19 (1) (a)

Come on, everyone knows this is what Malayalam cinema does best; a minimalistic effort, mostly set in the same lush locations that supplements the simplicity of the storyline and characters. In recent times, Malayalam cinema has taken advantage of the OTT space and churned out so many films and few have been a clear reflection of the political, economic, social and cultural crisis. Here we have another film, a slow burn drama chronicling the events that follows after the murder of Gauri Shankar (Vijay Sethupathi), a writer and human rights activist. The name rings a bell, right? If you have no clue, look up Gauri Lankesh online!

But trust me, there is so much to say which is both the positive and negative of this film. There are directors who entertain or exacerbate or educate (maybe all the e's in equal parts) when handling a controversial theme. Take for example "Gargi" which deals with a sensitive theme, constantly challenging the audience with good writing.

Well, 19 (1) (a) doesn't hold up or belong to none or any of the aforementioned categories. There is more to this as the film rubs shoulders with subplots, existential themes, political contexts and this mixture tries to alternate with flashback, visual motifs, with very little backstory for each character, including Nithya Menon and her dad, their relationship and the past. Amongst all, I really liked the sequence of Gauri and his friend, who are two opposites and don't agree on the definition of writing. Gauri is a writer who found his passion during his childhood while he sat down under the tree and scribbled his thoughts, like the artsy ones you see in a writer-esque mood with glasses, books in a sophisticated coffee shop.

Coming to the performances, Vijay Sethupathi is here in his usual naturalistic forte that never hits a false note. Nithya Menon role is a layered one as she slips inside a state of fear. In the middle of the silences, pauses and worried moments, she somehow manages to switch between emotions accompanied by different tones.

Although I liked the movie in parts, I see many problems here. The film doesn't quite flow and in several scenes, including the songs, there was no need for it. The idea sounds great, but unfortunately, it doesn't add anything. This might have benefited from better writing and Direction. I really wish the director would have taken an Ivan Ayr or Sajin Baabu approach in the writing process. I wished for an experimental approach like the works of Prathap Joseph, Ekta Mittal, Payal Kapadia and Udita Bhargava, it might have been a satisfying watch.

Regardless, it is an average watch and for the masses, this will be a total sluggish and a boring film. I liked how the director manages to connect the bike sound bgm in the initial title drop of the film and the same is used in the end. It literally grabs you,when you guess the outcome by just hearing the sound of the bike.