Soul Stories review: Anarkali Marikar and Suhasini Maniratnam's series stands up for women

3/5

Soul Stories plot

The Malayalam anthology web series puts the spotlight on women, narrating tales of their aspirations, choices and struggles in everyday life. Helmed by Sanil Kalathil, each of the five episodes focuses on women, who are from various walks of life and at different stages in life.

Soul Stories review

In a year, when Mollywood was in the dock for not giving prominent roles for women in most of its blockbuster movies, it is refreshing to see a Malayalam anthology series dedicating its entire focus to women and narrating their version of the stories.

Also read: Soul Stories OTT release date: When & where to stream Anarkali Marikar-starrer web series 

The series kickstarts with Anarkali Marikar’s Kiss of Kochi, which asks a pertinent question of consent. Does even a casual hug or a peck on the cheek require consent? Or was Anarkali’s Vaishnavi overreacting or is it a question of asserting dominance? The episode makes a strong case for consent even when it is non-sexual and between all genders. Anarkali gives a solid performance as Vaishnavi, who reclaims her respect and takes a rather unconventional route to assert her dominance. The other cast also ably support her and the dialogues are also crisp and to the point.

In the second episode, we follow Suhasini Maniratnam as Rani who chases her dance aspirations even when she is bogged down by her family tasks. When does a woman actually get to follow her dreams as she gets no breather from the various responsibilities that are placed on her at every phase of her life. It is a delight to watch Suhasini’s acting performance and her graceful dance movements. This is also reportedly the first time that the veteran actress has dubbed for her character in Malayalam. And makes one wonder, what prevented previous productions from giving her the opportunity.

The English title of the third episode is ‘On the lap of a lion’, while the original is ‘Simhathinte Madiyil’. But this episode stands out for the performance of the young Nimna Fathoomi as the teenager Raiza, who refuses to go to school, much to the dismay of her clueless parents. The young girl was able to truly portray the anguish and confusion of a plus-two student, and gets commendable support from Renji Panicker (psychologist) and Asha Aravind (the mother), who effortlessly slip into the characters. But for a story that makes a strong point that times have changed, it gives a one-note villain in a teacher. 

Soul Stories trailer: Manorama Max's original web series looks at pertinent issues related to women 

The fourth episode of Neeril Veezhum Pookkal is the longest at around 40 minutes as it explores themes of women’s sexual choices and desires. It is commendable that the series chose to tackle a sensitive subject, which is yet to get much attention even in the so-called progressive Malayalam cinema, but the episode could have benefitted from better execution and writing for one of the characters. Class difference is also woven into the narrative as the series explores the relationship and rendezvous between the protagonist Arundhathi (Dayyana Hameed), a caretaker at an apartment, and the more affluent Daisy, one of the residents.

The fifth episode Brarthamanam trains its lens on a young woman who is judged for her outfits and way of dressing, and the larger impact it has on her life and even family relationships. The burden of expectations on women, both from family and from the larger society, is explored here. And a monologue by the young woman, though illuminating, doesn't come across as natural.

Most of the series is set in and around a flat complex in urban Kerala, and overall, the series has an affluent setting for all its stories but for Neeril Veezhum Pookkal, which takes us to a limited household near the railway tracks. With a runtime of around 30 minutes for each of the episodes, the series is a breezy watch but the problems get easy solutions. While trying to ‘appear’ progressive, characters in Soul Stories turn out to be too understanding and a more realistic approach would have given more authenticity to the series.

Soul Stories verdict

Manorama Max's first original Malayalam series stays honest to the core idea as it portrays the travails of women in the five episodes. Though a more layered narrative could have benefited the series, Soul Stories should be lauded for making a strong case for women. Worth a watch.