Kammattipadam, a film that puts even the most acclaimed directors at the risk of being ashamed of their own work. Rajeev Ravi is not only a director that excels at what he does best but also raises the bar for upcoming directors to match up with. And i here expected nothing less.
A film that was shunned by the censor board and labelled an 'A' rated film that subsequently etches into the mind of every Malayali that Kammattipadam is nothing short of a porno, it is backlash to all the haters. The film contains mild violence and yet succeeds in its own way to capture us into the thriving wetlands of Kammattipadam, in a long 4 hour thriller. The film is a bit long and can be a hefty work to sit and watch a drama that unfolds slowly and steadily to end in a simple, non dramatic way. The film's score was undoubted brilliant, essaying with the tone and atmosphere of the film so perfectly that we are not aware that the only characters we are submitted upon are Ganga and Krishna.
Of all the characters that was portrayed, Ganga's was THE best. Vinayakan has done a role so perfectly and exquisitely that we are left wondering whether he was born for this role. Dulquer has also given a terrific job at portraying the troubled young teen and slowly transforming into the role of the wise. An actor who came into the industry as the son of a established actor, Dulquer has made a stride in proving yet again that he has build his own empire right next to his father, possibly bigger.
Although Kammattipadam revolves around these handful of characters, it is not the tale that the director wants to tell us. It is the supreme tale of friendship, love, lust, greed and how time can transform everything into dust. Just like the rise and fall of many great empires, Rajeev Ravi has done a exemplar work in manifesting that theme into the thickness of the Urban wreck ; Ernakulam.
Kammattipadam might be a one-time watch, since the characters that we see cannot go through the same loop again, which would spoil the flow of the time-line that the city has grown into. But then again, Kammattipadam, as a film can be enjoyed thoroughly and for extremes, is a must watch film.
Overall a tale that need to be preserved for future so that they can know that we still made films that are not confined to our artistic abilities.
A Exemplar 9.5/ 10.
It deserves more, but the perfect score is for another kind , with another brilliant story.
