2021, Amazon Prime, 8.8/10 IMDB, Directed by Mahesh Narayanan
Malayalam industry’s pragmatic representation of ‘The Godfather’ premise, that attempts to breath life in to the classic template, with its very own coastal politics backdrop, touching upon Manirathnam’s Nayagan. The film’s soul remains truly loyal to the God’s own country’s peculiar notion of realism and might faintly disappoint the macho-moment seekers.
The director’s vision to fuse ‘The Godfather’ elements in to the nativity criterion is nothing new, as there were many attempts, the recent prominent one being Vadachennai. But what is unique to Malik is- with a title so virile, with a story so loud, with an ensemble cast, with a budget so huge for the Kerala state’s films- Malik isn’t self-reliant on these lofty facts and ‘the making’ remains distinctly real. The casting never surpasses the crux of the story at any instance. The story clutches the viewers, as it is solely about Sulaimaan and his life before and after he becomes Ali Ikka. The screenplay fades the charisma of the actor Fahad out of the equation as it delves in to the lives of the people of two different religion. It even ends up in erasing the viewer’s perception of the title ‘Malik’ for that matter, except for a few denotations like the statue of Christ with open arms.
The narration is usually through flash backs and overlapping time periods in these larger than life stories. But the window through which we get a glimpse of the lead character and his life is, through this incredible camera work of the opening sequence. The ‘trail of shots’ give a panoramic view of the events at a feast in Sulaimaan’s residence- both visually and narratively, as it pretty much sums up who Ali Ikka is.
The shriveled physique of the actor Fahad, is the new age representation of gritty naturalism. The underplayed habitual gestures in his body language, draws his character closer to the real life people, who had inspired movies like this and Nayagan. The pain taken to give an unabridged character arc for almost all characters, strengthens the elucidation of the plot that travels through many decades.
While Joju George and Dileesh Pothan contribute in making the world of Ali Ikka come alive, its Nimisha Sajana and Vinay Forrt who travel through the length of the film along side Fahad in helping him shoulder his role.
The unexplained haste in few sequences, transcends to become momentous, as every other character is significant in helping to accelerate the narrative and has its own bearing on past and future events of the screenplay. For instance Nimisha who plays Roselyn expedites in all her sequences, which intensifies her characterization. The cycle sequence leading to throwing bombs from a school terrace is again a chain reaction sequence that snowballs its way to the climax. Likewise, the prison doctor’s unhesitating body movement is a well planned set up that beautifully pays off many folds in the climax that the audience are left dumbstruck.
A nostalgic watch that evoke memories of the grand Godfather days of the west and the east, this one being more true to life.