19(1)(A) Movie Review: Nithya Menen-Vijay Sethupathi's Film Is A Missed Opportunity

19(1)(A), the Malayalam film that features Nithya Menen and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead roles, has finally been released on Disney+ Hotstar. The movie, which is helmed by newcomer Indhu VS, features Indrajith Sukumaran in a pivotal role. 19(1)(A), which is scripted by director Indhu VS herself, marks both Nithya Menen and Vijay Sethupathi's comeback to Malayalam cinema after a long gap.

Does the political drama impress the viewers? Read 19(1)(A) movie review here to know...

What's Yay:

The subject, some performances, cinematography

What's Nay:

Lack of conviction in writing and making, open ends

Plot

A young woman (Nithya Menen) takes charge of her father's photocopy shop, and her life is restricted to that routine. However, things change after she crosses paths with Gauri Shankar (Vijay Sethupathi), a human rights activist and writer. He leaves a highly explosive manuscript in her custody. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

Script & Direction

Director Indhu VS has crafted a film that deals with a highly sensitive topic, Article 19 (Freedom of speech and expression). The film begins on a promising note, and its premise and characters are established well. But despite this, 19(1)(A) restricted itself to a half-baked movie experience, which leaves the viewers unsatisfied. The lazy writing that fails to bring conviction to the plot plays the biggest spoilsport here.

None of the characters including the protagonist played by Nithya Menen or Vijay Sethupathi's Gauri Shankar or Indrajith Sukumaran's Anand, get a proper arc. The back story of the leading lady and the portrayal of her mundane life come across as shallow and plain boring after a point. Despite having a runtime below 2 hours, 19(1)(A) becomes a tiring watch - owing to the over-stuffed plot and uninspired writing.

Performances

Nithya Menen has delivered a decent performance as the protagonist of the story. Vijay Sethupathi's signature style of performance makes Gauri Shankar somewhat memorable. The rest of the star cast, including Indrajith Sukumaran, Indrans, Deepak Parambol, Bhagath Manuel, Sree Lakshmi, and others are fine in their respective roles.

Technical Aspects

Manesh Madhavan scores with decent visuals. Govind Vasantha's background score is not up to the mark. The songs too, are forgettable.

Verdict

19(1)(A) had the potential to become a relevant piece of cinema with its subject but ends up as a missed opportunity. You can watch the film on Disney+ Hotstar.