Sookshmadarshini Malayalam Movie
Where To Watch:
In Theaters: USA INDIA
Everything appears ordinary in this quasi-slow-paced affair that witnesses highly refined performances by Basil Joseph and Nazriya Nazim. The gradual unfolding of events adds sheen to the tasks of these actors who become the mainstay of 'Sookshmadarshini,' directed by MC. In a different mode, Basil Joseph plays Manuel, a confectionary shop owner, whose motherly affection keeps the reels of his life rolling perfectly. Nazriya Nazim as Priya aka Priyadarshini is a vivacious character with keen observation of around her premise but for a good cause. Here, a fine blend of clueless performance and immaculate treatment elevates the plot's mystery, making it qualify as a surprising thriller.
Indeed, the pace of the movie is intentional that amplifies the narration for good. With a striking keenness, the director is adamant to not to leave any clues for viewers to predict the real conflict; instead he leverages crafty shots and frames to sustain the consistent level of gripping waves throughout the proceedings. MC, who made his debut with 2018-film 'Nonsense,' reinvents himself as a neat story-teller while navigating a tale without hinging on usual cinematic fripperies. The screenplay, written by Libin TB and Athul Ramachandran, has the knack of making the wild imaginations work overtime and keeping our guesswork at bay. The writers masterfully succeed in wrapping the mystery intact without trying to elaborate the core conflict of the plot. A couple of shots or photographs convey the major reason that drags the characters to resort to their action. The evolving relevant theme is subtle in the climax but it handsomely firms up the purpose of the script.
Nazriya fits the bill with her eloquence in performance as an ordinary educated homemaker, besides anchoring well as a pivotal character in the tale. Set in the suburbs of Kottayam, Priya's snooping around her new neighbour's house leads to the engaging conflict of 'Sookshmadarshini.' Her neighbour Manuel comes to reside in his old house along with his ailing mother Gracy (Manohari Joy). The bizarre acts of Manuel force Priya to keep tab on him despite the warnings of her husband Antony (Deepak Parambol). Albeit a homemaker, Priya, who has a daughter, named Kani (Hezzah Mehak), is an ambitious woman and job aspirant. She keeps on her efforts to join a firm to support her husband, who is a marketing executive.
Like other women in the area, Priya is also active in the common WhatsApp group and keeps a good rapport with neighbours Sulu (Akhila Bhargavan) and Asma (Pooja Mohanraj). She starts to smell something fishy when she notices Manuel's intimacy with her friend Stephy (Merin Philip), who is one of her neighbours. Meanwhile, the activities of Manuel and the disappearance of his mother create doubts in Priya's mind. With the help of Sulu and Asma, she starts to search around the house of Manuel. She also tries to get in touch with Manuel's sister Diana, who flies down from New Zealand when Gracy goes missing from the house.
Presence of Manuel's friend Dr John (Sidharth Bharathan) and his father Roy (Kottayam Ramesh) at night in that house triggers more suspicion in the mind of Priya. In fact, what makes the film more compelling is the elusive demeanour and odd deeds of Manuel. It is an admiring performance by Basil while exuding calculated expressions in the engaging premise of the film. The curious mien of Manuel makes the events riveting as the tone of the flick is an underlying mystery. The befitting austere narration is further spruced up by the judicious cuts by Chaman Chacko and BGM score by Christo Xavier.
With its humble premise and diligently-penned screenplay, 'Sookshmadarshini' emerges as a well-crafted thriller with minor flaws in the narration. It is largely free from trite moments and natural predictabilities, giving us the innuendos that there is something in store for us. Obviously, the charm of this flick is its impressive way of disguising key events as innocuous episodes that turn out to be a perfect platform for a neat thriller.
