Kishkindha Kaandam

*** Kishkindha Kaandam Malayalam Movie Review ***

Directed by Dinjith Ayyathan starring Asif Ali Aparna Balamurali Vijayaraghavan in the lead role.

One Line Review : As a person who unveils the mystery when going deep into the forest, the movie takes us through the same mood.

The story which initially goes on a slow pace but thereby gives the mood of suspense, it doesn't loosen its viewing interest thanks to the stellar performance of Vijayaraghavan. As his character Appu Pillai, a retired army officer whose initial presentation was a kind of mystery but as the story moves it is through him the mystery gets unlocked.

Another stellar performance was Asif Ali. The suppressed pain which the character carries, the emotional bond towards his father, Asif Ali just captured the love of the audience. When dialogues not eyes required to reach the emotions, that areas, Asif scored very well.

Able to remember Jayasuriya 2020 movie " Anveshnam ( Investigation) & all time crime thriller DRISHYAM while watching the climax.

Coming to the technical aspect, Dinjith's direction, backed by Bahul Ramesh's eye catching cinematography & mysterious music of Mujeeb Majeed makes Kishkindha Kaandam a worth watch movie.

The slow-paced mystery thriller with elements of drama, Kishkindha Kaandam, successfully keeps the audience engaged from start to finish. The solid script coupled with a talented cast delivers excellent performances, with Vijaya Raghavan standing out in his role as Appu Pillai.

The beautiful locations captured by the cinematography, along with perfect lighting, create a hauntingly atmospheric setting within the forest. The editing and background music work together seamlessly to enhance the mood and maintain the mystery of the film. There are no unnecessary scenes or shots, and the film avoids spoon-feeding the audience information, opting instead for a more subtle approach to unfolding the background story.

The dialogue is kept concise and impactful, with silence and expressions utilized effectively to convey emotions and further develop the characters. While there are a few scenes that may come across as unconvincing and lacked some logic, the overall quality of the film remains high due to its well-thought-out plot and execution.

It is a well-crafted cinematic experience that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats, intrigued by the unfolding mystery and captivated by the performances on screen.

The way this movie starts right off by placing the gun and Appupillai at the centre and then moves on by slowly revealing things to the audience bit by bit was refreshing. The film never loses its momentum and the way it makes you empathize with the characters and the way it makes you shift your thinking on things are just beautiful. People should see it without knowing too much about it and enjoy the way everything unfolds. For some reason, even with some heavy themes, this was kind of a relaxing watch for me and the ending did make me very emotional. It's possible that it could grow on me even more in the future and it may be worth some rewatches.

I believe one of the best aspects of a great thriller is its complex design, with multiple moving parts, concurrent storylines, and a nonlinear narrative that eventually comes together into a cohesive and gripping whole.

*Kishkindha Kaandam* exemplifies this brilliantly, standing out as one of the best if the best thriller of this year.

At first, it can feel overwhelming to piece together the seemingly disconnected events. However, as the story unfolds, their relevance becomes increasingly apparent. What makes it even more intriguing is how the audience primarily experiences the narrative through the perspective of the lead female character, Aparna, and at key moments, the father figure, Appu Pillai-while notably excluding the viewpoint of the lead actor, Ajay. The director masterfully crafts the story, skillfully revealing crucial moments only when they are essential to driving the plot forward, and we finally get to see the lead male character, Ajay's point of view in the end.

Went for the movie without reading any reviews. Was blown away by the mastery of the craft shown by the director of the movie. Each actor played their role perfectly . Performance by Vijayaraghavan as a former army officer is commendable. Jagadish's acting was very controlled and subdued. Asif Ali and Aparna did their roles perfectly .

The script of the movie is flawless. The director has skillfully used the script and woven up the bits and pieces to make a wonderful movie.

Wonderful location near a forest. The camera man has used the nuances of the script well. Great usage of lights and shadows .

No film songs in the movie , which according to me was a good move. Back ground scores felt a little loud some times.

Overall a wonderful experience.

Somehow this movie made me remember K. G George .