Pathonpatham Noottandu movie review: A package with some punch, despite its failings

Massive finances, larger-than-life cinema from the South has been making the waves throughout the nation lately. In comparison with these, Vinayan’s Pathonpatham Noottandu could also be smaller in finances, scale and ambition, however the two protagonists that the movie holds up are a pointy distinction to the heroes of these greater movies, who proudly showcase their poisonous masculinity.

Route: Vinayan

Starring: Siju Wilson, Kayadu Lohar, Chemban Vinod Jose, Anoop Menon, Sudev Nair

One is Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker (Siju Wilson), the 18th century social reformer who fought for the rights of decrease caste girls to put on higher garments and ornaments and constructed a temple the place individuals of all castes may worship. Nangeli (Kayadu Lohar), the opposite, is believed to have reduce off her breasts in protest in opposition to the practise of levying breast tax in erstwhile Travancore. With these two personalities as his peg, Vinayan makes an attempt to painting a bigger image of the atrocities that the decrease castes needed to undergo in nineteenth century Kerala.

With historic information of the interval being minimal, the filmmaker, who has additionally written the script, has taken fairly a couple of liberties in bringing in fictional parts to replenish the gaps. However the determination to put Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker on the centre is laudable, for he stays an ignored determine in in style tradition regardless of the pioneering position he performed in questioning regressive practices. The truth that he was additionally a wealthy service provider additionally helped him on this endeavour, and in gaining the assist of the ruler of that point. Siju Wilson’s transformation from a neighbourhood boy to a formidable warrior in manner and physique is among the highlights of the movie.

The one noticeable, and disappointing, shift from in style myths is the extremely damaging portrayal of Kayamkulam Kochunni (Chemban Vinod Jose), the Robinhood-like thief, who’s proven as showering the poor with goodies solely to cover his wrongdoings. The well-conceived motion sequences are one of many mainstays of the movie, regardless of the over-reliance on slow-motion. The larger finances at his disposal this time appears to have enabled Vinayan to realize one thing nearer to his imaginative and prescient in manufacturing design too.

The script, because of the intent to speak in regards to the many atrocities of the interval, lacks focus at occasions as a consequence of which a few of the sufferings fail to maneuver the viewers. Though the narrative stays participating for many components, evidently the eye was extra on the motion sequences somewhat than the script, which has fairly a couple of one-dimensional characters. The digital camera’s gaze in the direction of girls is problematic at occasions, particularly contemplating the topics that the movie is tackling. Even Nangeli doesn’t escape this gaze.

There would definitely be debates on the quantity of fiction in Pathonpatham Noottandu, however the movie does an essential job in putting the troubling historical past of the interval within the mainstream, at a time when regressive practices are hailed within the identify of ‘custom’, a phrase the movie mocks successfully. Regardless of its failings, it packs a punch and stands a notch above a few of the overhyped interval movies from the Malayalam trade lately.