Varathan

Just one word - Brilliant. Varathan is a well directed absolute drama_thriller from Amal Neerad. Everything about the movie is good, right from casting, cinematography, music to the surprise element in store. Buy a ticket for this movie without a doubt in mind. You will enjoy it. My rating - 10/10

P.S- Just can't get enough of Fahad Faasil in Amal Neerad movies.

If Girirajan Kozhi was a rich, influential and would do anything cheap to get the girl in bed he eyes for, then that is Varathan for you.

This makes you see how hypocritically minded our society is. You might think like this is just a movie, but the truth is not far away. The reality is, regardless of the literacy and our hyped moral status, the majority of the people in our society are actually narrow minded ...and cannot accept any world other than theirs... This is in a way another angle of what happened to Madhu, the adhivasi who got killed coz he was suspected of thievery.

Although this movie was not much fun/enjoyable, I hope it helps people to understand the reality.

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.

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.