'Ee Adutha Kaalathu' is the sweet reprisal of editor-director Arun Kumar Aravind and scriptwriter Murali Gopi. The former's debut movie 'Cocktail' was liked by most, but the director was hardly given any credit as most of the talk was on it being a copy of an international hit. Murali Gopi, who debuted with 'Rasikan' was maintained solely responsible for the non-performance of the Laljose flick, though there was much more than the scripts that faltered in that Dileep movie.
So when 'Ee Adutha Kaalathu' was brewing up in papers, both the director and scriptwriter was seriously trying for something original that can speak up for the talents that they posses. And in the theatres after the initial shows, talks are all about the effective narrative styles and direction of the movie that is sure to impress the viewers of newer generation, looking up for something fresh and original.
The movie inspired from some real incidents is a multi narrative which opens with a series of murders of lonely aged parents from wealthy families. Tomy (Anoop Menon) is the city police commissioner trained in the Scotland yard, but yet receiving the fierce ridicule for not finding any clues into the serial killer.
Indrajith's Vishnu, a rag-picker, is trying to find ways to make ends meet. His irritable wife Remani (Mythili) is also working as a domestic servant and they have to take care of his ailing mother and two children.
In the other strata of the city is Ajay Kurien (Murali Gopi), the managing director of a big hospital who is trying to resist exposing his sexual weak spots by ever creating problems to his wife ,a former starlet Madhuri (Thanushree Dutta) and his only son.
Then there is a fraudster Rustam (Nishan), trying to play games with ladies around, a leading news anchor of a popular channel(Lena), a publisher of 'Thee' a yellow magazine (Jagathy Sreekumar) who all find them entangled in the scorching events that happens around the city, in one way or another.
The narratives structured like a Rubix cube, is so smart and sensitive that you won't find much that is unbelievable or questionable. This enviable script by Murali Gopi has some terrific moments in between and is sure to bring him back to limelight for his writing and his performance as one of the lead characters who is trying ways to bury his weakness. And the arising infidelity issues are also dealt with nicely.
Each of the other characters in the film has their shades of grey, and behaves in the manoeuvres that suit their living styles. So is their way in which they deal with crisis and pressures. Here for the first time in Mollywood, you will find a police officer who gives a believable big yawn when called into duty on the late part of the night. You will also never get surprised when the slum dweller finds the garbage heap of the city as the rightest place to bury his compunction. The director has even taken many pains in presenting the right 'Trivandrum ' dialects through the various characters than the one 'stereotyped', usually for arising humour.
The director in Arun explores the emotional depths with immense compassion and also draws bravura performances from the central characters. In the acting side Indrajith once again proves that he is the best in the family as far as acting proves is concerned. So is Murali Gopi, who gets into the teeth of the character. Thanushree Dutta is another find of the film, which gels with her demanding role with remarkable ease. Nishan, for the first time in his Mollywood career, looked authentic, while Lena, Anoop Menon, Mydhili and Jagathy played to their roles.
The technical side is also praiseworthy with the state award winning cinematographer Shahnad Jaleel again on top. His night sequences are pretty realistic and add to the menacing mood of this edgy thriller. There is a killer soundtrack by Gopi Sundar, and a laudable audio design by Radhakrsishnan, used wisely by the director and editor in Arun Kumar.
Though there are a lot to boast off, the sluggish pace of the former half may not be of interest for most. The first half an hour has little to offer than the placement of the characters .Mydhili's dubbing also jar at times and suggestions on sex and bed are also aplenty. But once you sit through the subtle details, you are sure to walk away into a satisfying beam and a quite good second half, which is rather unpredictable and fall into us in a natural demeanor.
'Ee Adutha Kalathu' is one movie that is a definite prescription for a demanding viewer. A well-made film that works for its powerful plot and structuring, engaging script, and super performances.
Rating: 7/10
