Purusha Pretham

Krishand's working style is difficult to attribute to just one particular genre. I am hyped for his works and he is one of my favourite working Malayalam filmmakers alongside Prathap Joseph, Rahman Brothers, Sanju Surendran, Rohit M. G. Krishnan, Sajin Babu, Abhinav Sunder Nayak, Lijo Jose Pellissery, Rajeev Ravi, Amal Noushad, Krishnendu Kalesh and Sruthil Mathew. Maybe few early works of Don Palathara but not his banal 2021 outing Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam and i still dislike Sanal's S Durga which one of the worst Malayalam films ever made with the recent addition 'No Mans Land' by Jishnu Harindra Varma.

Coming back to Krishand, i really loved his previous film "The Arbit Documentation of An Amphibian Hunt: Aavasavyuham" a mind-bending spectacle about a frogman with socio-political background. His latest 'The Male Ghost' also follows the same pattern and doesn't fit in a single genre. I suggest not be fooled by the title of this film. Because both the trailer and the name of the film itself are very deceiving. I expected to see something like a murder mystery, a bit of home invasion and psychological horror. What a stunt! It was a good tease and the film was much more than i assumed. This film is like a cocktail of genres bordering sometimes as a musical.

The movie begins with a quote "The dead teach the living," - Lars Kepler. In the local bar, it starts with a sequence leading to the intro of Super cop Sebastian (Prasanth Alexander), known for his, let's say, narcissist views, a bully to his juniors. He is also a good storyteller and as the movie unfolds, we get a glimpse of his life, a failure and that's all about him when the film highlights his relationship with his mother. A bully with behavioural issues and there is such an abyss of charm that his insecurity seems to be just an accident with some cinematic liberty and situational humours.

As we get know by his colleague that Sebastian gets only Movie-like unusual cases, enter an unidentified corpse which leads to a series of trouble in which Sebastian and other characters are tied by chance. He gets involved in all the bustle and chase with his department and the government. There is an affair angle which rings a bell in the end, literally a ring and also the racist brawl with a Tamilian bartender. As the plot progresses, the director through Sebastian reveals other characters and touches upon casteism, social commentary without going too much in details. I liked most of the characters in the film, special mention to the mother, maid, the old man who is in charge of burial, junior cop who is always bullied by Sebastian and the Senior police who also plays an actor and ends up losing his beard. The last stop for Sebastian is to investigate Susan (Darshana Rajendran) and the build up to the climax is engaging as circumstances are popping up. And all this is framed by some kickass neo-noir drenched black humour, the gags are organic in here.

Final note, the plot is engaging with a wacky style to it, which is both very unique and subtle in its texture. And also, we have a missing/washed up corpse but it plays a frankly secondary role and stands out in post-credit scene to voice out an important message.

Purusha Pretham is an impeccably crafted neo-noir satire that showcases outstanding performances from its talented cast. The film cleverly utilizes a flawed system as a platform to explore a range of themes, including caste-based discrimination, fragile male ego, and the oppression of women in a male-dominated society.

Alexander Prashanth delivers a remarkable performance as Sebastian, skillfully portraying the many layers of his character. Jagadish, who plays constable Dileep, is a delightful addition to the cast, earning our empathy with his convincing performance. Darshana Rajendran, in the role of Susan, is equally impressive, carrying the enigmatic character's mystery with ease.

Overall, Krishand's third feature film is a captivating satire that keeps the audience engaged with its witty writing, outstanding performances, and astute commentary on social issues.

Director Krishand outdoes himself once again in his third outing which centres around a loophole within the justice system. Purusha Pretham is such an outstanding package of a film - it has incredible performances, unique shots and camera angles, a fantastic score (by Ajmal Hasbullah), humour that arises organically within the screenplay, and even elements of a procedural thriller. In a style that worked wonders in Aavasavyuham, Krishand his writer Ajith Haridas put together a biting satire on the police and judicial systems, delivering comedy, thrills, and drama in equal measure. Purusha Pretham marks Krishand's direct entry into the commercial side of cinema, and without a doubt, this would have absolutely worked in theatres, probably emerging a sleeper hit.

I can't help but the laud the ENTIRE CAST - special mentions to Prashant Alexander, Jagadeesh, Jeo Baby, Darshana, and Devaki - for delivering brilliant performances. Those quick cuts (of hospital reports & bills, FIR copies, engagement invites, and newspaper clippings) were a nice touch, adding important details in such a diminutive way. The green and red colours (as seen on the poster) are prominent especially in the night shots, giving the film a neo-noir treatment. There's also the unconventional placement of characters on either edges of the frame. The attempt to create a distinct audio-visual palette is quite evident and the hip-hop & synth-infused music, I thought, was a terrific decision. I look forward to the day Krishand decides to collaborate with one of the Big Ms.

In his third directorial venture, the ingenious Krishand has yet again surpassed himself with Purusha Pretham, a cinematic gem that explores a legal loophole in the justice system. This exceptional film offers a seamless blend of impeccable performances, avant-garde camera angles, a captivating musical score, well-crafted humor, and the thrilling elements of a procedural thriller. Purusha Pretham defies categorization and embraces a surreal spontaneity that is both intriguing and cohesive. Krishand's mastery of the art of filmmaking is evident in every frame of this uproarious masterpiece that perfectly captures the chaos of life's unpredictable twists and turns. The movie encapsulates numerous themes and genres with a finesse that leaves the audience in fits of laughter from start to finish. Krishand's talent deserves to be celebrated, and Purusha Pretham is a testament to his cinematic prowess.

Malayalam cinema is reaching new heights with its recent releases, such as Romancham and Purusha Pretham. It's becoming increasingly clear that a movie's success depends on a combination of strong performances, a compelling script, and exceptional background scores, rather than just relying on the presence of a superstar.

One of the most underrated actors in Malayalam cinema is Prasanth Alexander, who has been a familiar face to Malayalees for some time but has not been given the chance to play lead roles until now. His performance in this movie is truly sensational, and credit goes to the director for choosing him to play the lead character.

It's also worth mentioning the exceptional background score of the film, which leaves the viewer speechless.

All in all, this movie stands out as one of the best releases in Malayalam cinema this year.