PremiumPulimada review - Joju George’s powerful performance saves this half-baked thriller that shines in parts
Pulimada tries hard to establish itself as an edge-of-the-seat thriller. But predictability and inconsistency in writing prevent this Joju George starrer from emerging as an engaging watch.
Last Updated: 03.01 PM, Nov 23, 2023
Pulimada story: CPO Vincent Scaria is a 40-year-old police officer who leads a lonely life and desperately searches for a life partner. Vincent’s chauvinistic nature and unwillingness to change do not go well with his bride-to-be, who elopes with her ex-lover on their wedding day. The humiliating event and unhealed childhood wounds leave Vincent frustrated. However, his life takes a different turn after he meets a mysterious woman named Mahishmati Emily George (Aishwarya Rajesh) that night.
Pulimada Review:
The AK Sajan directorial starts by establishing Joju George’s character, CPO Vincent Scaria, by exploring his deep-rooted fear of ending up like his late mother, who had psychological issues. However, the narrative that unfolds at its own pace reveals how Vincent’s traumatic childhood still follows him, as he reveals that his wedding alliances have been getting called off due to the same, to his cheerful psychiatrist (played by Balachandra Menon in his trademark style).
But eventually, it is revealed that the protagonist is a total misogynist who still prefers to follow in his father’s footsteps. He is oblivious to his to-be wife's frustration over his unwillingness to build a bathroom inside his house and her desire to continue working. The narrative never shies away from addressing the problematic traits of this patriarchal man, but it still prompts the viewers to sympathise with him by making it clear that it is all the results of his conditioning. However, this move eventually results in an inconsistent narrative that fails to keep the viewer engaged at many points.
The predictability factor plays a major spoilsport in the narrative, despite writer-director AK Sajan trying his best to keep the mystery intact. While CPO Vincent Scaria and Mahishmati Emily George stand out with their well-defined character arcs, the rest of the supporting characters are just wasted. Especially the characters SI Ashokan and CPO Sini, played by Chemban Vinod Jose and Lijomol Jose, are clearly underdeveloped. Lijomol’s sudden character development towards the end also feels abrupt. The climax takes a feel-good turn that looks forced, almost like it came out of nowhere.
Joju George is simply fantastic as COP Vincent Scaria. The talented actor clearly has a knack for portraying cop roles to near perfection, and he has once again proved the same by portraying the inner battles of his character with ease. In fact, it is the stellar performance of Joju that holds the otherwise predictable and inconsistent narrative after a point. Aishwarya Rajesh, on the other hand, delivers a confident performance as the mysterious Mahishmati (the creative choice to let the actress dub for her character worked very well).
The rest of the star cast, including Balachandra Menon, Chemban Vinod Jose, Lijomol Jose, Jaffar Idukki, director Jeo Baby, Pauly Valsan, Sona Nair, Krishna Prabha, Abu Salim, and others, are fine in their respective roles. Senior cinematographer Venu creates a perfect backdrop for the thriller with his visuals. Anil Johnson’s background score goes well with the narrative, while Ishaan Dev’s songs are forgettable.
Pulimada Verdict: This AK Sajan directorial is a decent thriller that works in parts and eventually ends up as an average watch. Watch it for the fantastic performance by leading man Joju George.