This is a Malayalam language film on the life of legendary Carnatic music composer Swathi Thirunal.
The film stars Anant Nag in the title role who I feel does justice to the role, but could have gone a little deeper on the inner emotions. Perhaps he didn't have the bandwidth for that given this was for a historical figure.
The film does well to lay the context of the times. How Swathi Thirunal, despite being the Maharaja of Travancore, was merely a titular head who even before he had any chance to take control over it. Under the East India's thumb all his life, any attempts to break free only left him with more collateral damage.
The film is bold in also exploring the personal realms of his life. How his love affair with a dancer broke his already brittle marital relationship.
One still feels lost though and why this musical genius who was gifted and blessed by his Kuladevata Anantha Padmanabha Swamy, had to leave his mortal coil early. The depth and genius of his compositions are such that they are sung and heard even today.
Which is why perhaps the script or performance was slightly amiss in conveying the inner pangs that led this musical genius to suicide. Why couldn't even his own compositions - and the promise of the ability to create more such - give his grace the strength to go over. Well, the deeper loss is only ours, those of music aficionados...
