It might seem rather hypocritical for a film that begins by thanking the brand Porche to lash out at the bourgeoisie over the rest of its running time.
This practice of acknowledging and appreciating those who closely or remotely helped make the movie, came to be a standard in the Malayalam film industry long ago. But in Theerppu, directed by Rathish Ambatt and written by Murali Gopy, the folly of this exercise appears pronounced. It is a film that reduces society into a pool of labels and signs, with a screenplay scooped out of newspaper headlines and opinion pieces, where characters are little more than what their names and surnames represent. A husband and a wife are named Ram and Mythili. A character robbed of his ancestral assets and rightful position is named Abdullah Marakkar. The kitchen, where a marriage's bitter secrets come undone, has a large portrait of Princess Diana. Gandhi and Che Guevara smile from the wall behind the couch from where the film's avenger pronounces his judgements. Was one of the characters named Kalyan as a nod to the textile-jewellery brand Prithviraj endorses? Likely.
Read the full review at filmcompanion.in.
This practice of acknowledging and appreciating those who closely or remotely helped make the movie, came to be a standard in the Malayalam film industry long ago. But in Theerppu, directed by Rathish Ambatt and written by Murali Gopy, the folly of this exercise appears pronounced. It is a film that reduces society into a pool of labels and signs, with a screenplay scooped out of newspaper headlines and opinion pieces, where characters are little more than what their names and surnames represent. A husband and a wife are named Ram and Mythili. A character robbed of his ancestral assets and rightful position is named Abdullah Marakkar. The kitchen, where a marriage's bitter secrets come undone, has a large portrait of Princess Diana. Gandhi and Che Guevara smile from the wall behind the couch from where the film's avenger pronounces his judgements. Was one of the characters named Kalyan as a nod to the textile-jewellery brand Prithviraj endorses? Likely.
Read the full review at filmcompanion.in.