Sakhavu Malayalam Movie
Like all films that depict leftist ideology, the red flag and its fluttering rhythm rekindle the nostalgia of revolution in "Sakhavu". The film is a reminder as well as a wake-up call to alter the mindsets of those comrades, who consider politics as an easy platform to gain money and power. Director Sidhartha Siva's intention is good but sadly, he lets you down in its execution. The award-winning director quite often becomes preachy, and there's little effort from his part to make the film interesting. George Williams' visuals serve a good purpose for the film especially in recreating the old period. But the filmmaker can't make the most of it thanks to a half-baked script.
Krishna Kumar (Nivin Pauly) works as an SFK party activist based on his own principles that yield only benefits for him. His aspirations in politics are high. He doesn't even hesitate to plan scheming against his own party men. One morning the comrade reaches a government hospital to donate blood to a patient. Later he realizes that the patient is a popular old comrade, Krishnan, who is respected by all.
From the narration of Krishnan's daughter (Aparna Gopinath), wife Janaki (Aiswarya Rajesh), neighbor Aiswarya (Gayathri Suresh) and other comrades, Krishna Kumar comes to know about the hardships and sacrifice of a true "Sakhavu" in the tea estates of Peerumedu.
The message is clear in "Sakhavu" but the problem lies in the protracted drama that is predictable owing to the trite story of exploitation and revolution. As the story is in the backdrop of the Communist party's growth, there are oodles of moments that make comrades go gung-ho. Meanwhile, the detachment gets wider for a movie buff.
The delicate performance by Nivin Pauly in his double role is delightful to watch and he deserves full credit in shouldering the film with onus. His portrayal of a shrewd politician and a sincere comrade, who believes in social service, is noteworthy.
Due to a lackluster screenplay, Sidhartha Siva's attempt to depict the transformation of new age "Sakhavu" becomes partially impressive.
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