Parava

Bollywood can't touch the cinematic authenticity of films from Kerala!! Truly original plot, storytelling and nuanced direction and performances

Parava (2017) : Brief Review -

A film which proved that Soubin Shahir isn't just a great actor, but a great director too. His debut is nothing short of a lesson for established directors. I hereby humbly request Soubin Shahir to direct more films and more often. Man, you are truly a cinematic gem. Such great directing skills you have. You should start direction workshops and teach other directors in India how to direct a film. Parava doesn't have any extraordinary material in the writing; it doesn't have a solo hero, heroine, or even a standalone story; nor does it have any sensational fictional concept; and then it's a long film, spreading its wings for about 156 minutes, but believe me, it doesn't bore you for a moment. How did that happen? The answer is Shahir's marvellous direction. That's all. The story of Parava revolves around the pigeon race, a game which is prominent in Mattancherry, Kerala. It has multiple stories grabbed together, each linked to the other one from the start. It is not a story of one hero or two, and hence it has no main hero. It is a story of every single character involved in the narrative, and that's why everyone is a hero/heroine and has his/her own story to tell. Shahir makes sure that it doesn't drag anywhere, especially in the pigeon scenes. I can't disclose the details of how beautifully it has been shot because it would only spoil your viewing experience. But still, what fantastic cinematography, background score, and editing. Shahir's direction is simply amazing, and you can see it in every big scene in the film. And believe me, there are plenty of scenes like that. The actors simply follow the natural flow to make you fall in love with their characters so that you connect with them. Despite its not-so-great story, Parava is mesmerising, and that's why it is strongly recommended. Not every film is about writing, scripting, and sensational stuff; some are simple yet wonderful.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

POSITIVES - 1.) DQ's cameo was worth it and will leave you with tears.

2.) 2 child actors were excellent.

3.) Shane Nigam gets a crispy role and he shines with his performance.

4.) Siddique as usual has done his father role well with expression of emotions on the raw side.(without any doubt he proves that he is one of the best actors in Indian cinema) 5.) Cinematography was top notch and will keep you engrossed in to the scenes.

6.)Editing was raw and crispy.

7.)Direction story and script by Soubin is undoubtedly the best and his imaginations to create every scenes creatively and adding rawness to the scenes makes this film a must watch. Using birds in the story and creating emotions with it is an appreciable idea. As a story-writer to he succeeded by creating varied characters with painful pasts and present, bittersweet realities of the region and its portraits of friendships.

8.)Songs and BG score by Rex Vijayan is worth mentioning. His BG score goes well with the flow of the scenes and his songs suit the movie well.

Negatives - 1.) Duration- Duration was bit long and at times we can feel lag in the scenes.

Overall-

With 8 positives and 1 negative you can figure it out how good the movie is. Everyone should go and watch this movie in theaters because its worth it. We need more movies like this and hoping for Soubin to continue with his direction.(By the way his villain role with Sreenath Bhasi was amazing) My rating - 4.3/5

In Parava, a school teacher makes a failure student the leader of the class he is going to repeat. That is the kind of motivation I want in real life. And that is the kind of fresh and crisp writing you will find in the film as two streetwise kids, played amazingly by newcomers, practice for an upcoming pigeon flying tournament in Mattanchery, a town in Kerala, India known for its diverse culture, effervescent attitudes, and a dark criminal undercurrent. Director Soubin Shahir sheds light into one too many stark social issues that hamper life in the town, including the growing drug menace, child marriage, and gang rivalries we last saw in Angamaly Diaries, but ultimately focuses on the game. I can only imagine the difficulty in filming those pigeons, shots of which are as awe-inspiring as the rest of the film's. Although a trim would have made this platter tastier, the story is heavily compelling and filled with warm doses of friendship and life stories in general. There's a certain cordiality that encapsulates the narrative and that's exactly where the film shines. Solid attention to detail that make you smile, beautifully-structured captivating score, and the controlled decency while talking about porn and menstruation to avoid sexual innuendos just for the laughs are what makes Parava a film to watch, treasure, and revere. It's nothing like I remember seeing in Malayalam cinema.

Parava(Bird) is a good movie telling the stories through the eyes of two boys, who are taking care of pigeons for competition and a hobby.

One word"You wont be disappointed ".