Puthiya Niyamam Malayalam Movie
For a film decides to take you round and round a narrative path, with the sole intent of ultimately unlocking a climactic twist that is somewhat exhilarating, a lot depends on the steady build up to the finale. A K Sajan's 'Puthiya Niyamam' is thus a long winding ride up and down a craggy path, that hopes to astonish you with the concluding spectacle that it has in store.
Louis Pothen (Mammootty) is an advocate, clay artist and film critic rolled into one and is blessed with a lovely family that comprises of his wife Vasuki (Nayantara) and daughter. Vasuki, a Kathakali artiste b y profession, has been acting strange of late, though Pothen does not have a clue as to what has been vexing his spouse.
When DCP Jeena Bai (Sheelu Abraham) assumes office, the media goes haywire celebrating the firebrand woman cop and her accomplishments. Having given it much of a thought, Vasuki decides to give Jeena Bai a call, and discloses the trauma that she has been going through. Jeena Bai offers her a helping hand, and assures her that she will remain safe.
'Puthiya Niyamam' talks of a dire issue that many women in the state find themselves face to face with, and with a bit more of a watchful scripting could have made a captivating film. It takes almost an hour to reach there, and when Vasuki declares once and for all as to what has happened to her, much wasted water has flown by under the bridge.
Pothen, tries to keep us occupied in the meanwhile, and offers sermons on marital relationships, comments on the irrationalities that drive individuals to separation and even tenders some sex counselling. The man is quite popular and is adored his neighbours - women in particular - with the overly flirtatious television journo Kanimani (Rachna Narayanankutty) leading the pack.
The act of violence that is committed on Vasuki, and the psychological impact that it has on her carries the film forward in the latter half. An excessively long scene that depicts the crime, is one that is agonising, as much on account of its duration as the gruesome act itself. Thereon, the film transforms into a revenge drama, with Vasuki vowing to wreak vengeance.
For a while it does make us wonder why an actor as Mammootty had agreed to do the film, since almost the entirety of the second half of the film belongs to Vasuki. Pothen makes an ever so brief appearance once in a while and its only when the film throws that monster of a twist on your face that Mammootty being in the film makes sense! And yet, one does wish that the closing speech that makes you think of a recent blockbuster was never delivered in the first place.
Looking debonair to the core, Mammootty excels as Louis Pothen, and makes do for a mostly unhappening role with his finishing performance. A brooding Nayantara is excellent as Vasuki, and delivers a persuasive feat as the wounded woman out to seek justice. Sheelu Abraham and Rachana Narayanankutty compete with each other to grab the hamming honours. While Roby Varghese Raj crafts delightful visuals, Gopi Sunder disappoints with a background score that sounds all over the place.
'Puthiya Niyamam' had the potential to break fresh ground, but squanders its chances by stuffing two thirds of its running time with long stretches of hollow lulls. Which is the reason why, even that final shell shocker that is decidedly hurled at us to bring the hall down, does not quite manage to save the day.