Koode, Malayalam movie ~ A movie review : Blog #332

Koode, Malayalam movie ~ A movie review

*No Spoilers

Have you seen movies which make your eyes moist, fill up a lump in your throat and before your eyelids give way to tears, make you smile? ‘Koode’ directed by Anjali Menon is one such movie. I feel the hall mark of a great movie is for the audience to fall in love with more than one character in the story. If one were to go with that benchmark, ‘Koode’ is way ahead in the greatness category.

Prithviraj is earnestness personified when he portrays Joshua. One feels sympathy, empathy, happiness, sadness and helplessness towards the character of Joshua. I just can’t get over the scene where as a young teenager he had to go away from his family. How scared, vulnerable, lost a child would feel at that age to be away from his parents! The scene where his uncle and he stand at the train’s door is so powerful. How subtly, the message has been conveyed. Although, I felt that particular subject could have been explored a little more over the course of the story. The internal struggles of Joshua is so relatable and endearing. His parents, played by veterans, Parvathi T & Ranjith are characters with such depth. The pain that his father feels for having let his son go and his helplessness is so sincerely portrayed. I felt his mother’s emotional turmoil is greater. There are a couple of scenes where she steels the show. One where she tells her mother (Joshua’s grandmother) as to how she lived alone all her life. Another one where she is left speechless after the marriage proposal scene she tried to bring for Joshua. Joshua is not a yesteryear hero who is full of virtue. He is just a mere human like you and I who struggles with self pity towards one's own self and the love he has towards his family. Prithviraj's movies have almost never let down his viewers and nor does this one. The finesse of his craft and dedication shines thorough all along the movie.

Nazriya, being away from the movies for a while hasn’t lost touch at all. If anything, she has only got better. She brings the much-needed charm and happiness to the movie through her character, Jenny. The character is in a way the anchor to the story. I loved how much care is taken to not make her character preachy. She eases in and out of emotions with her characteristic charm. There are some scenes where the window glass of the van is fogged up. One can’t clearly see her face. Even in those scenes, her emotions shine through. The scene where she asks if her family will forget her is heart wrenching.

Parvathy who plays Sophie lends a lot of dignity to her character. There are two scenes which stand out. One is where she feels unsafe in her own house on a particular night. The shock and disbelief she portrays is so vivid. The second one is my favourite where her family takes her away from Joshua from the old house where they used to play. I felt what she portrayed there was not fear or angst. It was the humiliation that she endured. The fact that her family thought they could decide whom she should meet and where she should be which rattled her. It was so well emoted.

Zubin, the boy who plays younger days of Prithviraj is such an apt casting. His performance is subtle and very endearing. He has the freshness and earnestness of a new comer and there is no awkwardness in his portrayal at all.

I have always been an Atul Kulkarni fan. The coach played by him are the kind of good people we need in our society in today’s age and time. His effortless, understated acting is worth a watch.

Krish, played by Roshan Mathew is so real. The scene where he says ‘he just left’ is so true. At that age, who knows what is the right thing to do? All one feels is fear. The few scenes he had are enacted so well. He is an actor to watch out for.

A special mention for the nurse, Kochuthresiamma played by Pouly Valsan. Her comic timing is to die for. With small, micro expressions and dialogues, she makes her presence hilarious. It is heartening to see that even small characters in a story are so well thought of and given the space that they rightfully deserve.

And about the talented story teller, Anjali Menon. To begin with, what visuals! I so loved the opening scenes of the movie where the camera zooms out of the bus and then does a top view of a round- about. Before you get over that, the bus moves in to the lush greenery of Joshua’s home town. I must say it is extremely brave to have the scene (where Prithviraj meets his Parents and other relatives for the first time in the movie) included in the first 10 minutes of the movie. The bravery has to be acknowledged. I absolutely admire her ability to nurture each and every single character in the story. I found the subtlety to be for lack of a better word, delicious! I so hoped in the last scene, they wouldn’t call the baby Jenny and they did not. Some things are not to be told. They are just to be left, unsaid. The emotional tussles between the characters are so real and life like. I couldn’t trace any artifice anywhere. Anjali menon must make movies more often is all one feels while walking away from the cinema hall.

Since we are talking about earnest relationships, here is a video that tells the story of a Mother and Son from Kerala who is so full of Love and affection. They went on road trips together!. These are the little stories today’s world needs to reaffirm its belief in goodness and Love.