Irul Malayalam Movie

Irul has a clever premise, but the film does not quite build on it. Director Naseef Yusuf Izuddin and writer Sunil Yadav pay more attention to atmospherics and wardrobe than proper character building. They keep us in the dark about Irul's mysteries for far too long only to give us a conclusion that you can see from a mile away. Apr 3, 2021 By Sreejith Mullappilly

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Irul is a tale of trust and judgment passed off as a mystery thriller. Soubin Shahir's Alex Parayil is a mystery thriller novelist who wakes up after mysterious nightmares. Darshana Rajendran plays Archana Pillai, Alex's busy lawyer lover who cannot even find time to share a cup of cappuccino with him. When a lack of communication starts to set in between them, Alex suggests a weekend trip without any phones and with a surprise.

But they have a car breakdown amid the trip, forcing them to seek shelter in a mysterious bungalow nearby. Then they meet a man, Fahadh Faasil's Unni. The night gets interesting as the trio's conversations start to go overboard, a thunderstorm arrives and the power goes. There is a person with a hidden motive among them. One of them has to trust solely on judgment to determine what is happening in the bungalow. Soon, each character starts to have their misgivings about the other.

Irul's premise of how human judgment plays a big part in the establishment of truths, half-truths, lies, and accusations is clever. But the film does not quite build on that premise. Director Naseef Yusuf Izuddin and writer Sunil Yadav pay more attention to atmospherics and wardrobe than proper character building itself. They keep us in the dark about Irul's mysteries for far too long only to give us a conclusion that you can see from a mile away.

Nevertheless, what keeps us watching the movie till the end credits roll are the actors. Fahadh Faasil has an uncanny ability to oscillate between his characters' emotions. The actor here is more content at playing to the crowd and having some fun. He even hams it up in some places of Irul.

I did not quite fully see Soubin Shahir as this thriller novelist, though. Nevertheless, Shahir is earnest in what he does here, while offering a few glimpses of his acting chops. At the end of the day, it is Darshana Rajendran who strikes a balance between some histrionics and a performance that vies more for some sort of authenticity. Without her, Irul might have become a stinker. You may watch it on Netflix.