Prathichaya

Unnikrishnan transports us into the gritty world of Kerala politics, elevated by the beautiful, atmospheric frames captured by cinematographer Chandru Selvaraj. The narrative effectively utilizes the prathichayas (images or reflections) of its leads, Balachandra Menon and Nivin Pauly, to drive its themes. ​The film manages a unique, deliberate pacing without ever losing track of its core narrative focus. Its political aspects are elegantly crafted, drawing clear inspiration from real-world issues of systemic corruption and smear campaigns, while still injecting a fictitious touch of larger-than-life heroic symbolism. ​The way the screenplay swirls around the central conflict and brings the stakes to a boiling point—by slowly dropping breadcrumbs regarding the deep-seated grudges and personal woes of the characters—is masterfully executed. ​Nivin Pauly practically lives and breathes his character, even if the underlying motives driving him occasionally feel redundant and overly prosaic. Balachandra Menon delivers a highly compelling performance, particularly shining during his emotionally charged final scenes. ​On the other hand, Sharafudheen is saddled with playing a rather lackluster antagonist weighed down by an even duller backstory, although his character arc does manage to settle quite neatly by the film's conclusion. Maniyanpilla Raju, Harisree Ashokan, Vishnu Agasthya, and Sabitha Anand are absolutely formidable, bringing a commanding presence to their respective supporting roles. ​Composer Justin Varghese delivers a highly effective and melodic soundtrack. All things considered, only Sharafudheen's specific background themes felt slightly wacky and out of place, while the musical cues for everyone else were completely on point. ​Ultimately, this is a highly entertaining, fun-to-watch flick that serves as a fitting commemoration of B. Unnikrishnan's directorial comeback! ​AGS CINEMAS; AUDI 5