11. PADAVETTU (2022)

 

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Political Thriller/Drama

Padavettu, a sociopolitical drama directed by Liju Krishna, not only addresses the cunning games played by political parties to gain power, but also contains the redemption arc of a young apolitical idle mind 'Ravi,' brilliantly played by Nivin Pauly. When we first meet Ravi, the director focuses on his mundane and pointless routines, which do not complement his true self; otherwise, he himself is unaware of his true politics. Ravi is depicted as wallowing in his glorious past, unable to move on from a trauma. 

He is shown as dealing with internal difficulties, and the filmmaker takes his time to show off Ravi's personal struggles in the right way. His salvation occurs when outside politics begin to influence his life, calling into question his own integrity and existence. From that point on, his suffocating internal grim finds a purpose and manifests itself as his outside battles.Overall, the film discusses the importance of having a personal politics and how it can defend other external interferences. 

The film is technically brilliant and possesses both cinematic and realistic qualities. The actors in the film did an outstanding job, with all of them being organic and suited to their roles; however, Shammi Thilakan and Remya Suresh stole the show. Despite being the female lead, Aditi Balan had little to do; however, her character contributes to the film's overall political statement. Furthermore, Govind Vasantha's electrifying background score elevates the overall ethos of Padavettu, making it one of his finest works to date. The director, also demonstrates an effective imagery and symbolism use without becoming overbearing.

The movie only picks up steam after the intermission, which may be a problem for a spectator who is not ready to invest his cerebral capacity but demands constant adrenaline rush. Even after the film switches gears, the overall development is still quite rocky.

Given the current dichotomy, Padavettu might be more appealing to the OTT audience, yet the technical prowess and politics that the film explores necessitate seeing it in a theatre. And Padavettu is the answer to the audience's criticisms that movies like Karnan, which make earthy and symbolic political statements, are not made in Mollywood.

My Opinion- Good.. This movie deserves more attention !!!