Turkish Tharkam Malayalam Movie
Showcasing a tale in the background of hardcore religious beliefs is likely to be a didactic exercise. Writer-director Navaz Suleiman takes a leaf out of a real life incident rooted in spiritual affairs but is able to walk away from its message-driven zone despite being a social commentator on unethical religious practices. The director has a genuine purpose in hand and he fulfils it with little hiccups that hardly affect the flow of the tale. 'Turkish Tharkkam' has ample dramatic moments as well as melodrama to negotiate still the film's plot draws us into its conflict through the intense and emotional denouement of the protagonist. Indeed, it generates oodles of pity and sympathy from viewers.
The major action of 'Turkish Tharkkam' is set on the premise of a mosque in the high range of Chelappara. A controversy arises when relatives of a deceased youngster try to exhume his body soon after his burial. It is a battle between practical wisdom and religious beliefs. An altercation is snowballed into a physical attack involving leaders of religious council and the relatives backed by the youth's friends. Navaz Suleiman depicts how misinterpretation of religious beliefs affects human destiny though the Usthad of the mosque (Assim Jamal) calls for a rational thinking amid the ruckus. So, the director devotes his space for a subtle didactic purpose along with impressively creating timely situations through the emotions of the buried man.
Lukman Avaran plays Masin, son of fish seller Suleiman (Harisree Ashokan), in this engaging drama that takes a potshot at the superstitious beliefs linked to religion. His happy family life with his adorable mother and amiable sister Minha (Jayashree Sivadas) takes a turn after his alliance with Nasreth, played by Amina Nijam. An incident in the bar turns ugly and it becomes a turning point in the life of Masin. As a debutant, Navaz Suleiman has tried to disrupt the conventional boy-girl meeting and their cinematic romance post the marriage proposal.
The opposition by hardcore religious leaders including Chanapadi (Sujith Shankar) reveals the rigidity of people at a time when rational thinking becomes the need of the hour. Sunny Wayne appears as Circle Inspector Rupesh whose soliloquy in the opening scene unveils the movie's premise. Lukman Avaran has immersed into the soul of the character and it saves the flick from falling into the depths of message-driven narration. The emotional background of Masin is the backbone of 'Turkish Tharkkam' and Lukman has effortlessly conveyed the agony of a human spirit with a strikingly appealing performance. The hapless situation of an endearing father is poignantly portrayed by Harisree Ashokan, whose maturity and perfect balance in maintaining the role is hard to ignore. Amina Nijam gets the different task of enacting a Muslim girl with a refreshing attitude and her casting is perfectly delightful.
In the religious milieu, this drama has didactic vibes but meets its goal with organic emotional elements that form around the protagonist. Since the conflict is set at an early stage and the pandemonium at the Turkish mosque goes overboard, the film struggles to find a foothold in the latter half. This time, it relies on the mental state of the hero to buttress the narration. It is a grave and sensitive issue but the progressive musings in the script hardly pose a hindrance to the narrative part. Composer Ifthi's music rightly blends with apt situations to convey the intensity of the tale. Here, reality bites after taking a rollercoaster ride through the dramatic world born out of puerile human beliefs and practices.
