narrated to me the concern I had was that being from Thrissur I speak very fast and so can omit a few words. But I could not take that liberty when I was doing this particular character. (...) My character in Naradan was that of a performer. I was concerned because I hadn’t done a character like that before and I knew I had to work a lot on my diction and other things. But when I mentioned it to Aashiq sir, he told me not to worry. From then on him and his writer Udiya kept on sending me references and giving me inputs on minor details about the character. Like I had to grow my nails a bit. I am a left-hander but in the movie, I am a right-hander. In real life, I move my right hand a lot and in this movie, I use my left hand a lot more. They knew this vulnerability and they knew I would try hard and work on it. By the time we started shooting it was no longer a concern. Then I kept on reading books loudly with proper diction. And Udiya always kept correcting. So with their help, I pushed my limits and I succeeded. 

Aashiq, (...) how much have your writers contributed to Naradan? (...)

Unni is a fast writer. He writes on a daily basis and it’s a routine. So usually he finishes the screenplay in a month. For this movie, he was working till the final output as he was constantly changing and correcting things. Also, this is the biggest dialogue movie I have ever directed. Everyone is talking to each other. It was a huge responsibility of the writer to be accurate with facts because we were talking on a subject related to the truth so the writing department had to be very careful. And I am giving Unni full credit for the screenplay. (...)

Pandemic has taught us uncertainty. Has that changed you as (...) an actor?

Tovino: For me, it was a much-needed break. From April 2016 (...) to 2019 June 30th, I was working continuously without a break. I did around 25 movies in those three years. So I got time to spend with my family. My wife was pregnant and I could sit with her for three months before the delivery and three months after the delivery and even change my kid’s diapers. I also got some ‘me’ time. When we are working we are part of the rat race and don’t get time to think when we don’t think or ask ourselves questions. During the lockdown, I could ask myself a lot of questions. I also got time to read. I like to read when I am the only person in the room! So I would be up till 4 in the morning and had the liberty to wake up around 1.30 or so. I relaxed because I knew everyone else in the world was sitting doing nothing. All this helped me evolve as a better human being and also as an actor because the experiences I had during the lockdown and after lockdown were reflected in my future movies. I consider that time as the turning point in my career and life. Workwise I wanted to do movies which gave me satisfaction and not just make money. The movies which I did after the lockdown (...) are very different from each other'.

CURIOSITÀ

* Il protagonista prende chiaramente spunto dal giornalista televisivo Arnab Goswami. A Mumbai, nel 2017, Goswami contribuisce alla fondazione di Republic TV, di cui oggi è proprietario della quasi totalità delle quote, nonché il volto più noto. In precedenza Goswami aveva lavorato per The Telegraph e per NDTV, ed era stato caporedattore di Times Now. Republic TV è un canale televisivo gratuito di informazione in lingua inglese, vicino agli ambienti della destra hindu nazionalista. Al canale in inglese si sono poi affiancati un canale in lingua hindi e uno in lingua bengali. Goswami e in generale Republic TV sono stati più volte accusati di faziosità, discriminazione nei confronti dei musulmani, manipolazione emotiva, sensazionalismo, diffusione di notizie false, incremento fraudolento dei dati di ascolto. Goswami è considerato dai suoi detrattori la sintesi di un giornalismo aggressivo, urlato, chiassoso, scandalistico e bigotto. Republic TV ha collezionato una serie di denunce per diffamazione e istigazione all'odio interreligioso. Fonte Wikipedia.

* Film che trattano lo stesso tema: Rann.