Cast: Prithviraj, Roshan Mathew, Mamukkoya, Murali Gopy, Srindaa
Director: Manu Warrier
Rating: 2.5/5
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Director Manu Warrier's maiden Malayalam movie Kuruthi is a watchable thriller that leaves a decent impact but does not quite reach its potential. The biggie revolves around a god-fearing simpleton, played by Roshan Mathew, who is deeply attached to his beliefs. His mundane world is turned upside down when a cop lands at his doorstep with a 'murderer'. The plot is as hard-hitting as can be and deals with issues that are rarely discussed in commercial cinema. The storyline, however, does not reach its potential as the execution is not as good as it could have been.
Also Read | 'Kuruthi': Will Prithviraj's upcoming movie live up to expectations?
The energy's missing
Kuruthi is a bit similar to the recent 'digital blockbuster' Nayattu as both stories have socio-political undertones and explore a basic instinct--the urge to survive. The Joju George-starrer revolved around what happens when the hunters become the hunted. This one, on the other hand, revolves around the protagonist's bid to fight off an intruder. While the star-studded Kuruthi is made on a bigger scale, it lacks the organic intensity that helped Nayattu emerge as a success. The socio-political elements don't really blend with the narrative as well as they could as the screenplay is quite rushed. The makers needed to be a lot more subtle while highlighting the dilemma faced by Roshan's character.
No emotional connect
A film entrenched in native hues needs to have a strong emotional core to find wide patronage. The recently-released Malik is a case in point. The film appealed to a pan-India audience despite the setting as the bond between Ali Ikka, the character played by Fahadh Faasil, and his mother proved to be its emotional fulcrum. This is where Kuruthi falters as the makers are unable to explore the tragic past of Roshan's character.
Moreover, the track involving Roshan's Ibrahim and Srindaa's Suma does not get much scope in the grand scheme of things,
The positives
That said, Kuruthi is not a lost cause by any stretch of the imagination. The last 40 minutes are quite riveting and feature a couple of well-executed twists. The dialogues, especially the ones mouthed by Mamukkoya, raise a few hard-hitting questions. Moreover, the action scenes feel realistic and make the movie relatable. The silences do the talking in a few telling sequences, the hallmark of good storytelling.
Mamukkoya steals the show
Coming to the performances, Mamukkoya proves to be the proverbial scene-stealer of Kuruthi. He underplays things beautifully in the initial portions and springs a surprise towards the end. His intensity in the 'drive them to hell' scene is hard to miss. The makers manage to build an aura around his character through elevation scenes, which enhances the impact of his performance. Roshan is sincere and tries to do justice to a complex character that's quite different from the essayed by him in CU Soon.
Prithviraj shines in a few scenes, adding depth to his character. His backstory, however, could have been explored in detail. That said, this is a much better outing for him than the underwhelming Cold Case. Srindaa makes her presence felt in a key scene where her character needs to pick a side. Murali Gopy is underutilised though his introduction sequence leaves one asking for more. The rest of the cast is okay.
Mixed bag
The songs gel with the narrative adding to the realistic nature of the film. The background score doesn't really add much to the reel action while the editing is up to the mark. The dim lighting does a good job of adding a grim feel to the flick. The other technical aspects have been handled with a fair degree of competence.