Oru Thathvika Avalokanam movie review: Joju George’s engaging satire is packed with apt political references

3/5

Story: Shankaran, a righteous contractor, has had to endure a life of struggles the past decade for going against the ruling party. Through a twist of fate that involves two witless terrorists who come from Delhi to carry out a mission in Kerala, a frustrated KSRTC employee, a bunch of daft leaders from the three political parties in the area, Shankaran’s life intertwines with that of Nandakumar, a youngster who is on his way to write the PSC exam for sub inspector recruitment. While joining hands to shake up the system, will they accomplish their respective goals?

Review: In a crucial scene at a polling station, Oru Thathvika Avalokanam director Akhil Marar shows whom the characters in the political satire vote for. While the result itself is predictable, the debutant filmmaker makes his observations evident – with communist leaders voting for independent candidates, those from the right-wing sticking to their party nominees and that of the third party choosing the right-wing candidate, “because there’s too many people in his party and no space either”. Throughout the movie, Akhil’s film is packed with such references and incidents – from the Sabarimala issue to KSRTC’s apathy to its employees – that majority of the audience in Kerala that claim to be highly politically aware can relate to, prompting laughs.

The film has multiple daft but engaging characters that keep the proceedings entertaining. The core of the narrative though is about how the political parties in the State don't quite work in alleviating the plight of its people, be it the scores of unemployed youth or those willing to work for the betterment of the land.

Joju’s character Shankaran, a contractor who is forced to run from pillar to post and survive a personal tragedy for defying a political party member, puts this across in a subtle manner when he talks about the qualifications of being leader to Nandakumar (Niranj Raju), who himself couldn’t achieve his goal of writing a PSC test because he accidentally finds himself in the middle of a brewing conflict between three parties. “The only qualification for being a leader is to do nothing and also ensure that others don’t do anything,” says Shankaran.

Akhil, who had contested in elections himself as an independent candidate, brings in a series of interesting observations in the movie that moves at an engaging pace despite never quite achieving a high point. The film doesn’t have an emotional depth of a Sandesham, but it’s also because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. And that works for the satire, which has a motley crew of terrorists who keep messing up their mission, a policeman who tries to literally educate the anti-social elements in his area and an oxymoronic “fanatic who wishes for peace” as some of its characters.

Oru Thathvika Avalokanam’s characters also represent certain sections of the society but where the jokes keep flowing are when it concentrates on the members of the three political parties. Each varied from other, but still united in inaction and indifference. Shammi Thilakan and Aju Varghese as the members of the communist party, and Jayakrishnan as the right-wing leader Pappan ji, who gives a former Naxalite Rs 200 note even as he asks for Rs 100 because of its saffron colour, are a riot.

Joju lends the gravitas to the movie that would have otherwise been a comedy without a message. Niranj too plays his part well. However, the film isn’t going to pass a Bechdel test, with hardly any prominent women characters. Considering that the satire mirrors the contemporary socio-political scenario of the State, you would wonder why the filmmaker didn’t think it was important to feature women as part of it.

Verdict: Director Akhil Marar makes a confident debut with the political satire that is engaging in parts and has enough to keep you entertained. While the pacing is sometimes off, the movie’s comical track packed with references from recent socio-political incidents in the State would at least serve to jog your memory.

Also read: Exclusive! Oru Thathvika Avalokanam is brave enough to criticise the political parties directly: Akhil Marar