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Rorschach UA

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Rorschach Movie Review : A layered psychological-philosophical thriller

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Sanju Pb 630 days ago

What a movie

Sunil Nambiar 688 days ago

It's out and out copy of Anil kapoor's and Harshwardhan's web series "THAR"....I seriously amused that, no one Talking on that part might be coz, it's in Hindi and Marwari language..!! but This particular malayalam film isn't a novelty thing. It's complate copy...!!

User RAGHU 745 days ago

A Mind Bending Nio-noir Psychological Thriller.

Sylent Screamer 746 days ago

Amazing movie , Mammoka carry the movie on his shoulder along with all the supporting characters of the movie, the direction , storytelling, camera work and location was worth watching

sahadtp 746 days ago

Its like an foriegn movie there have an improvement in malayalam industry and i like it

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മതത്തിനും ജാതിക്കുമപ്പുറം മനുഷ്യരെ ചേർത്തുപിടിക്കുന്ന ചിത്രം;പ്രേക്ഷകർ ഏറ്റെടുത്ത് 'ടർക്കിഷ് തർക്കം'

ബേസിലും നസ്രിയയും നേര്‍ക്കുനേര്‍; ത്രസിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കാഴ്ചകളൊരുക്കി 'സൂക്ഷ്മദർശിനി'

'ഹലോ മമ്മി': പേടിപ്പിച്ചും ചിരിപ്പിച്ചും ഐശ്വര്യലക്ഷ്മിയും ഷറഫുദ്ദീനും | Hello Mummy Review 

വെറും ക്രൈംത്രില്ലർ അല്ല ആനന്ദ് ശ്രീബാല; ഇത് നീതിക്കുവേണ്ടിയുള്ള പോരാട്ടത്തിന്റെ കഥ

ഗഹനമായിട്ടൊന്നുമില്ല, പക്ഷേ പറയുന്നതെല്ലാം കഴമ്പുള്ളത്; പഴമയുടേയും പുതുമയുടേയും ബ്ലെന്‍ഡായി സ്വർഗം

വാണിവിശ്വനാഥിന്റെ കിടിലന്‍ തിരിച്ചുവരവ്; തിയ്യേറ്ററില്‍ ആഘോഷമായി ഒരു അന്വേഷണത്തിന്റെ തുടക്കം

പകയുടെ, പ്രതികാരത്തിന്റെ, സൗഹൃദത്തിന്റെ കഥ പറയുന്ന മുറ

പകയ്ക്കും പ്രതികാരത്തിനുമിടയിൽ സൗഹൃദങ്ങൾക്ക് സ്ഥാനമെന്താണ് ...

ഉദ്വേഗങ്ങളുടെ കാതലന്‍ | I Am Kathalan Movie Review

ഹാക്കിങ്, സാധ്യതകളുടെ വലിയ ലോകമാണ്. ഒരേസമയം വിപ്ലവവും ...

അടിമുടി ട്വിസ്റ്റ്, ജോജുവിന്റെ സംവിധാന മികവില്‍ 'പണി' | Review

നടനായ ജോജു ജോർജ് ആദ്യമായി സംവിധായകന്റെ കുപ്പായമണിയുന്ന ...

കുടുംബസമേതം കാണാന്‍, ഓര്‍ത്തുചിരിക്കാന്‍ ആക്ഷേപ ഹാസ്യത്തിന്റെ 'പൊറാട്ട് നാടകം'

സ്‌റ്റൈല്‍ മന്നന്‍, ബിഗ്ബി, ലേഡിസൂപ്പര്‍സ്റ്റാര്‍; തിയേറ്ററുകളില്‍ വേട്ടയ്യന്‍ വിളയാട്ടം

രജിനിയുടെ സ്വാഗ്,ഫഹദിന്റെ ക്ലാസ്,മഞ്ജുവിന്റെ എനര്‍ജി;കെട്ടുറപ്പുള്ള കഥയിലൊരുങ്ങിയ മാസ് വേട്ടയ്യന്‍

നിമിഷങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ട് മാറിമറിയുന്ന ജീവിതങ്ങൾ; ആക്ഷൻ പാക്ക്ഡ് ഫാൻ്റസി ത്രില്ലറായി 'പുഷ്പക വിമാനം'| REVIEW

പൂര്‍ണിമയുടെ മിന്നുന്ന പ്രകടനം; നര്‍മവും സസ്‌പെന്‍സും ഒത്തുചേര്‍ന്ന ഒരു കട്ടില്‍ ഒരു മുറി | REVIEW

തമ്മില്‍ പോരടിച്ച് സുരാജിന്റെ ശങ്കുണ്ണിയും വിനായകന്റെ മാധവനും; വീറും വാശിയും പകർന്ന് 'തെക്ക് വടക്ക്'

പറന്നുയരാൻ മോഹിക്കുന്ന ജീവിതങ്ങളുടെ മനോഹരയാത്ര; കളംനിറഞ്ഞ്, മനസ്സുനിറച്ച് 'കപ്പ്' | REVIEW

പ്രഭുദേവയുടെ അഴിഞ്ഞാട്ടം, നൃത്തച്ചുവടുകളാല്‍ സമ്പന്നം; അടിമുടി എന്റര്‍ടെയ്‌നറായി 'പേട്ടറാപ്പ്'

ഭീതിയുടേയും പ്രതികാരത്തിന്റെയും പുത്തൻ ഭാവം, ഭയപ്പെടുത്തും 'ചിത്തിനി'

ബുദ്ധിരാക്ഷസനായ ഒരു ഗുമസ്തനും നിഗൂഢത ഒളിപ്പിച്ച സംഭവവികാസങ്ങളും; ത്രില്ലടിപ്പിക്കും 'ഗുമസ്തൻ'|REVIEW

ഒരു വെറെെറ്റി ആത്മാവും കാലൻ്റെ അസിസ്റ്റന്റും; ത്രില്ലടിപ്പിക്കും ചിരിപ്പിക്കും 'കുട്ടന്റെ ഷിനിഗാമി'

പ്രണയ സ്വപ്നങ്ങളുടെ അനന്തമായ കാഴ്ചകൾ; കണ്ണുനിറച്ചും മനസ്സ് കവർന്നും 'കഥ ഇന്നുവരെ'

ഇടിയുടെ പൊടി പൂരം; ഇത് ബാഡാസ് ബാഡ് ബോയ്‌സ്‌ | Review

ഓണക്കാലത്ത് ഒരു മാസ് മസാല പടം കാണേണ്ടത് അനിവാര്യമായ ...

ഈ സുകുമാരക്കുറുപ്പിന്റെ പ്രശ്നം വ്യത്യസ്തമാണ്, ചിരിനിറച്ച് ​ഗ്യാങ്സ് ഓഫ് സുകുമാരക്കുറുപ്പ് | REVIEW

കടലിന് നടുവിൽ ഉ​ഗ്രനിടിയിടിച്ച് പെപ്പെ, പ്രതികാരവും ജീവിതവും കോറിയിട്ട് 'കൊണ്ടൽ' | REVIEW

മുത്തശ്ശിക്കഥപോലെ മനോഹരം, ടൊവിനോയുടെ ട്രിപ്പിൾ റോൾ വിളയാട്ടം; കയ്യടിപ്പിക്കും ത്രില്ലടിപ്പിക്കും ARM

ദുരൂഹതയൊളിപ്പിച്ച് മനസ്സിനെ സ്പർശിക്കുന്ന മനോഹര ദൃശ്യാനുഭവം; പുതുമയാണ് ഈ 'കിഷ്കിന്ധാ കാണ്ഡം' |REVIEW

നാടും വീടും ചിരിയും പ്രശ്‌നങ്ങളും; ഭരതനാട്യം ഒരു ക്ലീന്‍ ഫാമിലി ഡ്രാമ | REVIEW

പ്രണയത്തിൻ്റെ ചിറകിലേറി പറന്നുയരാനുള്ള യാത്ര, ചിരി മാത്രമല്ല ഈ 'പാലും പഴവും' | REVIEW

ഒരു വെറെെറ്റി കള്ളനും ചിരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന പൊല്ലാപ്പുകളും, വിഷ്ണുവും ഷെെനും മിന്നിയ 'താനാരാ' | REVIEW

നുണകളാൽ പടുത്തുയർത്തിയ കൊട്ടാരത്തിൽ ചിരിപ്പൂരം, കളറാണ് ജീത്തു ജോസഫിൻ്റെ 'നുണക്കുഴി' | REVIEW

വിക്രമും പാ രഞ്ജിത്തും ചേർന്നൊരുക്കിയ മാസ്റ്റർപീസ്, തങ്കംപോലെ വെട്ടിത്തിളങ്ങും തങ്കലാൻ | Review

ചതുരം​ഗക്കളി പോലെ അധികാരത്തിനും പ്രതികാരത്തിനുമായുള്ള പോരാട്ടം, ത്രില്ലിങ്ങാണ് 'ചെക്ക്മേറ്റ്'

കനകവും കൂട്ടുകാരും ഒരുകൂട്ടം പ്രശ്നങ്ങളുമായി ധ്യാനിൻ്റെ 'സൂപ്പർ സിന്ദ​ഗി' | REVIEW

നട്ടെല്ലിനകത്തേക്ക് തണുപ്പും മരവിപ്പും ഇരച്ചുകയറുന്നപോലെ; മസ്റ്റ് വാച്ചാണ് 'ബ്രിന്ദ'

അഞ്ചുഭാര്യമാരുടെ ഒരേയൊരു ഭര്‍ത്താവ്; ചിരിച്ചും ചിന്തിപ്പിച്ചും 'നാഗേന്ദ്രന്‍'

അരിമണ്ണ തറവാട്ടിലെ പ്രേതാനുഭവങ്ങൾ; വെള്ളിത്തിരയെ വിറപ്പിച്ച് 'ഗു'| Review

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കമൽഹാസന്റെ ആറാട്ട്, ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡവിസ്മയം ഈ 'പാൻ ഇന്ത്യൻ' ഷങ്കർ ചിത്രം | INDIAN 2 Review

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ഒരാളുടെ ഉയർച്ചകൊണ്ടുണ്ടാവുന്നത് ചിലപ്പോൾ മറ്റൊരാളുടെ ...

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പ്രഭാസിന്റെയും അമിതാഭ് ബച്ചന്റെയും അഴിഞ്ഞാട്ടം, ഇതാണ് ശരിക്കും ഹോളിവുഡ് സ്റ്റൈൽ | Kalki Review

ചിരിയുണ്ട്, ഫ്രഷാണ്, പക്ഷേ വിഷയം അല്പം സീരിയസാണ്; കയ്യടിയർഹിക്കുന്നു ഈ സംഭവങ്ങൾ | നടന്ന സംഭവം റിവ്യൂ

ഉർവശിയുടേയും പാർവതിയുടേയും അസാമാന്യ പ്രകടനം, ഉള്ളുലച്ച് ഒഴുകുന്ന 'ഉള്ളൊഴുക്ക്' | REVIEW

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Paradise Review: A Layered And Strong Narrative Supported By Powerful Performers In The Lead

Updated Jul 11, 2024, 21:37 IST

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Ullozhukku Review: An Astounding Urvashi Headlines A Tender Film On Love That Defies Conventions

Writer and Director: Christo Tomy

Cast: Parvathy Thiruvothu , Urvashi , Arjun Radhakrishnan

Available in: Theatres

Duration: 123 minutes

The first few events in Ullozhukku (Under Current), directed by Christo Tomy, happen in quick succession. Life falls through Anju’s (Parvathy) fingers before she can chart a plan. From a wide-eyed sales girl at a textile shop furtively smiling at her lover, she transforms into a bride posing for awkward post-wedding pictures on a backwater boat, her eyes heavy from what was likely a teary night. The film then moves to the old, spacious house of her husband, Thomas Kutty (Prasanth Murali), and his doting mother, Leelamma (Urvashi), in Kuttanad, where time, like a boat engine whirring to a halt at the dock, comes to a pressing stillness.

Christo has a talent for amplifying the ticking of the clock. The film is most eloquent when the characters wait in silence or stumble through halting conversations, managing to express just a fraction of what they would like to say. Meanings slither out of the gaps. 

It isn’t just the passage of time that seems to possess a consciousness in this subdued drama. The house, perched by a backwater lake that threatens to flood, exerts a breathing, domineering presence, tenderly shot by cinematographer Shehnad Jalal . Most of the drama unfolds within its walls, quietly, in the secrecy of bedrooms or the dimly lit kitchen. The interiors are primly arranged even in the face of the unfolding tension. The island appears eerily remote, cut off from humanity by a labyrinth of green water bodies constantly refilled by monsoon rains. Melancholy and a sense of foreboding freely flow from this setting, deepening the grief and crisis the characters are going through.

Soon after the wedding, Thomas Kutty falls terribly ill, and Anju is forced to assume the role of a caregiver. Leelamma, the grieving mother, treats her with great love and kindness but remains oblivious to the palpable unhappiness that has settled on her. The narrative proceeds linearly, carrying the audience along the trajectory of Anju’s marital life. When she reestablishes contact with her lover, Rajeev (Arjun Radhakrishnan, voiced by Roshan Mathew), a young man who drifts from one odd job and promise to another, a storm begins to brew on the horizon, eventually erupting on the day Thomas Kutty dies, with his funeral delayed by a deluge.

Ullozhukku is Christo’s third fiction film, following two award-winning shorts, Kanyaka (Virgin) in 2015 and Kamuki (Sweetheart) in 2016, which he made as a film student in Kolkata. The themes of caregiving, desire, and unplanned pregnancy that he explored in the shorts recur in the feature film. Incidentally, in Kanyaka , he used Urvashi, the film star, as a motif of worldliness that the protagonist — a young nun doubling as a caregiver for her senior — struggles to resist. His films also share a similar formal quality— nothing in the frames looks out of place or wildly spontaneous. Scenes unfold with great restraint, capturing the central characters in shallow focus.

Ullozhukku focuses on how the two protagonists – Anju, who is desperate to leave, and Leelamma, grappling with grief as she tries to make sense of everything – respond to the engulfing crisis. The incidents of funeral and pregnancy, along with the men associated with them, exist on the sidelines, while the film trains its eyes on the women, whose interactions throughout the film feel like a single conversation fragmented into little parts. Anju’s unborn baby is initially assumed to be Thomas Kutty’s, briefly bringing joy to Leelamma, who deliriously begins to prepare for the child’s arrival. When it dawns on the young woman that what she truly wants isn’t unscathed honour but freedom, she reveals her decision to leave to her mother-in-law, implying the existence of a lover. 

Ullozhukku breaks down the crisis into bite-sized pieces, finding a heart in each bit. Despite their differences, Leelamma and Anju share a deep sense of orphanhood — they are women who grew up elsewhere and were brought into this house through marriages that imposed thankless caregiving duties upon them. They are immigrants planted into a new country. It must be this tacit sisterhood that prompts Leelamma to reprimand her own daughter when she accuses Anju of betrayal. In one of the film’s rare instances featuring a crowd, Leelamma sits by the freezer bearing the corpse, as a group of young women and nuns sing hymns behind her. She hesitates before glancing at Anju, and in what feels like a tight embrace, she reaches out and pulls her close. A moment so delicately heavy. 

The film largely excludes the community — extended family, villagers, or the church, the typical crowd that gathers at a funeral site — eliminating all ambient noise. The flipside to this storytelling is that it makes the narrative feel monotonous, circling back on itself. This becomes apparent around the midway point when the film seems to lose its natural rhythm. If one is familiar with the recent trends in Malayalam cinema, the events of the final hour might feel like too simplistic a twist — the reckless good-for-nothing turns out to have a poor moral conscience.

But it all builds to a final shot that hits hard and deep, scarring and heartwarming all at once.

And at the centre of the film is one towering performance. One might assume playing a grieving mother is straightforward — wait until you see what Urvashi does with the role, painting it in colours you might barely recognise, crafting an intricate and deeply personal portrait of motherhood. Parvathy, her co-actor, is immensely competent, but the cracks in her voice acting are discernible. Urvashi, on the other hand, is a quiet rage throughout the film, stirring the frame even when she is sitting still and staring at the abyss that has opened up in her being. Everything she does – pauses, changes in her voice, the delicate movement of her eyebrows, or the pace of her steps – leaves a trail of meaning; a rare and rich performance worth close study. 

It is tricky to predict how Ullozhukku will perform at the box office. This isn’t a film meant to impress a crowd fed on mainstream adrenaline-pumpers, although there’s no telling what the film’s strengths might do to any viewer. In the end, Anju chooses a freedom that is inner and muted over one that is more apparent, vibrant, and material. Regardless of what this choice entails or promises, the film’s championing of tenderness and empathy until the very end, in its gentle and unhurried language, is deeply rewarding. 

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Bramayugam movie review: A terrific and terrifying Mammootty leads Malayalam’s ‘horror cinema peaked here’ moment

Bramayugam movie review: mammootty doesn’t hold back in even the most disturbing scenes in the rahul sadasivan film, going all in and extracting the best from himself to elevate the movie..

“Once you step through the gateway of this mana (a Namboodiri mansion), it itself becomes the river, plains, and mountain,” the servant (Sidharth Bharathan) tells the uninvited guest, Thevan (Arjun Ashokan). Initially, Thevan interprets it as an expression of the mansion’s vastness. However, he soon realises it’s a warning: once inside, there’s no way out.

Bramayugam , Rahul Sadasivan’s third directorial endeavour, unfolds in the said mana , but not a glittering one. Instead, it resembles the ghost of its former opulence, now in ruins. It’s untidy. Nature has reclaimed parts of it, with vegetation creeping up the walls and many roof tiles broken. The structure screams, “visitors not allowed”. Yet for Thevan, who is trying to escape his fate and survive, this mana is the only ray of hope. As he enters, Thevan is “welcomed” by the patriarch of the mana , Kodumon Potty ( Mammootty ), an elderly man who seems like a shadow of his former affluent self. Upon learning that Thevan hails from the Panan community, who made a living by singing for the Kings, Potty requests a song. Impressed by his singing, Potty insists that Thevan stay, offering the comfort of continuous music. Initially hesitant, Thevan accepts, viewing Potty as a generous man who, despite his lowered caste, welcomes him. But once he starts living there, Thevan realises that the mansion hides many secrets, with Potty as the enigmatic guardian. As mentioned earlier, escape is not an option for Thevan. So, what can he do?

Set in South Malabar in the 17th century, Bramayugam delves into mythology to offer a brilliant take on the politics of power and the significant role caste plays. It can be seen as a high-stakes game of dice too. Within the mana , inhabited solely by Potty and the servant, Thevan realises he and the servant are mere pawns on the game board. They think they can influence outcomes through luck to find a way out. But Potty, who has control over the dice, knows how to script “fate”. Akin to the historical struggles of Bahujans, who were often denied control over their lives, here too, a Brahmin holds sway over everything, treating others as expendable pawns to be discarded once he loses fun in playing with their lives.

The horizons of the movie are expanded by Rahul’s adept use of mythology, wherein dark magic and the concept of Chaathan come into play, creating a horrifying atmosphere. Believed to be born to Lord Shiva and a Pulaya woman, Chaathan is worshipped to gain unparalleled strength. Here, the Pottys are depicted as the Brahmin family blessed by Goddess Varahi with Chaathan . However, the Pottys exploit Chaathan , leading to severe repercussions. As Chaathan gains control over his destiny, he mirrors his former masters by exploiting others to assert his power. With this, the film brilliantly shows how immense power can blind people. In today’s socio-political context, this theme gains relevance as the historically oppressed groups continue to be exploited by those in positions of authority.

Bramayugam also illustrates how caste plays a major role in power dynamics and how inheritance of power becomes common greed. The servant, later revealed to be a descendant of the Potty family, attempts to dethrone Chaathan to ascend to power, despite Thevan’s attempts to dissuade him, warning that he too will become like Chaathan . However, the servant pays no heed.

Pinpointing Bramayugam’s greatest strength proves challenging due to its multifaceted excellence. But since we need to start somewhere, Rahul Sadasivan’s world-building deserves a standing ovation. With meticulous attention to detail, Rahul has created a far more dreary atmosphere here than in Bhoothakaalam, enabling Bramayugam to be dubbed as Malayalam’s “horror cinema peaked here” moment. Jotish Shankar’s expert art direction and Rahul’s profound understanding of the world he created, which is reminiscent of the sharp ones in A Vincent’s Sreekrishnaparunthu (1984) and Santosh Sivan’s Anandabhadram (2005) though they don’t share similarities per se, ensure an exceptional viewer experience. The decision to present the world in black and white enhances the eerie atmosphere while adding depth to the characters, reflecting their complexities. Noteworthy are the moments of crafted delusion. Unlike conventional Malayalam horror films, Bramayugam exhibits uniqueness by creating elements from scratch, avoiding clichés and traditional tactics, including in the depiction of the Yakshi (female ghost played by Amalda Liz).

Rahul’s writing, combined with TD Ramakrishnan’s dialogues, is exceptionally original and effectively captures the nuances of the world without excessive explanation. However, the film falls short of fully capitalising on its high points, often cutting abruptly at these moments, which may detract from the overall viewing experience. Nevertheless, despite the challenge of featuring only three central characters and two supporting ones, Rahul’s punctilious script and visual finesse compensate for the movie’s minor shortcomings.

Previously, one of his smiles in Bheeshma Parvam (2022) had garnered much praise for its unprecedented sense of monstrosity. For those impressed by that, Bramayugam is sure to leave you breathless as, towards the end, once Mammootty begins emanating absolute evil, he gives one of the most notorious smiles ever seen, completely encapsulating the essence of the character. While he has consistently displayed brilliance in portraying grey characters, with Baskara Pattelar in Vidheyan (1994) and Kuttan in Puzhu (2022) being prime examples, Mammootty surpasses himself in Bramayugam, exuding darkness like never before. Even at this age and stage in his career, he doesn’t hold back in even the most disturbing scenes in the film, going all in and extracting the best from himself to elevate the movie. His sharp and measured dialogue delivery, along with the malevolence he exudes through subtle glances and smirks, further enhances the brilliance of Bramayugam. Thanks to his stellar performance, Potty can certainly join the ranks of characters like Kumaran Thampi (Mohanlal) in Sreekrishnaparunthu and Digambaran (Manoj K Sivan) in Anandabhadram, who are the embodiment of evil.

Arjun Ashokan shines here as Thevan. While his dialogue delivery may seem somewhat subdued and occasionally tedious, his expertly conveyed body language and subtle physical nuances of the character more than compensate for it. Sidharth Bharathan also impresses with his multifaceted performance, skillfully capturing the various dimensions of the character.

Shehnad Jalal’s cinematography is a standout feature of Bramayugam, effectively capturing its depth even without colour. Particularly towards the end, as the characters are affected by delusions and feel the mana moving and/or closing in on them, the shots are crafted with brilliance, evoking a palpable sense of horror. Shafique Mohamed Ali’s editing also helps viewers fully grasp the ethos of the world and its dread. S George’s makeup for Mammootty is commendable and sharp, while Ronex Xavier excels with that for other characters. Jayadevan Chakkadath’s sound design immerses viewers in Bramayugam. Although the film fails to leverage silences properly and occasionally overdoes the background music and sound effects, Christo Xavier’s music is as brilliant as it can be, allowing the spirit of the age of madness to rise from within and sail above audiences.

Bramayugam movie cast: Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, Sidharth Bharathan, Amalda Liz, Manikandan R Achari Bramayugam movie director: Rahul Sadasivan Bramayugam movie rating: 3.5 stars

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Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at [email protected]. ... Read More

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