Cert PG
120 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, mild bad language
I am currently 20 reviews behind (this will be remedied when I leave my full-time job on June 24) but it means that middle-ranking movies which I watched more than two weeks ago tend to merge with each other.
Such would be my description of Dileesh Pothan's Maheshinte Prathikaram - a breezy enough movie but not one which will live long in the memory.
However, I must say that Malayalam cinema has come an awful long way in a very short space of time.
It is only a couple of years since its films were not even released with English subtitles. Now they are not only accessible to wider audiences but their production quality is much higher.
Mahewshinte Prathikaram takes a while to get going, laying out a background of a working class chap (Fahadh Faasil) who runs a photographic studio and tries to look after his father who is suffering from dementia.
Meanwhile, he has the glad-eye for a beautiful local girl (Anusree) and it seems likely that they will marry.
However, his world is turned upside down when he intervenes in a dispute and is beaten up.
He vows that he will go barefoot until he gains exact revenge on his attacker (Sujith Shankar) but when the latter disappears to work in Dubai it seems as if our hero will be shrouded in shame forever.
For me, the plus point of these type of films is that they dig deep into the heart of India.
Our brief experience of the sub-continent is that poverty is real but it comes wrapped in a smile and that is the case here.
It is impossible not to be on the side of Faasil's character because, despite being a hard worker who is devoted to his family, he is too often dealt a bad hand.
The actor and director both make the most of this scenario without his shame ever appearing to be forced.
Reasons to watch: sweet revenge story
Reasons to avoid: doesn't really stand out from the crowd of Indian cinema releases
Laughs: none for me
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6/10
Star tweet
Saw #MaheshintePrathikaram- enjoyable slice of life film, new in concept & wl made wd wonderful performances esp @twitfahadh - wl done team.
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