Wednesday Sep 17 2008, Trivendrum

Review- ‘Thalappavu'

Directed by - Madhupal

Produced by - ‘Silver Jubilee Star’ Mohan

Music by - Alex Paul

Casts - Prithviraj, Lal, Dhanya Mary, Rohini, Atul Kulkarni, Manianpillai Raju, Sreejith Ravi, Sudheer Karamana, Jagathy Sreekumar, Sharanya, Gayathri etc.

Banner - Civic Cinemas

Actor-director Madhupal makes an impressive directorial debut with ‘Thalappavu’, a film that’s intended to make us sit up and do a bit of self-introspection.‘Thalappavu’ shuttles between the past (the 1970’s) and the present, making lots of comments on the changes that have made us insensitive to things around us.The narrative, which carefully connects the past to the present, is the highlight of the movie, to a very great extent.Raveendran Pillai (Lal), a retired police constable, is filled with remorse and dejection when he looks back into the past.He remembers how his superiors had forced him to shoot and kill the young Joseph (Prithviraj), a young naxalite who was arrested and assaulted badly by the cops.

And from there, Raveendran Pillai’s memories go a bit back and he remembers how he had come across young Joseph for the first time during a bus journey.Joseph’s rebellious nature had impressed him a lot.The second time Raveendran Pillai came face to face with Joseph was when the latter and his accomplices stormed the police station in Wyanad where Raveendran Pillai was posted.And this time, Raveendran Pillai sought refuge behind a cupboard and saw with frightened eyes the revolutionary fervor in the eyes of Joseph and his friends.And then Raveendran Pillai got the chance to get closer to Joseph and understand his motives, his social commitment and his selfless nature.

All this is presented as part of the confessional statements that the old Raveendran Pillai, now left all alone in life, makes during a television interview and also as part of his recollections, made while sitting all alone in his house.Raveendran Pillai also remembers how he had taken to drinking out of remorse for what he had done to Joseph and how his wife Karthyayani (Rohini) had left him along with their children, suspecting him of having an affair with his childhood sweetheart Saramma (Dhanya Mary), who he had met during his stay in Wyanad.All this moves on to a very natural culmination in the climax, which is shown as developing out of what all had happened in the past.     Lal fits into the role of Raveendran Pillai perfectly well and he portrays the different stages in the life of his character excellently well, portraying the gamut of emotions that the character passes through in a very sensitive manner.Prithviraj gives a very controlled performance as Joseph and once again proves that he is an actor of substance and not just star material.

Atul Kulkarni, who plays a typical landlord named Krishnadeva Saiver, is good.Dhanya Mary deserves special mention for her portrayal of the character of Saramma, especially since she got to portray emotions of all shades- first as a romantic school girl with dreamy eyes, then as a housewife who accompanies her husband to Wyanad in search of a living, then as a woman who is exploited in all ways by Krishnadeva Saiver and then as someone who teams up with the rebellious naxalites.Cinematographer Azhagappan has done his best in recreating the aura of the 1970’s as well as the atmosphere of the present age with all perfection.All the other technicians too have done their respective jobs perfectly well and that accounts for the film’s eloquence.Of course ‘Thalappavu’ waxes eloquent on issues that touch our lives; and the ones who deserve the credit for this mainly are the director Madhupal and the scenarist Babu Janardhanan.

They have taken care to see that the film is much more than a mere documentation of things.They have very tactfully brought in the character of Joseph as following (as a spirit) Raveendran Pillai even in the present and making comments, asking questions etc.And there are scenes that stand out as sensitive and touching.And the way the film ends, it too deserves special mention.But still, on a rather cynical note, it can be said that the subject that Madhupal, Babu Janardhanan and their team had chosen had immense scope for a movie and it seems that they haven’t been able to tap it fully well.

Don’t we feel that ‘Thalappavu’ could have been made even better? Better go watch the movie and ponder on that.Anyway, the film is not at all a let-down for those who like films with substance.