NIZHAL (2021)

Critic No. 210

Director: Appu N. Bhattathiri

Produced by: Anto Joseph Film Company, Melange Film House, Tentpole Movies

Casts: Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Izin Hash, Divya Prabha

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Music: Sooraj S. Kurup

SYNOPSIS: 

First Class Judicial Magistrate John Baby (Kuchacko Boban), who is recouping from a traumatic accident, meets Nitin (Izin Hash), a young boy who interests him with murder stories. When Baby explores the possibility of Nitin's stories by mapping the events, it matches with the real-time incidents.

 

REVIEW:

Award-winning film editor Appu N Bhattathiri's debut directorial Nizhal kicks off with an accident involving John Baby, which instills post-traumatic stress in him that haunts him. During a conversation with a clinical psychologist friend Shalini (Divya Prabha), he learns about a little boy named Nitin (Izin) who narrates a couple of strange murder stories with disturbing details. When John meets Nidhin and his mother Sharmila (Nayanthara), he realizes that his stories are not a figment of imagination but links to real crime incidents. 

I was really intrigued by the small details Appu instilled like the hallucination of the rain that John constantly fights to overcome and how the case actually aids him to do that. His character arc was very well etched thanks to Kunchako’s subtle yet powerful portrayal of a complex character who battles between conscious and subconscious mind. John’s character was the best selling point for me which kept me engaged throughout the film. The layers that Appu stacks upon on the crime is such a unique thought process but unfortunately, it crumbles in the second half. 

Fate and coincidence become a prevailing factor in the plot and all the points get connected very conveniently. This spoils the entire mystery at the final act and by the time the climax twist is revealed, we get half detached. The second half of the film also felt a bit draggy and could have been 15 to 20 minutes shorter. Performance-wise, Izin sparkles with energy and charisma as the main boy who kicks starts the mystery while Lal gives the much-needed pump at the end with a thin but menacing cameo. However, the real shocker is Nayanthara who looks expressionless and uninterested at most of the scenes including life-threatening moments of the character. Her degree of emotions looks very very limited and sadly that pulls down the entire emotional spine of the film towards the end. It’s perplexing to see such a weak and amateurish performance from an actress who is lauded as the ‘Lady Superstar’ of South Indian cinema by her fans. 

That said, the film does look sleek and technically sound for a thriller. Cinematographer Deepak’s muted colours and composer Sooraj’s haunting score brings us closer to the somber mood that director Appu tries to settle us in. If only the film had better writing in untying the deadly knots that it tied, it would have been a more rewarding experience. 

VERDICT:

Nizhal is a fairly executed mystery with a truly captivating premise that could have been more engaging with crisper writing. 

 

CELLULOID METER- 3/5: