Puzhu Movie Review: Mammootty's Stellar Performance Is The Heart & Soul Of This Haunting Film!

Puzhu, the highly anticipated project that features Mammootty and Parvathy Thiruvothu in the lead roles, has premiered on Sony LIV. The emotional thriller, which is helmed by newcomer Ratheena, had garnered the attention of viewers with its captivating trailer and promo videos. Puzhu is bankrolled by S George and Dulquer Salmaan under the banners Cyn Cil Celluloid and Wayfarer Films.

Did the Mammootty-starrer impress the viewers? Read Puzhu movie review here to know...

What's Yay:

Mammootty

Performances of Parvathy Thiruvothu & Others

Storytelling and the political insights

Background score

What's Nay:

Slow pace

Inconsistency in writing

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Story

Puzhu revolves around the relationship between an upper-caste ex-police officer (Mammootty) who is called Kuttan, and his young son Kichu (Vasudev). The duo shares a toxic relationship, where the father controls Kichu to the extent that he feels extremely suffocated and claustrophobic. Kuttan shares an equally problematic relationship with his estranged younger sister Bharathi aka Achyol (Parvathy Thiruvothu) and her husband (Appunni) who belongs to a lower caste.

Script & Direction

Newcomer Ratheena makes a decent debut with Puzhu, which is jointly scripted by Unda writer Harshad and Varathan fame writer duo Suhas-Sharfu. The film revolves around the most toxic and unsettling realities of society and how it conditions individuals. It is a film that makes the viewers uncomfortable with its layered narrative which speaks harsh realities that will definitely continue haunting for a very long time.

The biggest strength of Puzhu is its characters, which are extremely relatable even if they are not at all likeable. Director Ratheena has done an extremely good job with her actors, by bringing out the best in them. The slow-burn narrative of the film manages to keep the audience engaged partially. But there are a few moments where the screenplay seems really over-stuffed with a bit too much content and nothing creating the desired impact. Even though the narrative builds anticipation slowly, it is mellowed down in the climax which looks a bit forced.

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Performances

Mammootty, the leading man simply steals the show with his spectacular performance as the extremely unlikeable man who is a product of societal conditioning. The megastar's menacing screen presence and brilliant portrayal of Kuttan is one of the finest performances by a superstar we have seen on the Indian silver screen in a very long time.

Parvathy Thiruvothu creates a deep impact as Achyol with her powerful performance. The rest of the star cast, including Master Vasudev, Appunni, Nedumudi Venu, Indrans, Malavika Menon, and others have played their parts to near perfection.

Technical Aspects

Theni Eswar, the cinematographer has done an exceptional job with the visuals of Puzhu, which has created the perfect backdrop for a haunting cinematic experience. The editing could have been better, as the narrative and its slow pace might leave the viewers unsatisfied.

Music

Jakes Bejoy, the popular musician has done a fantastic job with the background score of Puzhu, which becomes the backbone of the film and elevates the narrative to a certain extent.

Verdict

Puzhu is a haunting film that throws some light on some of the most deeply-rooted issues in society. Mammootty's stellar performance is unarguably the heart and soul of this well-executed yet flawed Ratheena directorial.