‘Aviyal’ movie review: A muddled coming-of-age drama

A protagonist’s evolution may be resulting from numerous components, however going by among the current motion pictures with coming-of-age themes, it occurs primarily resulting from a collection of relationships.

In Shanil Muhammed’s Aviyal too, that doesn’t change a lot with the script specializing in 4 phases from the lifetime of the protagonist Krishnan, every representing a unique relationship.

The movie is structured as a dialog between musician Krishnan (Joju George) and his daughter (Anaswara Rajan). To console the daughter who’s down and out after a break-up, he begins recounting occasions from his life on the drive again residence. Though one can’t be certain whether or not he supposed these as life classes (for many of it sound like cautionary tales), the daughter, to her credit score, does go some deservedly harsh judgements on her father’s previous conduct.

The duo has largely a cameo look, with debutant Sirajudeen Nazar making his presence felt as Krishnan, present process convincing transformations by way of the 4 phases of his life. The newcomer’s efficiency and transformations, from a faculty boy to a lazy faculty pupil to a drug-addicted rock musician to a drunkard who turns into a burden for his spouse, are among the few positives of the movie. He has pulled off a task that seasoned actors would dream of, bringing about full adjustments in physique language to replicate his progress.

However this time-consuming effort isn’t backed by some strong writing that might have gone a good distance in direction of elevating the movie. Shanil Muhammed, who wrote and co-directed the pleasant ‘Philips And The Monkey Pen’, makes a patchy effort right here along with his pen. He has written some convincing preliminary parts, when the protagonist is in school and faculty, however the script turns into fairly muddled and shallow, mockingly because the protagonist grows up. The 4 ladies in these 4 phases, besides one, don’t even have a lot scope for efficiency.

It’s commendable that Krishnan isn’t proven in a constructive gentle all by way of, though he’s narrating his life story to his daughter, however it might appear there’s nothing else to his life besides the few ladies whom he got here throughout.

For a musician, even the music turns into a sideshow, used virtually all the time within the film as means for Krishnan to impress ladies. That would probably be why they forgot to refill the blanks ultimately, to inform us how he turned the level-headed musician that he’s now. The section of his life that showcases him as a drowned-in-drugs rock musician in Goa additionally turns into the weakest hyperlink of the movie.

Aviyal’s narrative, exhibiting the transformation of a younger harmless boy right into a decadent, angsty youth on the best way to develop into a sober grownup, takes a well-recognized route. Solely components of that life story attraction to us, whereas the absence of an impactful occasion stays as a downer.

Aviyal is presently operating in theatres