Pulimada movie review: Joju George film is saved by the performances, while its script tries to drag it down – The Indian Express

Amidst this turmoil, Vincent encounters a Tamil vacationer named Mahishmati (Aishwarya Rajesh), who’s stranded within the forest because of her automotive breaking down. Vincent chooses to escort her dwelling, ostensibly to offer her shelter for the night time, however in actuality to get an evening of delight, with or with out her consent, a need that had been snatched away from him.

Though Pulimada begins as a drama, it rapidly diverges from the standard Malayalam drama when Vincent consults a psychologist because of persistent fears. He confides within the psychologist about his mom’s unjust confinement, wrongly labelled as mentally unstable by these round her. He additionally expresses issues that individuals consider madness runs in households and worries he is likely to be prone, echoing the central theme of Sibi Malayil’s 1987 traditional Thaniyavarthanam.

Watch Pulimada trailer right here:

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Pulimada additionally portrays Vincent as a traditionalist who opposes his associate getting a job, and prefers her to be a stay-at-home spouse, caring for him and their future youngsters, of their ancestral home located on a hillock close to a forest in Wayanad. Because the story unfolds, it step by step establishes Vincent’s anticipation of marriage, consequently offering context for his livid response when the marriage plans go awry.

Though the movie takes 10-Quarter-hour to introduce the characters and set up the narrative basis, main one to query how the story will unfold inside its 110-minute runtime, its dynamic adjustments dramatically after the inciting incident happens, propelling the plot into excessive gear and showcasing varied features of Vincent’s fury.

Nevertheless, as soon as this side can also be revealed, the movie’s script begins to meander aimlessly, reiterating beforehand established factors repetitively. The one short-term shift in tone transpires for a short interval following Mahishmati’s arrival. Regardless of the preliminary momentum, this observe additionally turns into tiresome, with subsequent scenes missing substantial contribution to the general movie.

Whereas the movie explores themes of poisonous masculinity and the backwardness of conventional values, it will definitely gives the look that these parts had been included merely to align with prevalent conversations condemning such practices. This turns into significantly noticeable in the direction of the tip of the second act and in addition within the climax. Moreover, the movie’s remedy of non-consensual intercourse, resembling the arguments of apologists, is extremely problematic.

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Regardless of having a robust story, Pulimada’s progress is hindered by the dearth of depth and substance within the script. Even throughout essential moments, the scenes and dialogues fail to make an enduring impression, leaving viewers questioning ‘what even?’

Whereas the complete narrative unfolds in an space adjoining to a forest the place a tiger is on the unfastened, drawing a parallel between the human-eating animal and the central character’s ferocity, this analogy ultimately loses its significance, failing to convey any substantial level.

Pulimada tells the story of CPO Vincent Scaria, with a good portion of the story unfolding in the middle of a single night time. (Picture: Joju George/Fb)

Although AK Sajan demonstrates enchancment as a narrative author in comparison with his latest movies, he falls wanting reworking it right into a compelling script that would have led to a robust movie. Regardless of translating his script onto the display adequately, the dearth of substance within the basis nullifies his directorial efforts.

Amidst all this, the performances stand out, making Pulimada a worthwhile watch. Joju George, as soon as once more, proves himself as certainly one of Malayalam cinema’s best actors. Even whereas delivering dialogues that vary from mediocre to subpar, Joju ensures his efficiency overshadows these shortcomings, skillfully portraying the nuances of Vincent. Regardless of the considerably monotonous nature of Mahishmati, paying homage to nearly all free-spirited ladies written by males, Aishwarya Rajesh stays true to her position with out fading into the background.

Despite their characters not receiving any point out past the primary act, Jaffar Idukki, Johny Antony and Pauly Valsan handle to go away an enduring impression with just some minutes of display time. Whereas Chemban Vinod Jose and Lijomol Jose have some presence, the poorly developed nature of their characters prevents them from contributing considerably to the movie.

Then again, one of many major dampeners in Pulimada is its background observe, which persistently feels out of sync with the narrative and settings. The loud and oddly Westernised tracks by Anil Johnson strip away the regional essence of the movie, in the end affecting its total temper.

Cinematographer Venu, in the meantime, adeptly conveys the essence of the narrative and the panorama onto the display. His work, significantly noteworthy given that almost all of the movie unfolds in confined and compact areas, encourages viewers to stay engaged with Pulimada. Jithu Sebastian’s artwork course additionally deserves particular point out for successfully capturing the spirit of the settings.

Briefly, though Pulimada largely prompts a way of bewilderment, the partaking performances and the brilliance of sure technical features render the AK Sajan movie watchable.

Pulimada solid: Joju George, Aishwarya Rajesh, Chemban Vinod Jose, Lijomol Jose, Jaffar Idukki, Johny Antony, Pauly Valsan
Pulimada director: AK Sajan
Pulimada score: 2 stars