After the success of his first film, #Uyyare, Director #ManuAshokan is back with his second film, #Kaanekannu, a first-of-its-kind direct to OTT release on #SonyLiv. Malayalam cinema has been a torch-bearer for Indian cinema in recent times, but this one is very refreshing. It deals with a subject that is deeply meaningful; it is constructed with some brilliant edits that keep shifting along timelines, is two-layered in terms of narrative and commands top honours for performance from the leads.
The remote is infected. Time to throw it away. Pass_Me_The_Remote reviews #KaaneKannu, another offering from writers #Bobby and #Sanjay. This is a contemporary film, treats the viewer with respect and stays off the tendency to dumb down the narrative. It is a story that highlights how flawed we all are and that is what makes us who we are. At one level, it focuses on the arc of the main character and is part investigative, part thriller, part suspense. At another level though, it is about the psychology of human nature and how the complex mind thinks and behaves. A kind of film that in retrospect makes you think how simple the premise was but how painstakingly the message has been delivered!
#SurajVenjaramoodu is an enigma. An actor who cut his teeth with slapstick comedy, sometimes touted as the man who would take the legendary #JagathySreekumar’s legacy forward; this man has completely transformed himself into a brilliant actor. Here he plays Paul, a retired Tahsildar who is burning up inside at the loss of his daughter. He travels to the city to meet up with a young couple, his eyes are full of pain and anger. He is measured in his approach and yet the threat of an imminent explosion does not leave his manner at any time. In the opening scene, he is seen buying chocolate and a set of candles. One for the affection he has for his grandson and the other to grieve at the grave of his beloved daughter. In the next scene we see his daughter Sherin’s (#ShrutiRamachandran) grave that seems to have remained unattended.
The young couple here are Allen (#TovinoThomas) and Sneha (#AishwaryaLakshmi). Allen is haggard with deep-set eyes that reflect the guilt that he is living with. #TovinoThomas puts in a superb performance in a role that finally does him justice. On the other hand, there is Sneha who resents her husband, unable to comprehend why things are going downhill in her marriage. What strikes you immediately is how well all three have imbibed their characters and put in performances that reflect this.
The screenplay moves back and forth, often confusing you on the timelines. The writers have cleverly written scenes that are a replica of each other across timelines and this makes the effect even more stunning. The music score tends to be over-the-top and help builds the suspense in the first half. You tend to stay invested in the characters because they are flawed and so relatable. There is a moral lesson at the end too as the inevitable of birth compensates for a death.
#Kaanekannu is brilliantly refreshing; an object lesson for students of good cinema. It explores why a human being behaves in a certain manner. It also explores how one build empathy as you experience what the other person has been through. At the end, forgiveness comes from deeper understanding and empathy and not as a behavioural trait.
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