Varathan

The movie started slow but the wait was fruitful. When the movie started, I thought its a horror movie but then the last 30 minutes just overshadowed the flaws. Enjoyed the change in character of Fahad Fazil. This movie showed that one shouldn't be quiet and women instincts should be considered to avoid any situation like this.

When this film is reviewed, there are certain mandatory guidelines that should be followed before breaking down the pros and cons of the movie. The first one is that it is a freaking Amal Neerad movie. Forget your fast paced thriller scenes. Forget clichéd wide shots. Forget plot advancements. Forget TIME. Amal demands your patience. His films has an extensive use of slo mo shots. So much that it can actually extend the film by 20-30 minutes. These might be things that you would criticize about his movies. It could also be pros of the movie. But either way Amal creates every single one of his movies this way and Varathan is no different. It steers clear of some of Amal's stereotypical themes. It's actually a step high of CIA and a step down from Iyobinte Pusthakam.

Varathan on the outside, is a clear cut thriller film. It could be categorized as a drama/action/thriller film. The genres that has undergone mixing are great ones and that is in itself a great pro. Amal Neerad has commanded attention from the very first shot. Something many directors find it hard. Varathan succeeds on so many levels. It's perhaps a unique find in malayalam mainstream cinema. It's a breath of fresh air. The plot is lazy. That's usually the case for an Amal Neerad film. Style over substance. Varathan is that with the exception of the first hour and a half. The first half is so damn thrilling that you would wonder whether it's a Amal movie or not. The second half's 30 minutes into the finish prove to us that it is indeed an Amal Neerad film. The performances were pretty good. All of them. Some tonal inconsistencies in the first half. Incorporating songs just for the sake of it and some glaring holes about the philosophy of violence in this film. But well, it's an Amal Neerad Movie.

Fahadh, Aiswarya and probably every one of the supporting cast gave a splendid, convincing performance. The only thing that i had a clear cut problem was the action scenes. I completely understand Amal's style. But the fight scenes could have been a little bit better. A LOT better, actually.

Varathan is an adaptation of the 1971 film Straw Dogs. In terms of similarity in making, both of them are vastly different. But the ideas, the themes that arise are pretty much the same. A great adaptation in short.

Varathan is a treat for all of those who adore film in it's raw form. Amal Neerad makes sure that you're hooked and if you ain't he's got a big title card at the end that says 'AN AMAL NEERAD FILM'. I'm sure everybody will be hooked to that.

Yes, the core theme of 'Varathan' is heavily inspired by the 1971 home-invasion thriller 'Straw Dogs'. But what makes it worth a viewing is the way master-director Amal Neerad has incorporated all necessary elements to essentially 'Malayali-fy' it. The film opens in Dubai and moves quickly to an estate in Vagamon, Kerala. Having actors like Fahadh Fazil and Aishwarya Lekshmi portraying key characters (Abin and Priya) only elevates an already-intriguing plotline (especially for those who haven't seen 'Straw Dogs').

The new environs aren't the friendliest, to say the least, and it is Priya who notices this first. She is terrified at the fact that her former classmates are lusting after her even when she's a married woman. The tactics employed by Pappaali Josy (Sharafudheen) and his cronies to taunt Priya are ones that give women sleepless nights. Aishwarya Lekshmi plays the helpless (but wanting-to-give-it-back-to-em locals) woman to the T. Fahadh lends much-needed composure to the character of Abin, until he has no choice but to lay the baddies to waste.

The film is a slow-burn thriller with a payoff that boasts ample doses of masala. The quintessential 'break-point' arrives around the 90/100 min mark, and when it does, one or two retaliation strategies used by Abin, manage to leave the viewer reasonably pumped up. The music and background score (by Sushin Shyam) do add to the eerie feel of the film. Amal Neerad's directorial skills are also ably complemented by the subtle frames chosen by cinematographer Littil Swayamp. If only had Amal done away with some of his regular cinematic tropes (such as the excessive use of slow-motion, his choice to include a badly choreographed muddy rain fight as opposed to slower yet more effective, hard-hitting methods to inflict pain on the antagonists, and not giving the female protagonist enough masala moments as the male), 'Varathan' would have turned out to be a more thrilling cinematic experience.

In its current form, 'Varathan' is memorable while it lasts but the finale feels a little rushed and as I mentioned above, the punishment meted out to the baddies felt insufficient. Enjoy it for its realistic performances, brilliant camerawork, and splendid storytelling.

Varathan is a thriller-action drama movie directed by Amal Neerad starring Fahadh Faasil, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sharafudheen, Dileesh Pothan and various other talented faces and it tells the story of Abin and Priya, a couple settled in Dubai who after going through some hurdles in their personal and professional lives decides to move to Priya's father's estate back in Kerala. But things are not so friendly over there and the couple is faced with men who crave for a woman's body and a society of people who mock at a man and woman together. Varathan is truly an entertaining movie, but it has it share of problems. However let us start with the good stuff first. Firstly, the cinematography is jaw-dropping. Littil Swayamp has done it once in Parava and has done it again in Varathan and he is proving he is one of the most talented people in the industry. The camera shots and setting are presented beautifully and there is some amazing stuff to be seen towards the end of the movie. Secondly, the acting. Fahadh Faasil knocks it out of the park once again as Abin, which we should be expecting at this point. He is one of the best in the malayalam industry. This is not in anyway the maximum of his potential as his character is one which does not have a lot of depth but its fine. Aishwarya Lekshmi gives out a genuinely good performance. Her character could have been annoying but she handles it with grace. Dileesh Pothan is fine as his character however he does not have much to do. The absolutely amazing performances of the movie belong to Sharafudeen and Vijilesh. They were fricking amazing, menacing, ruthless and genuinely annoying. The background score and action scenes are very well done and put out a good show. The bad parts of the movie are prominent. The movie falls into cliche territory, with a lot of the plot being predictable. You can see stuff happening miles before they actually happen and this is bad for any movie. This predictability makes the majority of the movie difficult to get through and thus the movie lags a lot. The plot is stretched out for so long. The director is intending to build the characters and the plot, however personally I feel as if these characters does not have much to be built about as they are caricatures of what they portray. Also a minor nitpick I have with this movie is that the songs does not really match the tone of the movie. Some of the songs break up that tone of the movie with booming EDM music which I thought were unnecessary. However, I must mention the final 15-20 minutes of the film which will shake up the theatre. The action sequences are so goddamn good! All in all, Varathan is an enjoyable thriller-action flick with some fine acting, good bgm, incredible cinematography and action sequences that will stick on your mind long after the credits roll.

A great thriller for the weekend. And outstanding acting by fahad. Great keep going mollywood